101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB0871

 

Introduced , by Rep. LaToya Greenwood

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 947/65.105 new

    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission must award grants to students in financial need whose household income is less than the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and who are enrolled for at least 15 credit hours in a public university. Provides that the Commission shall receive funding for the grants through appropriations, with each grant awarded being in an amount sufficient to pay the cost of attendance at the university in which the student is enrolled for 2 semesters of enrollment within an academic year. Defines "cost of attendance" to mean the tuition and fee, room and board, and book and supply costs related to a student's attendance at a public university.


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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 65.105 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/65.105 new)
7    Sec. 65.105. Need-based grant program.
8    (a) In this Section, "cost of attendance" means the tuition
9and fee, room and board, and book and supply costs related to a
10student's attendance at a public university.
11    (b) Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, the
12Commission shall, each year, consider applications for grant
13assistance under this Section. An applicant is eligible for a
14grant under this Section if the Commission finds that the
15applicant meets all of the following qualifications:
16        (1) He or she is a United States citizen or eligible
17    noncitizen.
18        (2) He or she is a resident of this State.
19        (3) He or she is enrolled, for at least 15 credit
20    hours, in a public university and has not yet earned a
21    bachelor's degree. A grant recipient must submit proof to
22    the Commission each semester that he or she is still
23    enrolled in the university.

 

 

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1        (4) He or she demonstrates financial need, as
2    determined by the Commission, and his or her household
3    income is less than the poverty guidelines updated
4    periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department
5    of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42
6    U.S.C. 9902(2).
7        (5) He or she maintains satisfactory academic
8    progress, as determined by the university.
9    (c) Subject to appropriation, each year the Commission
10shall award grants under this Section among applicants
11qualified pursuant to subsection (b). The Commission shall
12receive funding for the grants through appropriations.
13    (d) Each grant awarded under this Section shall be in an
14amount sufficient to pay the cost of attendance at the
15university in which the student is enrolled for 2 semesters of
16enrollment within an academic year. However, the total amount
17of grant assistance awarded by the Commission under this
18Section to an individual for any given academic year, when
19added to other financial assistance awarded to that individual
20for that year, shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the
21university at which the student is enrolled. If, in any fiscal
22year, the amount appropriated for grants is less than the
23amount determined necessary to cover the cost of attendance for
24all eligible applicants, then the grants shall be
25proportionately reduced accordingly.
26    (e) Payment of any grant under this Section shall be

 

 

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1determined by the Commission. All grant funds distributed in
2accordance with this Section shall be paid to the university on
3behalf of the recipient.
4    (f) The Commission shall administer the grant program
5established by this Section and shall make all necessary and
6proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for its
7effective implementation.