Public Act 097-0288
 
HB1256 EnrolledLRB097 05249 HEP 45300 b


  
    AN ACT concerning State government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The Department of Transportation Law of the

Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended  by adding 
Section 2705-587 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2705/2705-587 new)
    Sec. 2705-587. Diversity in Engineering scholarship 
program.
    (a) The Diversity in Engineering scholarship program is 
created to assist in increasing the representation of targeted 
group members within civil engineer job classifications in 
which targeted group members are underutilized by the 
Department.
    (b) For purposes of this Section:
        "Targeted group member" means a person belonging to a 
    class of race, color, or sex, whose percent of the 
    workforce within the Department's professional 
    classification which includes civil engineers is less than 
    that class's percent of the statewide labor market for such 
    job activities as recorded in the Department's annual 
    affirmative action plan.
        "Eligible student" means a targeted group member who: 
    (i) is an Illinois resident at the time of application for 
    a scholarship under the Program established by this 
    Section; (ii) is enrolled full-time at any Illinois college 
    or university in any program leading toward a degree in 
    civil engineering; (iii) agrees to conditions required by 
    the Department, including the obligation to work for the 
    Department after graduation if a position is offered for at 
    least one year for each academic year the student receives 
    a scholarship.
    (c) The Department, subject to appropriation, shall award 
scholarships to up to 20 selected eligible students each year, 
unless no targeted group members are identified by the 
Department's affirmative action plan. Scholarships issued 
pursuant to this Section shall not exceed $7,500 per academic 
year.
    (d) The Department shall promulgate rules to implement and 
administer the scholarship program created by this Section.