101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB0901

 

Introduced , by Rep. Will Guzzardi

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
30 ILCS 105/5.891 new
110 ILCS 947/23 new

    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to implement and administer a program, beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, to award College Promise grants to Illinois residents seeking an associate degree from a public community college or a bachelor's degree from a public university. Provides that a College Promise grant shall be equal to the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at the public institution attended less all other student aid, subject to appropriation from the College Promise Fund; defines "student aid". Sets forth the terms and conditions of the program. Amends the State Finance Act to create the College Promise Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.


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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 State Finance Act is amended by adding
5Section 5.891 as follows:
 
6    (30 ILCS 105/5.891 new)
7    Sec. 5.891. The College Promise Fund.
 
8    Section 10. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
9amended by adding Section 23 as follows:
 
10    (110 ILCS 947/23 new)
11    Sec. 23. College Promise program.
12    (a) In this Section:
13    "Continuous enrollment" means a student has attended
14classes in the fall and spring semester of a single academic
15year; enrollment in summer semester or intersession terms is
16not required.
17    "Public institution" means the University of Illinois,
18Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University,
19Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University,
20Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University,
21Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, any

 

 

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1public community college in this State, or any other public
2university, college, or community college now or hereafter
3established or authorized by the General Assembly.
4    "Student aid" means scholarships and grants, other than a
5College Promise grant, awarded to a student from any source
6that does not require repayment; "student aid" does not include
7student loans and work-study awards.
8    (b) The Commission shall implement and administer a
9program, beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, to award
10College Promise grants to all eligible Illinois residents
11seeking an associate or bachelor's degree, as applicable, from
12a public institution. The following terms and conditions shall
13apply to the program:
14        (1) To be eligible for a grant, a student must be
15    admitted to and enrolled full-time, as an Illinois
16    resident, in a public institution in the fall term.
17    Exceptions to initial enrollment may be made for
18    extenuating circumstances as provided in rules adopted by
19    the Commission.
20        (2) Students applying for a grant shall complete the
21    College Promise grant application in their initial year of
22    enrollment. Students shall complete the Free Application
23    for Federal Student Aid each academic year in which they
24    seek to receive a grant. If a student is ineligible to
25    complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in
26    any academic year, the Board of Higher Education must

 

 

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1    provide the student with an alternate application or form
2    that contains similar information to be completed by the
3    student.
4        (3) To continue to receive a grant, a student must
5    maintain Illinois residency, as well as satisfactory
6    academic progress as determined by rules adopted by the
7    Commission.
8        (4) Each academic year, subject to money appropriated
9    by the General Assembly from the College Promise Fund, a
10    grant shall be equal to the cost of tuition and mandatory
11    fees at the public institution attended. Student aid shall
12    be credited first to the student's tuition and mandatory
13    fees. Each public institution shall annually report its
14    undergraduate tuition rate for Illinois residents and the
15    number of its undergraduates who are Illinois residents to
16    the Commission.
17        (5) A student awarded a grant who has an approved
18    medical or personal leave of absence from a public
19    institution may continue to receive the grant upon resuming
20    the student's education at the public institution so long
21    as the student continues to meet all applicable eligibility
22    requirements under this Section and as adopted by the
23    Commission. The total of all approved leaves of absence may
24    not exceed 6 months.
25        (6) A student is eligible for a grant until the
26    occurrence of the first of the following events:

 

 

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1            (A) the student has earned an associate degree if
2        attending a public community college or a bachelor's
3        degree if attending a public university; or
4            (B) the sum of the number of years the student has
5        attended the public community college or public
6        university, as applicable, equals 4 years from the date
7        of the student's initial enrollment at the public
8        community college or 8 years from the date of the
9        student's initial enrollment at the public university,
10        exclusive of approved leaves of absence.
11        (7) Except for a medical or personal leave of absence,
12    as approved by the public institution, a student awarded a
13    grant under this Section shall maintain continuous
14    enrollment at the public institution.
15    (c) In awarding grants under this Section, the Commission
16shall, by rule, develop the selection and renewal criteria for
17students.
18    (d) The College Promise Fund is created as a special fund
19in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of money
20appropriated by the General Assembly and any gifts, bequests,
21or donations made to the Fund. All money in the Fund shall only
22be used, subject to appropriation, by the Commission for the
23purposes of this Section.
 
24    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
25becoming law.