HB5463 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 19840 LNS 33290 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5463

Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Camille Y. Lilly

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.115

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Changes the name of the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to the Social Worker and School Counselor Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Allows a school counselor to apply for the Program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall award a grant of up to $8,000 (rather than $6,500) per year for a maximum of 4 years to each qualified applicant. Provides that a grant shall be used for repayment of the recipient's educational loan instead of the Commission encouraging the recipient to use the grant to repay the recipient's educational loan. Makes other and conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2026.

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 Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by changing Section 65.115 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.115)

Sec. 65.115. School and Municipal Social Worker and School Counselor Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program.

(a) To encourage Illinois students to work, and to continue to work, as a school social worker or school counselor for a in public school district districts in this State or to work as a social worker for a municipality in this in State municipalities, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under this Section. This program shall be known as the School and Municipal Social Worker and School Counselor Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. The Commission shall administer the program and shall adopt all necessary and proper rules to effectively implement the program.

(b) Subject Beginning July 1, 2022, subject to a separate appropriation made for such purposes, the Commission shall award a grant, up to a maximum of $8,000 per year for a maximum of 4 years $6,500, to each qualified applicant. A The Commission may encourage the recipient of a grant awarded under this Section shall be used to use the grant award for repayment of the recipient's educational loan. If funds are insufficient to provide all qualified applicants with a grant as authorized by this Section, the Commission shall allocate the available grant funds for the fiscal year to qualified applicants who submit a complete application on or before a date specified by the Commission, based on the following order of priority:

(1) first, to students who received a grant under this Section in the prior fiscal year and who remain eligible for a grant under this Section; and

(2) then, to new, qualified applicants in accordance with this Section.

(c) A person is a qualified applicant under this Section if he or she meets all of the following qualifications:

(1) The person is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen.

(2) The person is a resident of this State.

(3) The person is a borrower with an outstanding balance due on an educational loan related to obtaining a degree in social work or obtaining the appropriate education and training to work as a school counselor.

(4) The person, at the time of application, has been employed for at least 12 consecutive months as a school social worker or school counselor by a public elementary school or secondary school in this State for at least 12 consecutive months or as a social worker for an Illinois municipality who did not report directly to a police department.

(5) The person, at the time of application, is currently employed as a school social worker or school counselor by a public elementary school or secondary school in this State or as a social worker for an Illinois municipality who does not report directly to a police department.

(d) An applicant shall submit an application, in a form determined by the Commission, for grant assistance under this Section to the Commission. An applicant is required to submit, with the application, supporting documentation as the Commission may deem necessary.

(e) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 104-437, eff. 11-21-25.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026.