SPRINGFIELD – Higher education scholarships would be easier to find under a measure sponsored by State Senator Doris Turner that passed the Senate Thursday.

“College is expensive, and scholarships should be easy for students to find,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “There’s a need for a one-stop shop that includes all scholarships for Illinois students seeking higher education.”

Senate Bill 1331 would create the Illinois Scholarship Database, developed and administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, to be used as a tool for improving Illinois students' knowledge of and access to higher education scholarships.

“Scholarships carry the potential to save a student a lot of future stress and money,” said Jamarion Marshall, Turner’s summer intern who brought the bill to her. “No person likes to have the weight of debt constantly weighing down their shoulders, and no one wants to give up on the experience of dream majors and their expertise just because at the moment they may not be able to afford it.”

Senate Bill 1331 passed the Senate and heads to the House for further consideration.