A proposed bill would give more than 90,000 students across Illinois access to high-speed internet. Reports from Springfield say that Democratic Senator Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, Republican Senator Sam McCann of Plainview and Democratic Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant of Shorewood are sponsoring the legislation. Manar says that the measure would be a one-time expense that would bridge the digital divide that puts many rural schools in Illinois at a disadvantage. Schools that lack access to high-speed internet cannot stream education videos, use online testing or offer a remote to learning. Building the fiber-optic infrastructure is expected to cost between $75,000 to $420,000 per school. The legislation would set aside more than $16-million in state funds from the upcoming budget. It could gain as much as $50-million in matching funds from the federal government.