Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB0223

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides for the issuance of grants to exonerated persons, subject to appropriation. Provides that recipients of grants issued by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission need not be Illinois residents at the time of enrollment in order to be eligible for a grant. Provides that recipients are entitled to either payment for the course of study needed for them to obtain a high school equivalency certificate or 8 semesters or 12 quarters of full payment of tuition and mandatory fees, provided that the recipients are maintaining satisfactory academic progress. Allows the funds from the grant to be used for obtaining a high school equivalency certificate or pursuing undergraduate or graduate study. Provides that benefits shall be administered by and paid out of funds available to the Commission and shall accrue to the bona fide applicant for a grant without the requirement of demonstrating financial need to qualify for the benefits.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as amended by Senate Amendment No. 2 with the following changes: defines "exonerated person" as an individual who has received a pardon from the Governor of the State of Illinois (rather than the Governor) stating that such a pardon is issued on the grounds of innocence of the crime for which he or she was imprisoned or an individual who has received a certificate of innocence from a circuit court. Defines "satisfactory academic progress" as the qualified applicant's maintenance of minimum standards of academic performance, consistent with requirements for maintaining federal financial aid eligibility (rather than the qualified applicant's maintenance of minimum grade levels), as determined by the institution of higher learning. Removes a provision providing that recipients need not be Illinois residents at the time of enrollment in order to be eligible for a grant. Provides for the payment of tuition and fees only at a public university or community college. Makes changes to provide that an exonerated person who has not yet received a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate and completes a high school equivalency preparation course through an Illinois Community College Board-approved provider may use grant funds to pay the costs associated with obtaining a high school equivalency certificate, including payment of the cost of the high school equivalency test and up to one retest on each test module, and any additional fees that may be required in order to obtain an Illinois High School Equivalency Certificate or an official transcript of test scores after successful completion of the high school equivalency test. Removes a provision requiring funds for the grant to be paid out of funds available to the Commission.

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