Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is pushing a bill that would allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees.

Pritzker proposed the new community college baccalaureate degree program Monday with students and leadership from Lewis and Clark Community College in downstate Godfrey near St. Louis. The governor said the program would make bachelor's degrees more accessible and higher education more affordable.

"As the home of the third largest community college system in the nation, Illinois should be doing all that it can to leverage these world-renowned institutions to meet those goals," Pritzker said in a news release. "We have some really terrific four-year institutions that are a vital part of the higher education system in Illinois, but we need to recognize that there are geographic, financial, and accessibility constraints that close off too many students from attending those schools. With lower tuition rates and a greater presence across the state – especially in rural areas – community colleges provide the flexibility and affordability for students to pursue a quality education that works for them."

Pritzker also said the allowing community colleges to bestow four-year degrees would help address worker shortages high-demand fields such as nursing, advanced manufacturing, and early childhood education.

Under the initiative, students living and working in regions outside of driving or commuting distance from traditional four-year universities will still have access to baccalaureate degrees, the Governor's office said. The program will also require that community colleges be charge no more than 150% of their current tuition for third- and fourth-year students in four-year programs.

Community colleges will also need to demonstrate how programs will reach students who are underserved by other higher education institutions in their area.

A total of 24 states already allow community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees.