SB3752 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 20467 LNS 33936 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3752

Introduced 2/5/2026, by Sen. Graciela Guzmán

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force Act. Creates the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force. Sets forth provisions regarding administrative support, membership, compensation, meetings, and hearings. Requires the Task Force to assess the current landscape of Hispanic-serving institutions and emerging Hispanic-serving institutions in the State; identify barriers to student access, retention, and completion; review existing State policies and accountability frameworks to determine their impact on Hispanic-serving institutions and their students' success; examine best practices from other states related to supporting Hispanic-serving institutions; develop recommendations to improve access to and success in higher education for students, strengthen institutional capacity, improve coordination between State agencies and Hispanic-serving institutions, align Hispanic-serving institutions' efforts with State workforce and economic development priorities, and consider the feasibility of creating a permanent State initiative, designation, or funding mechanism to support Hispanic-serving institutions. Requires the Task Force to submit a written report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the Task Force's findings and recommendations for legislative, administrative, or budgetary action. Requires the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board to each post the report on their respective public websites. Dissolves the Task Force upon the submission of its report to the Governor and General Assembly. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2029. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force Act.

Section 5. Legislative findings and purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Hispanic and Latino students represent a growing share of this State's college-going population and are critical to the State's workforce, economic vitality, and civic life;

(2) Hispanic-serving institutions play a central role in expanding access to higher education, improving degree completion, and advancing economic mobility for first-generation and low-income students;

(3) higher education institutions that meet the federal definition of a Hispanic-serving institution or that are an emerging Hispanic-serving institution benefit from coordinated State policy alignment, technical assistance, and resource leveraging; and

(4) establishing a statewide advisory task force allows the State to assess needs, identify best practices, and develop actionable recommendations to support Hispanic-serving institutions.

(b) The purpose of this Act is to establish the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force to study, assess, and make recommendations regarding State support for Hispanic-serving institutions.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Emerging Hispanic-serving institution" means an institution of higher education located in this State with an undergraduate, full-time-equivalent enrollment of at least 15% Hispanic or Latino students.

"Hispanic-serving institution" means an institution of higher education located in this State that meets the federal definition of a Hispanic-serving institution under Title V of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965.

"Task Force" means the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force created under this Act.

Section 15. Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force.

(a) The Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force is created. The Task Force shall be advisory in nature.

(b) The Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall jointly provide administrative, technical, and staffing support to the Task Force, subject to available appropriations.

Section 20. Membership.

(a) The Task Force shall consist of all of the following members:

(1) The Executive Director of the Board of Higher Education or the Executive Director's designee, who shall be co-chairperson of the Task Force.

(2) The Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board or the Executive Director's designee, who shall be co-chairperson of the Task Force.

(3) One representative of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, appointed by the Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

(4) One representative of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

(5) Two presidents or chancellors of public, Hispanic-serving institutions or emerging Hispanic-serving institutions located in this State, appointed by the Governor.

(6) Two presidents or chancellors of public community colleges located in this State that are Hispanic-serving institutions or emerging Hispanic-serving institutions, appointed by the Governor.

(7) One president or chancellor of a private, nonprofit, Hispanic-serving institution or emerging Hispanic-serving institution located in this State, appointed by the Governor.

(8) Two faculty members from Hispanic-serving institutions or emerging Hispanic-serving institutions with expertise in student success, institutional capacity, or workforce alignment, appointed by the Governor.

(9) Two students enrolled at Hispanic-serving institutions or emerging Hispanic-serving institutions located in this State, appointed by the Governor.

(10) One representative of a statewide, Latino-serving, nonprofit organization with experience in higher education policy, appointed by the Governor.

(11) One representative of the business or workforce development community with experience partnering with a Hispanic-serving institutions, appointed by the Governor.

(b) Appointments shall reflect geographic diversity and representation from both community colleges and universities.

(c) Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary travel expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose, subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.

Section 25. Duties. The Task Force shall do all of the following:

(1) Assess the current landscape of Hispanic-serving institutions and emerging Hispanic-serving institutions in this State, including enrollment trends, degree completion, transfer outcomes, workforce alignment, and institutional capacity.

(2) Identify barriers to student access, retention, and completion, including funding equity, data capacity, faculty diversification, infrastructure needs, and the basic needs of students.

(3) Review existing State policies and accountability frameworks to determine their impact on Hispanic-serving institutions and their students' success.

(4) Examine best practices from other states related to supporting Hispanic-serving institutions.

(5) Develop recommendations to:

(A) improve access to and success in higher education for students;

(B) strengthen institutional capacity, including grant development and research infrastructure;

(C) improve coordination between State agencies and Hispanic-serving institutions;

(D) align Hispanic-serving institutions' efforts with State workforce and economic development priorities; and

(E) consider the feasibility of creating a permanent State initiative, designation, or funding mechanism to support Hispanic-serving institutions.

Section 30. Meetings; quorum; hearings.

(a) The Task Force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the co-chairpersons.

(b) A majority of the members of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum.

(c) The Task Force may hold public hearings and solicit public testimony as necessary to carry out the Task Force's duties.

Section 35. Report.

(a) No later than 18 months after the effective date of this Act, the Task Force shall submit a written report to the Governor and the General Assembly.

(b) The report shall include the Task Force's findings and recommendations for legislative, administrative, or budgetary action.

(c) The Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall each post the report on their respective public websites.

Section 90. Dissolution and repeal. The Task Force is dissolved upon submission of the report required under Section 35, and this Act is repealed on January 1, 2029.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.