093_HB1448enr

 
HB1448 Enrolled                      LRB093 06893 NHT 07039 b

 1        AN ACT regarding higher education.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding
 5    Section 17-2.5 as follows:

 6        (720 ILCS 5/17-2.5 new)
 7        Sec. 17-2.5. False academic degrees.
 8        (a)  It is unlawful for a person to knowingly manufacture
 9    or  produce  for  profit or for sale a false academic degree,
10    unless the degree explicitly  states  "for  novelty  purposes
11    only".
12        (b)  It is unlawful for a person to knowingly use a false
13    academic  degree  for  the purpose of obtaining employment or
14    admission to an institution of higher learning  or  admission
15    to  an  advanced  degree  program at an institution of higher
16    learning or for the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  promotion  or
17    higher compensation in employment.
18        (c)  Sentence.  A  person  who  violates  this Section is
19    guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
20        (d)  In this Section:
21        "False academic degree"  means  a  certificate,  diploma,
22    transcript,  or  other document purporting to be issued by an
23    institution of higher learning or purporting to indicate that
24    a person has completed an organized academic program of study
25    at an institution of higher learning when the person has  not
26    completed  the  organized academic program of study indicated
27    on the certificate, diploma, transcript, or other document.
28        "Institution  of  higher  learning"  means  a  public  or
29    private college, university, or community college located  in
30    the  State  of  Illinois  that  is authorized by the Board of
31    Higher Education or the Illinois Community College  Board  to
 
HB1448 Enrolled             -2-      LRB093 06893 NHT 07039 b
 1    issue post-secondary degrees, or a public or private college,
 2    university,  or  community  college  located  anywhere in the
 3    United States that is or  has  been  legally  constituted  to
 4    offer  degrees  and  instruction  in  its  state of origin or
 5    incorporation.

 6        Section 99. Effective date. This Act  takes  effect  upon
 7    becoming law.