Full Text of SB0931 94th General Assembly
SB0931eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
|
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| AN ACT concerning regulation.
| 2 |
| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | 3 |
| represented in the General Assembly:
| 4 |
| ARTICLE 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS. | 5 |
| Section 5-5. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | 6 |
| Nurse Educator Assistance Act. | 7 |
| Section 5-10. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to | 8 |
| attract capable and promising students to the nursing educator | 9 |
| profession, increase employment and retention of individuals | 10 |
| who are working towards or who have received a master's or | 11 |
| doctoral degree in nursing, and provide opportunities for | 12 |
| persons making mid-career decisions to enter the nurse educator | 13 |
| profession. | 14 |
| Section 5-15. Definitions. In this Act: | 15 |
| "Approved program of professional nursing education" and | 16 |
| "approved program of practical nursing education" mean | 17 |
| programs of professional or practical nursing, respectively, | 18 |
| approved by the Department of Financial and Professional | 19 |
| Regulation under the provisions of the Nursing and Advanced | 20 |
| Practice Nursing Act. | 21 |
| "Commission" means the Illinois Student Assistance | 22 |
| Commission. | 23 |
| Section 5-20. Rulemaking. The Commission shall adopt all | 24 |
| rules necessary for the administration of this Act. | 25 |
| ARTICLE 10. NURSE EDUCATOR LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. | 26 |
| Section 10-5. Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program. There | 27 |
| is created, beginning July 1, 2007, the Nurse Educator Loan |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 2 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| Repayment Program to be administered by the Illinois Student | 2 |
| Assistance Commission. The program shall provide assistance, | 3 |
| subject to appropriation, to eligible nurse educators. | 4 |
| Section 10-10. Award; maximum time period; maximum amount. | 5 |
| Subject to appropriation, the Commission shall award a grant to | 6 |
| each qualified applicant for a maximum of 4 years. The amount | 7 |
| of this grant shall not exceed $5,000 per year. The Commission | 8 |
| shall encourage the recipient of a grant awarded under the | 9 |
| program to use the grant award for payment of the recipient's | 10 |
| educational loan.
| 11 |
| Section 10-15. Application. All applications for grant | 12 |
| assistance under the program shall be made to the Commission in | 13 |
| a form and manner prescribed by the Commission. Applicants | 14 |
| shall also submit any supporting documents deemed necessary by | 15 |
| the Commission at the time of application.
| 16 |
| Section 10-20. Eligibility. | 17 |
| (a) The Commission shall, on an annual basis, receive and | 18 |
| consider applications for grant assistance under the program. | 19 |
| An applicant is eligible for a grant under the program if the | 20 |
| Commission finds that the applicant:
| 21 |
| (1) is a United States citizen or permanent resident; | 22 |
| (2) is a resident of Illinois;
| 23 |
| (3) has worked for at least 12 consecutive months as a | 24 |
| nurse educator in an approved program of professional or | 25 |
| practical nursing education in Illinois;
| 26 |
| (4) is a borrower with an outstanding balance due on an | 27 |
| educational loan; and
| 28 |
| (5) has not defaulted on an educational loan.
| 29 |
| (b) Preference may be given to previous recipients of a | 30 |
| grant under the program, provided that the recipient continues | 31 |
| to meet the eligibility requirements set forth in this Section.
| 32 |
| (c) A recipient of a grant under the program must fulfill a | 33 |
| separate 12-month period as a nurse educator in an approved |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 3 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| program of professional or practical nursing education in | 2 |
| Illinois for each grant that he or she is awarded.
| 3 |
| ARTICLE 15. NURSE EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. | 4 |
| Section 15-5. Nurse Educator Scholarship Program. There is | 5 |
| created, beginning July 1, 2006, the Nurse Educator Scholarship | 6 |
| Program to be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance | 7 |
| Commission. The program shall provide scholarship assistance, | 8 |
| subject to appropriation, to eligible students for | 9 |
| nursing-related graduate study.
| 10 |
| Section 15-10. Scholarship award; maximum time period; | 11 |
| maximum amount. | 12 |
| (a) Subject to appropriation, the Commission shall award a | 13 |
| nurse educator scholarship to each qualified applicant in an | 14 |
| amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees of the Illinois | 15 |
| institution of higher learning at which the recipient is | 16 |
| enrolled, up to the current maximum amount of tuition and fees | 17 |
| charged to students enrolled in an approved program of | 18 |
| professional or practical nursing education at a public | 19 |
| university.
| 20 |
| (b) Scholarship recipients shall also receive a stipend, | 21 |
| the amount of which shall not exceed $10,000, to cover other | 22 |
| costs of attendance, including, but not limited to, living | 23 |
| expenses. Stipend amounts for recipients enrolled on less than | 24 |
| a full-time basis shall be prorated by credit hour.
| 25 |
| (c) A recipient may receive scholarship assistance under | 26 |
| the program for the equivalent of 8 semesters or 16 quarters of | 27 |
| full-time enrollment.
| 28 |
| (d) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded by | 29 |
| the Commission under the program to an individual in any given | 30 |
| fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance awarded | 31 |
| to that individual for that year, may not exceed the cost of | 32 |
| attendance at the institution of higher learning at which the | 33 |
| student is enrolled.
|
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 4 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| Section 15-15. Application. All applications for a | 2 |
| scholarship under the program shall be made to the Commission | 3 |
| in a form and manner prescribed by the Commission. Applicants | 4 |
| shall also submit any supporting documents deemed necessary by | 5 |
| the Commission at the time of application.
| 6 |
| Section 15-20. Eligibility. | 7 |
| (a) The Commission shall, on an annual basis, receive and | 8 |
| consider applications for scholarship assistance under the | 9 |
| program. An applicant is eligible for a scholarship under the | 10 |
| program if the Commission finds that the applicant:
| 11 |
| (1) is a United States citizen or permanent resident;
| 12 |
| (2) is a resident of Illinois;
| 13 |
| (3) is enrolled or accepted for enrollment on at least | 14 |
| a half-time basis in an approved program of professional or | 15 |
| practical nursing education at the graduate level at an | 16 |
| Illinois institution of higher learning.
| 17 |
| (b) Scholarship recipients shall be selected from among | 18 |
| eligible applicants based on a combination of academic | 19 |
| excellence and financial need, as determined by the Commission.
| 20 |
| (c) Preference may be given to previous recipients of a | 21 |
| scholarship under the program, provided that the recipient | 22 |
| continues to meet the eligibility requirements set forth in | 23 |
| this Section and maintains satisfactory academic progress as | 24 |
| determined by the institution of higher education at which he | 25 |
| or she is enrolled.
| 26 |
| (d) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any | 27 |
| academic year, each recipient of a scholarship awarded under | 28 |
| the program must sign an agreement pledging that, within the | 29 |
| one-year period following the termination of the academic | 30 |
| program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the | 31 |
| recipient shall (i) begin working as an educator in an approved | 32 |
| program of professional nursing education or an approved | 33 |
| program of practical nursing education in Illinois for a period | 34 |
| of not less than 5 years and (ii) upon request of the |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 5 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he or she | 2 |
| is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the work agreement | 3 |
| required under this subsection (d).
| 4 |
| Section 15-25. Payment to institution. All scholarship | 5 |
| funds distributed under the program shall be paid to the | 6 |
| institution on behalf of the scholarship recipient. | 7 |
| Section 15-30. Repayment upon default; exception.
| 8 |
| (a) If a recipient of a scholarship awarded under this | 9 |
| Section fails to fulfill the work agreement required under the | 10 |
| program, the Commission shall require the recipient to repay | 11 |
| the amount of the scholarship or scholarships received, | 12 |
| prorated according to the fraction of the work agreement not | 13 |
| completed, plus interest at a rate of 5% and, if applicable, | 14 |
| reasonable collection fees.
| 15 |
| (b) Payments received by the Commission under this Section | 16 |
| shall be remitted to the State Comptroller for deposit into the | 17 |
| General Revenue Fund, except that that portion of a recipient's | 18 |
| repayment that equals the amount in expenses that the | 19 |
| Commission has reasonably incurred in attempting collection | 20 |
| from that recipient shall be remitted to the State Comptroller | 21 |
| for deposit into the Commission's Accounts Receivable Fund.
| 22 |
| (c) A recipient of a scholarship awarded by the Commission | 23 |
| under the program shall not be in violation of the agreement | 24 |
| entered into pursuant to this Article if the recipient is (i) | 25 |
| serving as a member of the armed services of the United States, | 26 |
| (ii) temporarily totally disabled, as established by a sworn | 27 |
| affidavit of a qualified physician, (iii) seeking and unable to | 28 |
| find full-time employment as a nursing educator and is able to | 29 |
| provide evidence of that fact, or (iv) taking additional | 30 |
| courses, on at least a half-time basis, related to nursing | 31 |
| education. Any extension of the period during which the work | 32 |
| requirement must be fulfilled shall be subject to limitations | 33 |
| of duration established by the Commission.
|
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 6 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| ARTICLE 90. AMENDATORY PROVISIONS. | 2 |
| Section 90-5. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended | 3 |
| by adding Sections 9.31 and 9.32 as follows: | 4 |
| (110 ILCS 205/9.31 new)
| 5 |
| Sec. 9.31. Competitive grants to nursing schools. In order | 6 |
| to increase the number of nurses graduating from Illinois | 7 |
| institutions of higher learning, the Board shall establish and | 8 |
| administer a competitive grant program for institutions of | 9 |
| higher learning that award degrees in nursing. The grants may | 10 |
| be awarded on the basis of performance criteria that shall | 11 |
| include, but not be limited to, degree production, student | 12 |
| retention, and passage rates on professional licensure | 13 |
| examinations. | 14 |
| The Board shall adopt those rules that are necessary for | 15 |
| the implementation and administration of the grants | 16 |
| established under this Section. | 17 |
| (110 ILCS 205/9.32 new)
| 18 |
| Sec. 9.32. Nurse educator fellowship program. In order to | 19 |
| ensure the retention of well-qualified nursing faculty, the | 20 |
| Board shall establish and administer a nurse educator | 21 |
| fellowship program that supplements nursing faculty salaries | 22 |
| at institutions of higher learning that award degrees in | 23 |
| nursing. Fellowships awarded under the program may be awarded | 24 |
| on a competitive basis. | 25 |
| The Board shall adopt those rules that are necessary for | 26 |
| the implementation and administration of the fellowship | 27 |
| program established under this Section.
| 28 |
| Section 90-10. The Nursing Education Scholarship Law is | 29 |
| amended by changing Section 5 as follows:
| 30 |
| (110 ILCS 975/5) (from Ch. 144, par. 2755)
| 31 |
| Sec. 5. Nursing education scholarships. Beginning with the |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 7 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| fall term of the 2004-2005
academic year, the
Department, in | 2 |
| accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by it for | 3 |
| this
program, shall provide scholarships to individuals | 4 |
| selected
from among those applicants who qualify for | 5 |
| consideration by showing:
| 6 |
| (1) that he or she has been a resident of this State | 7 |
| for at least one
year prior to application, and is a | 8 |
| citizen or a lawful permanent resident
alien of the United | 9 |
| States;
| 10 |
| (2) that he or she is enrolled in or accepted for | 11 |
| admission to an associate degree in
nursing program, | 12 |
| hospital-based
diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate | 13 |
| degree
in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing | 14 |
| program, or practical nursing program at an approved
| 15 |
| institution; and
| 16 |
| (3) that he or she agrees to meet the nursing | 17 |
| employment obligation.
| 18 |
| If in any year the number of qualified applicants exceeds | 19 |
| the number of
scholarships to be awarded, the Department shall , | 20 |
| in consultation with the Center for Nursing Advisory Board, | 21 |
| consider the following factors in granting
give priority in | 22 |
| awarding
scholarships: | 23 |
| (A) Financial
To students in the greatest | 24 |
| financial need, as shown on a
standardized financial | 25 |
| needs assessment form used by an approved
institution , | 26 |
| of students who will pursue their education on a | 27 |
| full-time or close
closest to
full-time
basis and who | 28 |
| already have a certificate in practical nursing, a | 29 |
| diploma
in nursing, or an associate degree in nursing | 30 |
| and are pursuing a higher
degree.
| 31 |
| (B) A student's status as a
To registered nurse who | 32 |
| is
nurses pursuing a graduate degree in nursing to | 33 |
| pursue employment in an approved institution that | 34 |
| educates licensed practical nurses and that educates | 35 |
| registered nurses in undergraduate and graduate | 36 |
| nursing programs.
|
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 8 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| (C) A student's merit, as shown through his or her | 2 |
| grade point average, class rank, and other academic and | 3 |
| extracurricular activities. The Department may add to | 4 |
| and further define these merit criteria by rule.
| 5 |
| Unless otherwise indicated, scholarships shall be awarded | 6 |
| to
recipients at approved institutions for a period
of up to 2 | 7 |
| years if the recipient is enrolled in an
associate degree in
| 8 |
| nursing
program, up to 3 years if the recipient is enrolled in | 9 |
| a hospital-based
diploma in nursing program, up to 4 years if | 10 |
| the recipient is enrolled in a
baccalaureate degree in nursing | 11 |
| program, up to 5 years if the recipient is enrolled in a | 12 |
| graduate degree in nursing program, and up to one year if the
| 13 |
| recipient is enrolled in a certificate in practical nursing | 14 |
| program. At least
40% of the scholarships awarded shall be for | 15 |
| recipients who are
pursuing baccalaureate degrees in nursing, | 16 |
| 30% of the scholarships
awarded shall be for recipients who are | 17 |
| pursuing associate degrees in
nursing
or a diploma in nursing, | 18 |
| 10% of the scholarships awarded
shall be for recipients who are | 19 |
| pursuing a certificate in practical nursing, and 20% of the | 20 |
| scholarships awarded shall be for recipients who are pursuing a | 21 |
| graduate degree in nursing.
| 22 |
| (Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02; 93-879, eff. 1-1-05.)
| 23 |
| Section 90-15. The Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing | 24 |
| Act is amended by changing Section 10-10 and by adding Title 17 | 25 |
| as follows:
| 26 |
| (225 ILCS 65/10-10)
| 27 |
| (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)
| 28 |
| Sec. 10-10. Department powers and duties.
| 29 |
| (a) The Department shall exercise the powers and duties
| 30 |
| prescribed by the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois for | 31 |
| administration
of licensing acts and shall exercise other | 32 |
| powers and duties necessary
for effectuating the purpose of | 33 |
| this Act. None of the functions, powers, or
duties of the | 34 |
| Department with respect to licensure and examination shall
be |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 9 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| exercised by the Department except upon review by the Board.
| 2 |
| The
Department shall adopt rules to implement, interpret, or | 3 |
| make specific
the provisions and purposes of this Act; however | 4 |
| no such rules shall
be adopted by the Department except upon | 5 |
| review by the Board.
| 6 |
| (b) The Department shall:
| 7 |
| (1) prepare and maintain a list of approved programs of | 8 |
| professional
nursing education and programs of practical | 9 |
| nursing education in this
State, whose graduates, if they | 10 |
| have the other necessary qualifications
provided in this | 11 |
| Act, shall be eligible to apply for a license to practice
| 12 |
| nursing in this State;
| 13 |
| (2) promulgate rules defining what constitutes an | 14 |
| approved program of
professional nursing education and | 15 |
| what constitutes an approved program of
practical nursing | 16 |
| education; and
| 17 |
| (3) adopt rules for examination of candidates for | 18 |
| licenses and for
issuance of licenses authorizing | 19 |
| candidates upon passing an examination to
practice under | 20 |
| this Act.
| 21 |
| (c) The Department may act upon the recommendations of the | 22 |
| Center for Nursing Advisory Board.
| 23 |
| (Source: P.A. 90-742, eff. 8-13-98.)
| 24 |
| (225 ILCS 65/Tit. 17 heading new) | 25 |
| (Title heading scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008) | 26 |
| TITLE 17. ILLINOIS CENTER FOR NURSING | 27 |
| (225 ILCS 65/17-5 new) | 28 |
| (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008) | 29 |
| Sec. 17-5. Definitions. In this Title: | 30 |
| "Board" means the Center for Nursing Advisory Board. | 31 |
| "Center" means the Illinois Center for Nursing. | 32 |
| (225 ILCS 65/17-10 new) | 33 |
| (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008) |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 10 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| Sec. 17-10. Illinois Center for Nursing. There is created | 2 |
| the Illinois Center for Nursing to address issues of supply and | 3 |
| demand in the nursing profession, including issues of | 4 |
| recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse manpower | 5 |
| resources. The General Assembly finds that the Center will | 6 |
| enhance the delivery of quality health care services by | 7 |
| providing an ongoing strategy for the allocation of the State's | 8 |
| resources directed towards nursing. Each of the following | 9 |
| objectives shall serve as the primary goals for the Center: | 10 |
| (1) To develop a strategic plan for nursing manpower in | 11 |
| Illinois by selecting priorities that must be addressed. | 12 |
| (2) To convene various groups of representatives of | 13 |
| nurses, other health care providers, businesses and | 14 |
| industries, consumers, legislators, and educators to: | 15 |
| (A) review and comment on data analysis prepared | 16 |
| for the Center; | 17 |
| (B) recommend systemic changes, including | 18 |
| strategies for implementation of recommended changes; | 19 |
| and | 20 |
| (C) evaluate and report the results of the Board's | 21 |
| efforts to the General Assembly and others. | 22 |
| (3) To enhance and promote recognition, reward, and | 23 |
| renewal activities for nurses in Illinois by: | 24 |
| (A) proposing and creating reward, recognition, | 25 |
| and renewal activities for nursing; and | 26 |
| (B) promoting media and positive image-building | 27 |
| efforts for nursing. | 28 |
| (225 ILCS 65/17-15 new) | 29 |
| (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008) | 30 |
| Sec. 17-15. Center for Nursing Advisory Board.
| 31 |
| (a) There is created the Center for Nursing Advisory Board, | 32 |
| which shall consist of 11 members appointed by the Governor, | 33 |
| with 6 members of the Board being nurses representative of | 34 |
| various nursing specialty areas. The other 5 members may | 35 |
| include representatives of associations, health care |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 11 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| providers, nursing educators, and consumers. The Board shall be | 2 |
| chaired by the Nursing Act Coordinator, who shall be a voting | 3 |
| member of the Board. | 4 |
| (b) The membership of the Board shall reasonably reflect | 5 |
| representation from the geographic areas in this State. | 6 |
| (c) Members of the Board appointed by the Governor shall | 7 |
| serve for terms of 4 years, with no member serving more than 10 | 8 |
| successive years, except that, initially, 4 members shall be | 9 |
| appointed to the Board for terms that expire on June 30, 2009, | 10 |
| 4 members shall be appointed to the Board for terms that expire | 11 |
| on June 30, 2008, and 3 members shall be appointed to the Board | 12 |
| for terms that expire on June 30, 2007. A member shall serve | 13 |
| until his or her successor is appointed and has qualified. | 14 |
| Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original | 15 |
| appointments, and any member so appointed shall serve during | 16 |
| the remainder of the term for which the vacancy occurred. | 17 |
| (d) A quorum of the Board shall consist of a majority of | 18 |
| Board members currently serving. A majority vote of the quorum | 19 |
| is required for Board decisions. A vacancy in the membership of | 20 |
| the Board shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise | 21 |
| all of the rights and perform all of the duties of the Board. | 22 |
| (e) The Governor may remove any appointed member of the | 23 |
| Board for misconduct, incapacity, or neglect of duty and shall | 24 |
| be the sole judge of the sufficiency of the cause for removal. | 25 |
| (f) Members of the Board are immune from suit in any action | 26 |
| based upon any activities performed in good faith as members of | 27 |
| the Board. | 28 |
| (e) Members of the Board shall not receive compensation, | 29 |
| but shall be reimbursed for actual traveling, incidentals, and | 30 |
| expenses necessarily incurred in carrying out their duties as | 31 |
| members of the Board, as approved by the Department. | 32 |
| (225 ILCS 65/17-20 new) | 33 |
| (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008) | 34 |
| Sec. 17-20. Powers and duties of the Board.
| 35 |
| (a) The Board shall be advisory to the Department and shall |
|
|
|
SB0931 Engrossed |
- 12 - |
LRB094 04557 LJB 34586 b |
|
| 1 |
| possess and perform each of the following powers and duties: | 2 |
| (1) determine operational policy; | 3 |
| (2) administer grants, scholarships, internships, and | 4 |
| other programs, as defined by rule, including the | 5 |
| administration of programs, as determined by law, that | 6 |
| further those goals set forth in Section 17-10 of this | 7 |
| Title, in consultation with other State agencies, as | 8 |
| provided by law; | 9 |
| (3) establish committees of the Board as needed; | 10 |
| (4) recommend the adoption and, from time to time, the | 11 |
| revision of those rules that may be adopted and necessary | 12 |
| to carry out the provisions of this Act; | 13 |
| (5) implement the major functions of the Center, as | 14 |
| established in the goals set forth in Section 17-10 of this | 15 |
| Title; and | 16 |
| (6) seek and accept non-State funds for carrying out | 17 |
| the policy of the Center. | 18 |
| (b) The Center shall work in consultation with other State | 19 |
| agencies as necessary. | 20 |
| ARTICLE 99. EFFECTIVE DATE.
| 21 |
| Section 99-99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | 22 |
| becoming law.
|
|