93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB2755

 

Introduced 2/5/2004, by John M. Sullivan

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 947/45

    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that if the recipient of an Illinois National Guard Grant ceases to be a member of the Illinois National Guard while enrolled in a course of study under that grant but (i) has served in the Illinois National Guard for at least 5 years and (ii) has served a cumulative total of at least 6 months of active duty, then that recipient shall continue to be eligible for a grant for one year after membership in the Illinois National Guard ended, provided that the recipient has not already received the exemption from tuition and fees for the equivalent of 4 years of full-time enrollment. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning higher education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5 amended by changing Section 45 as follows:
 
6     (110 ILCS 947/45)
7     Sec. 45. Illinois National Guard grant program.
8     (a) As used in this Section:
9     "State controlled university or community college" means
10 those institutions under the administration of the Chicago
11 State University Board of Trustees, the Eastern Illinois
12 University Board of Trustees, the Governors State University
13 Board of Trustees, the Illinois State University Board of
14 Trustees, the Northeastern Illinois University Board of
15 Trustees, the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees,
16 the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees, Southern
17 Illinois University Board of Trustees, University of Illinois
18 Board of Trustees, or the Illinois Community College Board.
19     "Tuition and fees" shall not include expenses for any
20 sectarian or denominational instruction, the construction or
21 maintenance of sectarian or denominational facilities, or any
22 other sectarian or denominational purposes or activity.
23     "Fees" means matriculation, graduation, activity, term, or
24 incidental fees. Exemption shall not be granted from any other
25 fees, including book rental, service, laboratory, supply, and
26 union building fees, hospital and medical insurance fees, and
27 any fees established for the operation and maintenance of
28 buildings, the income of which is pledged to the payment of
29 interest and principal on bonds issued by the governing board
30 of any university or community college.
31     (b) Any enlisted person or any company grade officer,
32 including warrant officers, First and Second Lieutenants, and

 

 

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1 Captains in the Army and Air National Guard, who has served at
2 least one year in the Illinois National Guard and who possesses
3 all necessary entrance requirements shall, upon application
4 and proper proof, be awarded a grant to the State-controlled
5 university or community college of his or her choice,
6 consisting of exemption from tuition and fees for not more than
7 the equivalent of 4 years of full-time enrollment in relation
8 to his or her course of study at that State controlled
9 university or community college while he or she is a member of
10 the Illinois National Guard. Except as otherwise provided in
11 this Section, if If the recipient of any grant awarded under
12 this Section ceases to be a member of the Illinois National
13 Guard while enrolled in a course of study under that grant, the
14 grant shall be terminated as of the date membership in the
15 Illinois National Guard ended, and the recipient shall be
16 permitted to complete the school term in which he or she is
17 then enrolled only upon payment of tuition and other fees
18 allocable to the part of the term then remaining. If the
19 recipient of a grant awarded under this Section ceases to be a
20 member of the Illinois National Guard while enrolled in a
21 course of study under that grant but (i) has served in the
22 Illinois National Guard for at least 5 years and (ii) has
23 served a cumulative total of at least 6 months of active duty,
24 then that recipient shall continue to be eligible for a grant
25 for one year after membership in the Illinois National Guard
26 ended, provided that the recipient has not already received the
27 exemption from tuition and fees for the equivalent of 4 years
28 of full-time enrollment under this Section. If the recipient of
29 the grant fails to complete his or her military service
30 obligations or requirements for satisfactory participation,
31 the Department of Military Affairs shall require the recipient
32 to repay the amount of the grant received, prorated according
33 to the fraction of the service obligation not completed, and,
34 if applicable, reasonable collection fees. The Department of
35 Military Affairs may adopt rules relating to its collection
36 activities for repayment of the grant under this Section.

 

 

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1 Unsatisfactory participation shall be defined by rules adopted
2 by the Department of Military Affairs. Repayments shall be
3 deposited in the National Guard Grant Fund. The National Guard
4 Grant Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury.
5 All money in the National Guard Grant Fund shall be used,
6 subject to appropriation, by the Department of Military Affairs
7 for the purposes of this Section.
8     A grant awarded under this Section shall be considered an
9 entitlement which the State-controlled university or community
10 college in which the holder is enrolled shall honor without any
11 condition other than the holder's maintenance of minimum grade
12 levels and a satisfactory student loan repayment record
13 pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 20 of this Act.
14     (c) Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes,
15 the Commission may reimburse the State-controlled university
16 or community college for grants authorized by this Section.
17 (Source: P.A. 92-589, eff. 7-1-02.)
 
18     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19 becoming law.