HB1256enr 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1256 Enrolled LRB097 05249 HEP 45300 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 5. The Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2705-587 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2705/2705-587 new)

Sec. 2705-587. Diversity in Engineering scholarship program.

(a) The Diversity in Engineering scholarship program is created to assist in increasing the representation of targeted group members within civil engineer job classifications in which targeted group members are underutilized by the Department.

(b) For purposes of this Section:

"Targeted group member" means a person belonging to a class of race, color, or sex, whose percent of the workforce within the Department's professional classification which includes civil engineers is less than that class's percent of the statewide labor market for such job activities as recorded in the Department's annual affirmative action plan.

"Eligible student" means a targeted group member who: (i) is an Illinois resident at the time of application for a scholarship under the Program established by this Section; (ii) is enrolled full-time at any Illinois college or university in any program leading toward a degree in civil engineering; (iii) agrees to conditions required by the Department, including the obligation to work for the Department after graduation if a position is offered for at least one year for each academic year the student receives a scholarship.

(c) The Department, subject to appropriation, shall award scholarships to up to 20 selected eligible students each year, unless no targeted group members are identified by the Department's affirmative action plan. Scholarships issued pursuant to this Section shall not exceed $7,500 per academic year.

(d) The Department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer the scholarship program created by this Section.