HB3258 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 07817 NHT 27952 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB3258

Introduced , by Rep. Luis Arroyo

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.86 new

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Creates a legislative scholarship task force to receive and consider applications for scholarship assistance. Requires the task force to receive and consider nominations for scholarship assistance, with a total of 8 scholarships per representative district to be awarded each year. Provides that a nominee is eligible for a scholarship if the task force finds that the nominee meets certain qualifications, including that he or she is a resident of the representative district for which a scholarship is to be awarded and that he or she is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at a public university in this State. Provides that legislative scholarships are good for a period of not more than one year while enrolled for residence credit, are applicable toward 2 semesters of enrollment within an academic year, and exempt the holder from the payment of tuition and fees. Sets forth provisions concerning application for a scholarship and renewals.

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 Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 65.86 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.86 new)

Sec. 65.86. Legislative scholarships.

(a) A legislative scholarship task force is created to receive and consider applications for scholarship assistance under this Section. The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House.

(2) Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House.

(3) Five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate.

(4) Five members of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

Members of the task force shall serve without compensation. The Commission shall provide administrative and other support to the task force.

(b) Beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year, the legislative scholarship task force shall, each year, receive and consider nominations for scholarship assistance under this Section. A total of 8 scholarships per representative district shall be awarded each year. A nominee is eligible for a scholarship under this Section if the task force finds that the nominee meets all of the following qualifications:

(1) He or she is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen.

(2) He or she is a resident of the representative district for which a scholarship is to be awarded.

(3) He or she is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at a public university in this State.

(c) Recipients of legislative scholarships shall be selected from among nominees who are qualified pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section and who have filled out a scholarship application. All applications for scholarship assistance to be awarded under this Section shall be made to the legislative scholarship task force in a form as set forth by the task force. The form of application and the information required to be set forth in the application shall be determined by the task force, and the task force shall require eligible applicants to submit with their applications such supporting documents as the task force deems necessary.

(d) A legislative scholarship is good for a period of not more than one year while enrolled for residence credit. Scholarships are applicable toward 2 semesters of enrollment within an academic year and shall exempt the holder from the payment of tuition or any matriculation, graduation, activity, term, or incidental fee, except any portion of a multipurpose fee that is used for a purpose for which exemption is not granted under this Section. Exemption may not be granted from any other fees, including book rental fees, service fees, laboratory fees, supply fees, union building fees, hospital and medical insurance fees, and any fees established for the operation and maintenance of buildings, the income of which is pledged to the payment of interest and principal on bonds issued by the governing board of a university. Any student who has been or is to be awarded a scholarship shall be reimbursed by the appropriate university for any fees that he or she has paid and for which exemption is granted under this Section if application for such reimbursement is made within 2 months following the academic term for which the fees were paid.

(e) Renewals may be given to previous recipients of assistance under this Section, provided they continue to maintain eligibility and maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the university at which they enroll. A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters of scholarship assistance under this Section.