Sen. Laura M. Murphy
Filed: 1/20/2022
 
 

 

 

 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 637 




2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 637 by replacing 
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:








 
 
4    "Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is 
5amended  by adding Section 23 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/23 new)
7    Sec. 23. College Promise program.
8    (a)   In this Section:
9    "Continuous enrollment" means a student has attended 
10classes in the fall and spring semester of a single academic 
11year; enrollment in summer semester or intersession terms is 
12not required.
13    "School" means a private business and vocational school, 
14as defined in Section 15 of the Private Business and 
15Vocational Schools Act of 2012, that is not for profit. 
16    "Student aid" means scholarships and grants, other than a 
 
 
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1College Promise grant, awarded to a student from any source 
2that does not require repayment; "student aid" does not 
3include student loans and work-study awards. 
4    (b)   The Commission shall implement and administer a 
5program, beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, to award 
6College Promise grants to all degree or certificate seeking, 
7eligible Illinois residents seeking an associate degree, 
8certificate, or diploma from an institution of higher 
9learning, including a public or private 4-year university, 
10community college, or vocational or technical school. The 
11following terms and conditions shall apply to the program:
12        (1)   To be eligible for a grant, a student must be 
13    admitted to and enrolled full-time, as an Illinois 
14    resident, in an institution or a school in the fall term 
15    following graduation from an approved high school or after 
16    obtaining a high school equivalency certificate, provided 
17    that the student obtains the high school equivalency 
18    certificate prior to the student reaching 24 years of age. 
19    Exceptions to initial enrollment may be made for 
20    extenuating circumstances as provided in rules adopted by 
21    the Commission.
22        (2)   Students applying for a grant shall complete the 
23    College Promise
grant application in their initial year of 
24    enrollment. Students shall complete the Free Application 
25    for Federal Student Aid each academic year in which they 
26    seek to receive a grant.
 
 
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1        (3)   To continue to receive a grant, a student must 
2    maintain Illinois residency, as well as satisfactory 
3    academic progress as determined by rules adopted by the 
4    Commission.
5        (4) Grant recipients shall participate in mentoring 
6    and community service programs under rules adopted by the 
7    Commission.
8        (5)   Each academic year, subject to appropriation, a 
9    grant shall be equal to the cost of tuition and mandatory 
10    fees at the institution or the school attended less all 
11    other student aid. Student aid shall be credited first to 
12    the student's tuition and mandatory fees.
13        (6) Notwithstanding paragraph (5) of this subsection 
14    (b), the amount of the grant at a public university, a 
15    private institution, or a school may not exceed the 
16    average cost of tuition and mandatory fees at public 
17    community colleges as determined by the Illinois Community 
18    College Board. 
19        (7)   A student awarded a grant who has an approved 
20    medical or personal leave of absence from an institution 
21    or a school may continue to receive the grant upon 
22    resuming the student's education at an institution or a 
23    school so long as the student continues to meet all 
24    applicable eligibility requirements under this Section and 
25    as adopted by the Commission. The total of all approved 
26    leaves of absence may not exceed 8 months.
 
 
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1        (8)   A student is eligible for a grant until the 
2    occurrence of the first
of the following events:
3            (A)   the student has earned a degree, certificate, 
4        or diploma; or
5            (B)   the sum of the number of years the student has 
6        attended an institution or a school, exclusive of 
7        approved leaves of absence, equals 2.5 years from the 
8        date of the student's initial enrollment at an 
9        institution or a school.
10        (9)   Except for a medical or personal leave of absence, 
11    as approved by an institution or a school, a student 
12    awarded a grant under this Section shall maintain 
13    continuous enrollment at an institution or a school.
14    (c)     In awarding grants under this Section, the Commission 
15shall, by rule, develop the selection and renewal criteria for 
16students.
  
 
17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
182023.".