Full Text of HB5475 103rd General Assembly
HB5475ham001 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | Rep. Camille Y. Lilly Filed: 4/17/2024 | | 10300HB5475ham001 | | LRB103 38479 RJT 72489 a |
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| 1 | | AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5475
| 2 | | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5475 by replacing | 3 | | everything after the enacting clause with the following: | 4 | | "Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this amendatory Act of | 5 | | the 103rd General Assembly is to address health care needs | 6 | | within the Department of Corrections by providing nursing | 7 | | scholarship assistance to eligible students in the State, | 8 | | subject to appropriation, and shall require a public service | 9 | | commitment agreement to work within the Department of | 10 | | Corrections for a specified duration. The Program shall be | 11 | | administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and | 12 | | with the guidance and assistance of the Department. | 13 | | Section 10. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is | 14 | | amended by adding Section 65.125 as follows: | 15 | | (110 ILCS 947/65.125 new) |
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| 1 | | Sec. 65.125. Nursing in correctional facilities | 2 | | scholarship program. | 3 | | (a) In this Section: | 4 | | "Eligible institution" means a public community college, a | 5 | | private junior college, a hospital-based diploma in nursing | 6 | | program, or a public or private college or university with a | 7 | | pre-licensure nursing education program located in this State | 8 | | that has received approval by the Department of Financial and | 9 | | Professional Regulation for an associate degree in nursing | 10 | | program, an associate degree in applied sciences in nursing | 11 | | program, a hospital-based diploma in nursing program, a | 12 | | baccalaureate degree in nursing program, a graduate degree in | 13 | | nursing program, or a certificate in a practical nursing | 14 | | program approved by the Board of Higher Education or any | 15 | | successor agency with similar authority. An eligible | 16 | | institution must maintain compliance with all applicable State | 17 | | and federal laws. An eligible institution is not necessarily | 18 | | eligible for other programs administered by the Commission and | 19 | | is not required to meet the definition of institution of | 20 | | higher learning, qualified institution, or institution as | 21 | | defined in Section 10 of this Act. The Commission may | 22 | | establish by rule additional requirements for an eligible | 23 | | institution. | 24 | | "Department" means the Department of Corrections. | 25 | | (b) Subject to appropriation, the Commission shall award a | 26 | | nursing in correctional facilities scholarship to each |
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| 1 | | qualified applicant. To determine the maximum annual | 2 | | scholarship amount available to a recipient enrolled full | 3 | | time, the Commission shall consider tuition and fee charges | 4 | | and projected living expenses at community colleges and | 5 | | universities statewide under the following criteria: | 6 | | (1) To determine the maximum scholarship amount for a | 7 | | recipient pursuing a certificate in practical nursing at | 8 | | any eligible institution, a hospital-based diploma in | 9 | | nursing, or an associates degree or diploma in nursing | 10 | | from an community college, the Commission shall add the | 11 | | weighted tuition and fees charged by community colleges in | 12 | | this State to the uniform living allowance reported in the | 13 | | weighted Monetary Award Program budget. | 14 | | (2) To determine the maximum scholarship amount for a | 15 | | recipient pursuing an associates, baccalaureate, or | 16 | | graduate degree in nursing at a private 2-year college or | 17 | | a public or private 4-year eligible institution in this | 18 | | State, the Commission shall add the weighted tuition and | 19 | | fees charged by institutions of higher learning to the | 20 | | uniform living allowance reported in the weighted Monetary | 21 | | Award Program budget. | 22 | | The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded by the | 23 | | Commission under this Section to an eligible applicant in any | 24 | | given fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance | 25 | | awarded to that individual for that year, may not exceed the | 26 | | cost of attendance at the institution at which the student is |
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| 1 | | enrolled. If the amount of financial assistance to be awarded | 2 | | to a qualified student exceeds the cost of attendance at the | 3 | | institution at which the student is enrolled, the scholarship | 4 | | awarded under this Section shall be reduced by an amount equal | 5 | | to the amount by which the combined financial assistance | 6 | | available to the student exceeds the cost of attendance. | 7 | | (c) The Commission shall, on an annual basis, receive and | 8 | | consider applications for scholarship assistance under the | 9 | | program. An applicant is eligible for a scholarship under the | 10 | | program if the Commission finds that the applicant meets the | 11 | | following criteria: | 12 | | (1) Is a resident of Illinois. | 13 | | (2) Is enrolled in an eligible institution in the | 14 | | State on at least a part-time basis. | 15 | | (3) Expressed a commitment to work as a nurse in the | 16 | | Department of Corrections for a minimum of 3 years. | 17 | | (4) Is not receiving financial assistance during the | 18 | | same academic year through a scholarship program under the | 19 | | Nursing Education Scholarship Law. | 20 | | When selecting scholarship recipients from among eligible | 21 | | applicants, the Commission shall give preference first to | 22 | | previous recipients of a scholarship under the program, | 23 | | provided that the recipient continues to meet the eligibility | 24 | | requirements set forth in this Section and maintains | 25 | | satisfactory academic progress as determined by the | 26 | | institution of higher education at which the recipient is |
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| 1 | | enrolled. In considering new recipients, the Commission shall | 2 | | prioritize funding for students with financial need, as | 3 | | determined by the Commission. In considering new recipients, | 4 | | the Commission shall prioritize funding for students with | 5 | | financial need, as determined by the Commission | 6 | | (d) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for an | 7 | | academic year, each recipient of a scholarship awarded under | 8 | | the program must sign an agreement pledging that, within the | 9 | | one-year period following the termination of the academic | 10 | | program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the | 11 | | recipient shall: | 12 | | (1) begin working as a nurse in the Department for a | 13 | | period of not less than 3 years; and | 14 | | (2) upon request of the Commission and subject to | 15 | | confirmation with the Department, provide the Commission | 16 | | with evidence that the recipient is fulfilling or has | 17 | | fulfilled the terms of the public service agreement | 18 | | required under this subsection (d). | 19 | | (e) A recipient may receive scholarship assistance under | 20 | | the program for the equivalent of 8 semesters or 16 quarters of | 21 | | full-time enrollment. | 22 | | (f) All applications for a scholarship under the program | 23 | | shall be made to the Commission in a form and manner prescribed | 24 | | by the Commission. An applicant shall also submit any | 25 | | supporting documents deemed necessary by the Commission at the | 26 | | time of application. |
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| 1 | | (g) All scholarship funds distributed under the program | 2 | | shall be paid to the eligible institution on behalf of the | 3 | | scholarship recipient. | 4 | | (h) If a recipient of a scholarship awarded under this | 5 | | Section fails to fulfill the service agreement required under | 6 | | the program, the Commission shall require the recipient to | 7 | | repay the amount of the scholarship or scholarships received, | 8 | | prorated according to the fraction of the service agreement | 9 | | not completed, plus interest at a rate of 5% and, if | 10 | | applicable, reasonable collection fees. Payments received by | 11 | | the Commission under this Section shall be remitted to the | 12 | | State Comptroller for deposit into the General Revenue Fund. | 13 | | (i) A recipient of a scholarship awarded by the Commission | 14 | | under the program shall not be in violation of the agreement | 15 | | entered into pursuant to this Article if the recipient is (i) | 16 | | serving as a member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of | 17 | | the United States, (ii) a person with a temporary total | 18 | | disability, as established by a sworn affidavit of a qualified | 19 | | physician, (iii) taking additional courses, on at least a | 20 | | half-time basis, related to nursing, or (iv) extenuating and | 21 | | specific circumstances in which the recipient is unable to | 22 | | achieve full-time employment as a nurse with the Department | 23 | | and is able to provide evidence of that fact, subject to review | 24 | | by the Commission. Any extension of the period during which | 25 | | the service requirement must be fulfilled shall be subject to | 26 | | limitations of duration established by the Commission and with |
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| 1 | | the guidance and assistance of the Department. | 2 | | (j) In providing guidance and assistance to the | 3 | | Commission, the Department may collaborate with accredited | 4 | | State nursing schools to facilitate the scholarship program. | 5 | | Eligible institutions are encouraged to support and promote | 6 | | the program among their nursing students. | 7 | | (k) The Department, in consultation with the Commission, | 8 | | shall provide an annual report on the program's effectiveness, | 9 | | including the number of recipients, their service periods, and | 10 | | any challenges faced. | 11 | | (l) The funding for the program shall be subject to | 12 | | appropriation. Additional contributions from private entities, | 13 | | philanthropic organizations, or federal grants may supplement | 14 | | the scholarship. | 15 | | (m) The Commission shall administer the grant program | 16 | | established by this Section and shall make all necessary and | 17 | | proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for its | 18 | | effective implementation with the guidance and assistance of | 19 | | the Department. | 20 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | 21 | | 2025.". |
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