093_SB0347

 
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 1        AN ACT  concerning  a  community  scholarship  foundation
 2    program.

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

 5        Section 1.  Short title.  This Act may be  cited  as  the
 6    Community  Scholarship Foundation Program Act.

 7        Section  5.   Findings and purpose.  The General Assembly
 8    finds  that making higher education  opportunities  available
 9    to  Illinois  residents  is of great importance to the social
10    and economic well-being of this State.   The General Assembly
11    further finds that  some  potential  students,    because  of
12    family  and  social circumstances, economic distress of their
13    community,  and  other  reasons,  do  not  pursue  a   higher
14    education.   It  is   in the interest of the State to support
15    the development of scholarship    programs  that  help  these
16    citizens     attend     a     college,     university,     or
17    vocational-technical  institute in the State.  The purpose of
18    this Act is to  create  a  community  scholarship  foundation
19    program  as  a  pilot project, with the intent of encouraging
20    local communities to develop scholarship programs that assist
21    their residents in obtaining a higher education.

22        Section  10.  Definitions.   In  this  Act,  unless   the
23    context clearly  requires otherwise:
24        "Commission"   means   the  Illinois  Student  Assistance
25    Commission.
26        "Foundation" means  a  community  scholarship  foundation
27    found  to    be  eligible for State funds under Section 25 of
28    this Act.
29        "Institution of higher education" means a degree-granting
30    college  or   university   or   public   vocational-technical

 
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 1    institute, in  this State, that is a member institution of an
 2    accrediting association  recognized by rule of the Commission
 3    for the purposes of this Act.
 4        "Program"  means  the  Community  Scholarship  Foundation
 5    Program.

 6        Section 15.  Creation of Program.
 7        (a)  The  Community  Scholarship  Foundation  Program  is
 8    hereby    established.  Subject to the availability of funds,
 9    the  Commission  shall    award  a  foundation  $2,000   upon
10    demonstration  to  the  Commission  that   the foundation has
11    raised  $2,000  for  scholarships  or  the  creation  of   an
12    endowment for scholarships.
13        (b)  Awards  made  under  this  Section shall be used for
14    scholarships  to community residents who qualify as  resident
15    students,  as  determined    by  the  Commission,  to  attend
16    institutions of higher education.

17        Section 20.  Goals.
18        (a)  The   goal   of   the  Program  is  the  development
19    throughout the  State of community organizations  that  raise
20    scholarship funds for local  residents.
21        (b)  In  making  awards  under  Section  15 this Act, the
22    Commission  shall take into consideration, but not be limited
23    to, the following  additional goals:
24             (1)  increasing higher education  participation  for
25        residents  of  economically  distressed  areas  and other
26        areas of the  State  with  low  participation  rates  and
27        enhancing  community support for residents of these areas
28        who desire a higher education;
29             (2)  creating scholarship opportunities for students
30        who  do   not   meet   the   criteria   for   traditional
31        scholarships; and
32             (3)  creating scholarship opportunities for students
 
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 1        who  plan    to focus their studies in the humanities and
 2        arts.

 3        Section 25.  Eligibility.   To  qualify  as  a  community
 4    scholarship  foundation  eligible  for State money under this
 5    Act, an organization must meet the following criteria:
 6             (1)  have a tax-exempt status under  Section  501(c)
 7        of  the    Internal Revenue Code, be a publicly supported
 8        organization  under    Section  170(b)(1)(A)(vi)  of  the
 9        Internal Revenue Code, and not be a   private  foundation
10        under Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue  Code;
11             (2)  be  organized  after the effective date of this
12        Act for the  primary  purpose  of  raising  and  awarding
13        scholarships  to    community  residents  who  qualify as
14        resident students, as  determined by the  Commission,  to
15        attend institutions of higher  education;
16             (3)  solicit  broad-based  community  support in its
17        fundraising  activities  and  be  representative  of  the
18        community in its organization;
19             (4)  not be duplicative of other foundations;
20             (5)  be organized and operated by volunteers;
21             (6)  grant scholarships without regard to age,  sex,
22        marital  status,  race,  creed, color, religion, national
23        origin, or  the  presence  of  any  mental,  sensory,  or
24        physical handicap; and
25             (7)  meet   other   criteria   established   by  the
26        Commission to meet the goals of the Program specified  in
27        Section 20 of this Act.

28        Section  30.   Administration;  rules;  assistance.   The
29    Commission  shall  administer  the  Program.   The Commission
30    shall adopt rules as appropriate to implement the Program and
31    shall solicit assistance from public and private  sources  to
32    publicize the Program.  The Commission may create an advisory
 
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 1    committee to assist in making determinations under this Act.

 2        Section 35.  Community Scholarship Foundation Fund.  The
 3    Community Scholarship Foundation Fund is created as a special
 4    fund  in  the State treasury.  All money appropriated for the
 5    Program and all  money otherwise received  for  this  purpose
 6    shall  be  deposited  in  this  Fund.  All money in this Fund
 7    shall be used, subject to appropriation, by   the  Commission
 8    for awards and administration of the Program.

 9        Section  40.   Gifts; grants; endowments.  The Commission
10    may solicit and receive such gifts,  grants,  and  endowments
11    from  public  or  private sources as may be made from time to
12    time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit  of  the
13    purposes of the Program and may expend the same or any income
14    therefrom  according  to  the  terms of the gifts, grants, or
15    endowments.

16        Section 45.  Report.  By December 1, 2005, the Commission
17    shall  submit  a  report  to  the  Governor,  the  House   of
18    Representatives  Higher  Education  Committee, and the Senate
19    Education Committee.  The report shall  examine  the  results
20    and  effectiveness of the Program and shall recommend whether
21    the Program should be continued and any modifications to the
22    Program.

23        Section 905.  The State Finance Act is amended by  adding
24    Section  5.595 as follows:

25        (30 ILCS 105/5.595 new)
26        Sec. 5.595.  The Community Scholarship Foundation Fund.

27        Section 990.  Repealer.  This Act is repealed on June 30,
28    2006.