SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A bill heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk will help homeless students find housing.

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The plan allows school districts to provide an extended motel stay for students and their parents, guardians, or the person who enrolled them in school.

Sponsors said this is critical, as students struggle to get to school when they don’t know where they will sleep.

“These are people that are working hard every single day, and once in a while they’re down on their luck,” said Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago). “If I would have been able to say on their worst day why don’t you go get a motel room tonight, that would have made the difference for this family and for so many others here in the state of Illinois.”

House Bill 4137 passed out of the Senate Tuesday on a 47-11 vote. It previously received a 99-5 vote in the House. 

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