HB5514 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 19942 AXK 35223 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB5514

Introduced , by Rep. Justin Slaughter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 105/5.886 new
110 ILCS 947/23 new

Amends the State Finance Act to create the First-Year College Promise Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to implement and administer a program to award First-Year College Promise grants to low-income Illinois residents seeking an associate degree from a public community college or a bachelor's degree from a public university. Provides that a First-Year College Promise grant shall be equal to the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at the public institution for 2 semesters of enrollment. Sets forth the terms and conditions of the program.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.886 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.886 new)

Sec. 5.886. The First-Year College Promise Fund.

Section 10. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 23 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/23 new)

Sec. 23. First-Year College Promise program.

(a) In this Section, "public institution" means the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, any public community college in this State, or any other public university, college, or community college now or hereafter established or authorized by the General Assembly.

(b) The Commission shall implement and administer a program to award First-Year College Promise grants to all eligible Illinois residents seeking an associate or bachelor's degree, as applicable, from a public institution. The following terms and conditions shall apply to the program:

(1) To be eligible for a grant, a student must be admitted to and enrolled full-time, as an Illinois resident, in a public institution in the fall semester after receiving a high school diploma or a certificate of high school graduation from an approved high school or a high school equivalency certificate and must have a family income at or below the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2).

(2) Students applying for a grant shall complete the First-Year College Promise grant application and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

(3) Subject to money appropriated by the General Assembly from the First-Year College Promise Fund, a grant shall be equal to the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at the public institution, less all other student aid, for 2 semesters of enrollment. Student aid shall be credited first to the student's tuition and mandatory fees.

(c) In awarding grants under this Section, the Commission shall, by rule, develop the selection criteria for students.

(d) The First-Year College Promise Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of money appropriated by the General Assembly. All money in the Fund shall only be used, subject to appropriation, by the Commission for the purposes of this Section.