102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0637

 

Introduced 2/24/2021, by Sen. Laura M. Murphy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
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 2022-2023 academic year, to award College Promise grants to Illinois residents seeking an associate degree, certificate, or diploma from an institution of higher learning or a not-for-profit private business or vocational school. Sets forth the terms and conditions of the program. Effective July 1, 2022.


LRB102 16134 CMG 21510 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0637LRB102 16134 CMG 21510 b

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 23 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/23 new)
7    Sec. 23. College Promise program.
8    (a) In this Section:
9    "Continuous enrollment" means a student has attended
10classes in the fall and spring semester of a single academic
11year; enrollment in summer semester or intersession terms is
12not required.
13    "School" means a private business and vocational school,
14as defined in Section 15 of the Private Business and
15Vocational Schools Act of 2012, that is not for profit.
16    "Student aid" means scholarships and grants, other than a
17College Promise grant, awarded to a student from any source
18that does not require repayment; "student aid" does not
19include student loans and work-study awards.
20    (b) The Commission shall implement and administer a
21program, beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, to award
22College Promise grants to all eligible Illinois residents
23seeking an associate degree, certificate, or diploma from an

 

 

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1institution or a school. The following terms and conditions
2shall apply to the program:
3        (1) To be eligible for a grant, a student must be
4    admitted to and enrolled full-time, as an Illinois
5    resident, in an institution or a school in the fall term
6    following graduation from an approved high school or after
7    obtaining a high school equivalency certificate, provided
8    that the student obtains the high school equivalency
9    certificate prior to the student reaching 19 years of age.
10    Exceptions to initial enrollment may be made for
11    extenuating circumstances as provided in rules adopted by
12    the Commission.
13        (2) Students applying for a grant shall complete the
14    College Promise grant application in their initial year of
15    enrollment. Students shall complete the Free Application
16    for Federal Student Aid each academic year in which they
17    seek to receive a grant.
18        (3) To continue to receive a grant, a student must
19    maintain Illinois residency, as well as satisfactory
20    academic progress as determined by rules adopted by the
21    Commission.
22        (4) Grant recipients shall participate in mentoring
23    and community service programs under rules adopted by the
24    Commission.
25        (5) Each academic year, subject to appropriation, a
26    grant shall be equal to the cost of tuition and mandatory

 

 

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1    fees at the institution or the school attended less all
2    other student aid. Student aid shall be credited first to
3    the student's tuition and mandatory fees.
4        (6) Notwithstanding paragraph (5) of this subsection
5    (b), the amount of the grant at a public university, a
6    private institution, or a school may not exceed the
7    average cost of tuition and mandatory fees at public
8    community colleges as determined by the Illinois Community
9    College Board.
10        (7) A student awarded a grant who has an approved
11    medical or personal leave of absence from an institution
12    or a school may continue to receive the grant upon
13    resuming the student's education at an institution or a
14    school so long as the student continues to meet all
15    applicable eligibility requirements under this Section and
16    as adopted by the Commission. The total of all approved
17    leaves of absence may not exceed 6 months.
18        (8) A student is eligible for a grant until the
19    occurrence of the first of the following events:
20            (A) the student has earned an associate degree,
21        certificate, or diploma; or
22            (B) the sum of the number of years the student has
23        attended an institution or a school, exclusive of
24        approved leaves of absence, equals 2 years from the
25        date of the student's initial enrollment at an
26        institution or a school.

 

 

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1        (9) Except for a medical or personal leave of absence,
2    as approved by an institution or a school, a student
3    awarded a grant under this Section shall maintain
4    continuous enrollment at an institution or a school.
5    (c) In awarding grants under this Section, the Commission
6shall, by rule, develop the selection and renewal criteria for
7students.
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
92022.