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.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by adding Section 65.86 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/65.86 new)
7    Sec. 65.86. Legislative scholarships.
8    (a) A legislative scholarship task force is created to
9receive and consider applications for scholarship assistance
10under this Section. The task force shall consist of the
11following members:
12        (1) Five members of the House of Representatives
13    appointed by the Speaker of the House.
14        (2) Five members of the House of Representatives
15    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House.
16        (3) Five members of the Senate appointed by the
17    President of the Senate.
18        (4) Five members of the Senate appointed by the
19    Minority Leader of the Senate.
20    Members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
21The Commission shall provide administrative and other support
22to the task force.
23    (b) Beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year, the

 

 

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1legislative scholarship task force shall, each year, receive
2and consider nominations for scholarship assistance under this
3Section. A total of 8 scholarships per representative district
4shall be awarded each year. A nominee is eligible for a
5scholarship under this Section if the task force finds that the
6nominee meets all of the following qualifications:
7        (1) He or she is a United States citizen or eligible
8    noncitizen.
9        (2) He or she is a resident of the representative
10    district for which a scholarship is to be awarded.
11        (3) He or she is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at
12    a public university in this State.
13    (c) Recipients of legislative scholarships shall be
14selected from among nominees who are qualified pursuant to
15subsection (a) of this Section and who have filled out a
16scholarship application. All applications for scholarship
17assistance to be awarded under this Section shall be made to
18the legislative scholarship task force in a form as set forth
19by the task force. The form of application and the information
20required to be set forth in the application shall be determined
21by the task force, and the task force shall require eligible
22applicants to submit with their applications such supporting
23documents as the task force deems necessary.
24    (d) A legislative scholarship is good for a period of not
25more than one year while enrolled for residence credit.
26Scholarships are applicable toward 2 semesters of enrollment

 

 

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1within an academic year and shall exempt the holder from the
2payment of tuition or any matriculation, graduation, activity,
3term, or incidental fee, except any portion of a multipurpose
4fee that is used for a purpose for which exemption is not
5granted under this Section. Exemption may not be granted from
6any other fees, including book rental fees, service fees,
7laboratory fees, supply fees, union building fees, hospital and
8medical insurance fees, and any fees established for the
9operation and maintenance of buildings, the income of which is
10pledged to the payment of interest and principal on bonds
11issued by the governing board of a university. Any student who
12has been or is to be awarded a scholarship shall be reimbursed
13by the appropriate university for any fees that he or she has
14paid and for which exemption is granted under this Section if
15application for such reimbursement is made within 2 months
16following the academic term for which the fees were paid.
17    (e) Renewals may be given to previous recipients of
18assistance under this Section, provided they continue to
19maintain eligibility and maintain satisfactory academic
20progress as determined by the university at which they enroll.
21A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters of scholarship
22assistance under this Section.