Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – An Illinois House committee has advanced legislation that would allow community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in certain high-demand fields. 

The House Executive Committee on Wednesday unanimously passed House Bill 5319, sending it to the full House for consideration. The measure would create a community college baccalaureate program aimed at addressing workforce shortages and expanding access to higher education.

Brian Durham, Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board, said the proposal builds on discussions from last year’s General Assembly and reflects ongoing collaboration between community colleges and universities.

“We negotiated and talked with universities to come to an agreement around what it would look like, and now we have a really tight structure for it,” Durham said, on the WTAX Morning Newswatch.

Under the proposal, community colleges would be able to offer bachelor’s degrees after going through a rigorous approval process. Schools would need to demonstrate a clear workforce need in specific fields before launching programs.

Durham said the focus is on areas where there are shortages and a growing demand for higher-level credentials.

“Community colleges would be in a position, after a pretty rigorous process, to show that need and that they would be able to offer those baccalaureate degrees locally on their campus,” he said.

The program is expected to primarily serve adult learners. Durham said the average age of community college students is around 31 or 32.

“The goal is for folks to upscale,” he said, adding that the degrees could help students move into higher-level positions and advance their careers.

Supporters say the legislation also addresses affordability and access to education, particularly in regions where students may not have easy access to a four-year university.

“It’s ultimately about whether a student would even have the opportunity,” Durham said. “There are community colleges that might be able to fill that need for a much more affordable price.”

In areas like Springfield, where universities already operate, Durham said partnerships between institutions will remain key to making the program successful.

The bill now heads to the full House for a vote. A companion measure is also being considered in the Senate.

“This is a huge milestone to get it out of the executive committee and to get it out unanimously,” Durham said. “I think that shows that folks are recognizing the importance of this. We’ve got some momentum, but also still have a lot of work to do, and we are going to continue to push forward on that.”