Public Act 93-0239
HB1448 Enrolled LRB093 06893 NHT 07039 b
AN ACT regarding higher education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding
Section 17-2.5 as follows:
(720 ILCS 5/17-2.5 new)
Sec. 17-2.5. False academic degrees.
(a) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly manufacture
or produce for profit or for sale a false academic degree,
unless the degree explicitly states "for novelty purposes
only".
(b) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly use a false
academic degree for the purpose of obtaining employment or
admission to an institution of higher learning or admission
to an advanced degree program at an institution of higher
learning or for the purpose of obtaining a promotion or
higher compensation in employment.
(c) Sentence. A person who violates this Section is
guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) In this Section:
"False academic degree" means a certificate, diploma,
transcript, or other document purporting to be issued by an
institution of higher learning or purporting to indicate that
a person has completed an organized academic program of study
at an institution of higher learning when the person has not
completed the organized academic program of study indicated
on the certificate, diploma, transcript, or other document.
"Institution of higher learning" means a public or
private college, university, or community college located in
the State of Illinois that is authorized by the Board of
Higher Education or the Illinois Community College Board to
issue post-secondary degrees, or a public or private college,
university, or community college located anywhere in the
United States that is or has been legally constituted to
offer degrees and instruction in its state of origin or
incorporation.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.