State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_HB0972

      110 ILCS 947/30
          Amends  the  Higher  Education  Student  Assistance  Act.
      Increases the amount of the merit scholarship award to $3,000
      from $1,000 for the 1998-99 and  subsequent  academic  years.
      Reduces   the   $3,000  award  to  an  amount  equal  to  the
      educational expenses that  the  award  recipient  will  incur
      during  the  academic year in which the award is effective if
      those educational expenses are less than the  amount  of  the
      increased merit scholarship award.  Effective July 1, 1997.
                                                     LRB9004165THpk
                                               LRB9004165THpk
 1        AN  ACT  to amend the Higher Education Student Assistance
 2    Act by changing Section 30.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The Higher Education Student Assistance Act
 6    is amended by changing Section 30 as follows:
 7        (110 ILCS 947/30)
 8        Sec. 30. Merit recognition scholarship program.
 9        (a)  As used in this Section:
10             "Eligible  applicant"  means  a  student  from   any
11        approved  high  school  located  in  this State whose 7th
12        semester cumulative high school grade point average is at
13        or above the 95th percentile,  or  90th  percentile  with
14        respect  to  students who graduated from such an approved
15        high school during  the  1986-1987  or  1987-1988  school
16        year,  of his or her high school class, and who by reason
17        thereof is entitled  to  apply  for  scholarships  to  be
18        awarded under this Section.
19             "Qualified  student"  means  a  person:  (i) of good
20        moral character who is a resident of  this  State  and  a
21        citizen  or permanent resident of the United States, (ii)
22        who,  as  an  eligible  applicant,  has  made  a   timely
23        application  for  a  merit  recognition scholarship under
24        this Section, (iii) who has  successfully  completed  the
25        program  of  instruction  at  any  approved  high  school
26        located  in  this  State,  and  (iv)  who  enrolls  or is
27        enrolled in a qualified Illinois  institution  of  higher
28        learning or a Service Academy as an undergraduate student
29        or cadet and has not received a baccalaureate degree.
30             "Merit   recognition  scholarship"  means  a  $1,000
31        academic scholarship awarded to a qualified student under
                            -2-                LRB9004165THpk
 1        this Section during an academic year prior to the 1998-99
 2        academic year or a $3,000 academic scholarship awarded to
 3        a qualified student under this Section during the 1998-99
 4        or a subsequent academic year  to  a  qualified  student,
 5        without regard to financial need, as a scholarship to any
 6        qualified  Illinois  institution  of higher learning or a
 7        Service Academy in which  that  student  is  or  will  be
 8        enrolled  as  an  undergraduate  student or cadet, except
 9        that  a  merit  recognition  scholarship  awarded   under
10        subsection (k) shall be in the amount of $500.
11             "Service  Academy" means the U.S. Air Force Academy,
12        the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Military  Academy,
13        or the U.S. Naval Academy.
14        (b)  In order to identify, encourage, promote, and reward
15    the distinguished academic achievement of students from every
16    approved  high  school  located in this State, each qualified
17    student shall be awarded a merit recognition  scholarship  to
18    any  qualified  Illinois institution of higher learning or to
19    any Service Academy.
20        (c)  No merit  recognition  scholarship  provided  for  a
21    qualified  student  under this Section shall be considered in
22    evaluating the financial situation of  that  student,  or  be
23    deemed  a financial resource of or a form of financial aid or
24    assistance to that student, for purposes of  determining  the
25    eligibility  of  the  student  for any scholarship, grant, or
26    monetary assistance awarded by the Commission, the  State  or
27    any  agency  thereof  pursuant to the provisions of any other
28    Section of this Act or any other law of this State; nor shall
29    any merit recognition scholarship provided  for  a  qualified
30    student   under   this  Section  reduce  the  amount  of  any
31    scholarship, grant, or monetary assistance which that student
32    is eligible to be awarded by the Commission,  the  State,  or
33    any  agency  thereof in accordance with the provisions of any
34    other Section of this Act or any other law of this State.
                            -3-                LRB9004165THpk
 1        (d)  Each approved high  school  located  in  this  State
 2    shall certify to the Commission the names of its students who
 3    are  eligible  applicants,  specifying  which of the students
 4    certified as eligible applicants have completed  the  program
 5    of  instruction  at  that high school and the graduation date
 6    fixed for their high school class, and specifying for each of
 7    the other eligible  applicants  whose  names  appear  on  the
 8    certification  the  semester of high school last completed by
 9    them.  The Commission shall promptly  notify  those  eligible
10    applicants   so  certified  who  are  reasonably  assured  of
11    receiving a Merit Recognition Scholarship in accordance  with
12    the  annual  funding  levels  recommended  in  the Governor's
13    Budget -- other than any eligible applicant named on any such
14    certification who, as an eligible applicant,  has  previously
15    made  application  to  the Commission for a merit recognition
16    scholarship under this Section --  of  their  eligibility  to
17    apply  for  a  scholarship  under  this Section. An otherwise
18    eligible applicant who fails to make a timely application (as
19    determined  by  the  Commission)  for  a  merit   recognition
20    scholarship  under  this Section shall no longer be deemed an
21    eligible applicant and shall not qualify for the award of any
22    merit recognition scholarship.
23        (e)  All applications for merit recognition  scholarships
24    to  be  awarded  under  this  Section  shall  be  made to the
25    Commission on forms which the Commission  shall  provide  for
26    eligible  applicants.   The  form  of  applications  and  the
27    information  required  to  be  set  forth  therein  shall  be
28    determined  by  the  Commission,  and  the  Commission  shall
29    require eligible applicants to submit with their applications
30    such   supporting   documents   or   recommendations  as  the
31    Commission deems necessary.
32        (f)  Whenever an eligible applicant who has completed the
33    program of instruction at any approved high school located in
34    this  State  thereafter  makes  timely  application  to   the
                            -4-                LRB9004165THpk
 1    Commission  for  a  merit  recognition scholarship under this
 2    Section, the Commission shall promptly determine whether that
 3    eligible applicant is  a  qualified  student  as  defined  in
 4    subsection (a) of this Section.  Each such eligible applicant
 5    so  determined  by  the  Commission to be a qualified student
 6    shall be designated as such by the Commission and, except  as
 7    otherwise  provided  under subsection (k), shall be awarded a
 8    merit  recognition  scholarship  in  the  amount  of  $1,000,
 9    effective during the academic year  following  the  qualified
10    student's  high  school  graduation  or,  should  the General
11    Assembly specifically so provide in  an  appropriation  under
12    this  Section,  effective for a subsequent academic year. The
13    amount of the merit recognition scholarship shall  be  $1,000
14    if  awarded  and  effective for an academic year prior to the
15    1998-99 academic year, or $3,000 if awarded and effective for
16    the 1998-99 or a subsequent academic year.
17        (g)  Subject to a separate appropriation for purposes, of
18    this Section other than subsection  (k),  and  subject  to  a
19    separate   appropriation  for  purposes  of  subsection  (k),
20    payment of any merit recognition  scholarship  awarded  under
21    this  Section  shall  be  determined  by the Commission.  All
22    scholarship  funds  distributed  in  accordance   with   this
23    subsection  or  subsection (k) shall be paid to the qualified
24    Illinois institution of higher learning  or  Service  Academy
25    and  used  only  for  payment  of  the  educational  expenses
26    incurred  by  the  student  in  connection  with  his  or her
27    attendance as an  undergraduate  student  or  cadet  at  that
28    institution  or Service Academy, including but not limited to
29    tuition  and  fees,  room  and  board,  books  and  supplies,
30    required Service Academy uniforms, and  travel  and  personal
31    expenses   related   to  the  student's  attendance  at  that
32    institution  or  Service  Academy.  Any   merit   recognition
33    scholarship awarded under this Section shall be applicable to
34    2  semesters  or 3 quarters of enrollment. Should a qualified
                            -5-                LRB9004165THpk
 1    student withdraw from enrollment prior to completion  of  the
 2    first    semester  or quarter for which the merit recognition
 3    scholarship is applicable, the student shall refund  to   the
 4    Commission   the   full   amount  of  the  merit  recognition
 5    scholarship.
 6        (h)  The   Commission   shall   administer   the    merit
 7    recognition  scholarship  aid  program  established  by  this
 8    Section  and  shall  make all necessary and proper rules, not
 9    inconsistent   with   this   Section,   for   its   effective
10    implementation.
11        (i)  When an appropriation to the Commission for purposes
12    of this Section other than for purposes of subsection (k)  is
13    insufficient   to   provide  scholarships  to  all  qualified
14    students (excluding qualified students under subsection (k)),
15    the Commission shall allocate the appropriation in accordance
16    with this subsection.   If funds are insufficient to  provide
17    all  qualified  students  (excluding qualified students under
18    subsection  (k)),  with  a  scholarship  as   authorized   by
19    subsection   (f),   the   Commission   shall   allocate   the
20    scholarships   to  qualified  students  (excluding  qualified
21    students  under  subsection  (k))  in  order  of   decreasing
22    percentile   as   determined   by  the  eligible  applicant's
23    cumulative  grade  point  average.   All  merit   recognition
24    scholarships,   other  than  merit  recognition  scholarships
25    awarded under subsection (k),  shall  be  in  the  amount  of
26    $1,000 if awarded and effective for an academic year prior to
27    the 1998-99 academic year, or $3,000 if awarded and effective
28    for the 1998-99 or a subsequent academic year.
29        (j)  The   Commission,   in  determining  the  number  of
30    scholarships to be offered pursuant to subsection (i),  shall
31    take  into  consideration  past  experience  with the rate of
32    scholarship funds unclaimed by qualified  students.   To  the
33    extent  necessary  to  avoid  an overcommitment of funds, the
34    Commission may allocate scholarship funds on the basis of the
                            -6-                LRB9004165THpk
 1    date the Commission receives a complete application form.
 2        (k)  A  $500  merit  recognition  scholarship  shall   be
 3    awarded  under  this  subsection  to those qualified students
 4    graduating from any approved  high  school  located  in  this
 5    Section whose 7th semester cumulative high school grade point
 6    average  was  at  or  above the 90th percentile of their high
 7    school class and who graduated  from  any  such  high  school
 8    during  the  1986-1987  or 1987-1988 school year and have not
 9    already received an initial award under this Section  due  to
10    insufficient  appropriations.   Funds  for  merit recognition
11    scholarships awarded under this subsection shall be  provided
12    by  a  separate  appropriation  made  for  purposes  of  this
13    subsection.  If the funds so appropriated are insufficient to
14    provide  all qualified students under this subsection with an
15    initial  award,  the  Commission  shall  allocate  the  merit
16    recognition scholarships awarded  under  this  subsection  to
17    those qualified students in order of decreasing percentile as
18    determined by their 7th semester cumulative high school grade
19    point average.
20        (l)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section,
21    if the amount of a merit scholarship that is to be awarded to
22    a  qualified  student  and  effective  for  the  1998-99 or a
23    subsequent academic year is greater than the aggregate amount
24    of the educational expenses that  the  Commission  determines
25    the qualified student will incur during that academic year as
26    an  enrolled student at the institution or Service Academy to
27    which the scholarship funds are to be  paid,  the  Commission
28    shall  reduce the amount of the merit scholarship award to an
29    amount equal to the aggregate  amount  of  those  educational
30    expenses  and  shall  pay  only  that  reduced  amount to the
31    institution or Service Academy in which the qualified student
32    is enrolled.  As used in this Section, "educational expenses"
33    means  and  includes  the  educational  expenses   that   are
34    described in subsection (g) of this Section.
                            -7-                LRB9004165THpk
 1    (Source: P.A. 87-997; 88-69; 88-203; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)
 2        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect July
 3    1, 1997.

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