(110 ILCS 975/6) (from Ch. 144, par. 2756)
Sec. 6. Nursing requirements for scholarship recipients. Within 12 months after graduation from an associate degree in
nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing
program,
baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing program, or
certificate in practical nursing program, any
recipient who accepted a
scholarship under Section 5 shall begin meeting the required nursing
employment obligation. In order to defer his
or her continuous employment obligation, a recipient must
request the deferment in writing from the Department.
A recipient shall notify program staff within 30 days if he or she
spends up to 4 years in military service before or after graduation. A
recipient shall notify program staff within 30 days if he or she is enrolled in
an academic
program leading to a graduate degree in nursing. If a recipient receives
funding through the Nursing Education Scholarship Program for a higher degree,
the nursing employment obligation shall be deferred until he or she is no
longer
enrolled or has graduated. The recipient must begin meeting the required
nursing employment obligations no later than 6 months after the end of the
deferments.
Any person who fails to fulfill the nursing employment obligation shall
pay to the Department an amount equal to the amount of scholarship funds
received per year for each unfulfilled year of the nursing employment
obligation, together with interest at 7% per year on the
unpaid balance.
Payment must begin within 6 months following the date of the occurrence
initiating the
repayment. All repayments must be completed within 6 years from the date of
the
occurrence initiating the repayment. However, this obligation may be
deferred and re-evaluated every 6 months when the failure to fulfill the
nursing employment
obligation results
from involuntarily leaving the profession due to a decrease in the number
of nurses employed in the State or when the failure to fulfill the nursing
employment obligation results from total and permanent disability. The
repayment obligation shall be excused if the failure to fulfill the nursing
employment obligation results from the death or adjudication as
incompetent of the person holding the scholarship. No claim for repayment
may be filed against the estate of such a decedent or incompetent.
Each person applying for such a scholarship shall be provided with a copy
of this Section at the time of application for the
benefits of such
scholarship.
(Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02; 93-879, eff. 1-1-05.)
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