HB3476eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3476 Engrossed LRB099 09973 NHT 30192 b

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 48 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/48 new)

Sec. 48. Tuition and fee exemption for children of wounded warriors.

(a) This Section applies to the following persons:

(1) A person:

(A) whose mother or father:

(i) served in the armed forces of the United States;

(ii) received the Purple Heart decoration or was wounded as a result of enemy action;

(iii) received a discharge or separation from the armed forces, other than a dishonorable discharge; and

(iv) either designated this State as home of record at the time of enlistment in the armed forces of the United States or resided in this State at least 5 years before the person first applies for benefits under this Section;

(B) who is eligible to pay the resident tuition rate at the State university the person will attend as determined by the university;

(C) who possesses the requisite academic qualifications;

(D) who, if the person was adopted by the person's mother or father, was adopted before the person was 18 years of age; and

(E) who is not more than 32 years of age when the person first applies and becomes eligible for benefits under this Section.

(2) A person:

(A) whose mother or father:

(i) served in the armed forces of the United States during a war or performed duty equally hazardous that was recognized by the award of a service or campaign medal of the United States;

(ii) suffered a service connected death or disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;

(iii) received a discharge or separation from the armed forces, other than a dishonorable discharge; and

(iv) either listed this State as home of record at the time of enlistment in the armed forces of the United States or resided in this State at least 5 years before the person first applies for benefits under this Section;

(B) who is eligible to pay the resident tuition rate at the State university the person will attend, as determined by the university;

(C) who possesses the requisite academic qualifications;

(D) who, if the person was adopted by the person's mother or father, was adopted before the person was 18 years of age; and

(E) who is not more than 32 years of age when the person first applies and becomes eligible for benefits under this Section.

(b) Subject to the other provisions of this subsection (b) and subsection (c) of this Section, an eligible applicant to which this Section applies is entitled to enter into, remain at, and receive instruction at a State university upon the same conditions, qualifications, and rules prescribed for other applicants for admission to or students at the State university without the payment of any tuition and fees for 124 semester credit hours at the State university. The maximum amount that an eligible applicant is exempt from paying for a semester hour is an amount equal to the cost of an undergraduate semester credit hour at the State university in which the eligible applicant enrolls.

This subsection (b) applies only to an individual who qualifies for a benefit under this Section because of a father or mother who enlisted or otherwise initially served in the armed forces of the United States. Subject to the other provisions of this subsection (b), any benefits awarded under this Section may not be renewed if the eligible individual fails to maintain at least the following cumulative grade point average:

(1) For credit hours applicable to the equivalent of the applicant's freshman academic year, a cumulative grade point average that the State university determines is satisfactory academic progress.

(2) For credit hours applicable to the equivalent of the applicant's sophomore academic year, a cumulative grade point average of 2.25 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent as established by the State university.

(3) For credit hours applicable to the equivalent of the applicant's junior or senior academic year, a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent as established by the State university.

After the first semester or its equivalent at the State university that a person does not achieve the requisite cumulative grade point average specified in this subsection (b), the person is considered to be on probation and must achieve the requisite cumulative grade point average by the next semester or its equivalent at the State university in order to continue to receive benefits under this Section.

(c) This subsection (c) applies to an individual who qualifies as an eligible applicant under subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this Section because the individual's father or mother (i) enlisted or otherwise initially served in the armed forces of the United States after June 30, 2011 and (ii) suffered a disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. This subsection (c) does not apply to an individual who (i) is an eligible applicant under subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this Section and (ii) qualifies as an eligible applicant under subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this Section.

Subject to the other provisions of this subsection (c) and subsection (b) of this Section, the eligible applicant is entitled to a reduction in the tuition and fees that would otherwise apply as follows:

(1) If the individual's father or mother suffered a disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs with a rating of 80% or more, the individual is entitled to a 100% reduction in education costs.

(2) If the individual's father or mother suffered a disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs with a rating of less than 80%, the individual is entitled to a reduction in education costs equal to the sum of 20%, plus the disability rating of the individual's father or mother.

The latest disability rating determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for an individual's father or mother shall be used to compute the percentage by which education costs are reduced under this subsection (c). If the disability rating of the individual's father or mother changes after the beginning of an academic semester, quarter, or other period for which tuition and fees have been reduced under this subsection (c), the change in disability rating shall be applied beginning with the immediately following academic semester, quarter, or other period.

(d) The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to implement this Section.