110 ILCS 975/3

(110 ILCS 975/3) (from Ch. 144, par. 2753)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The following terms, whenever used or referred to, have the following meanings except where the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) "Board" means the Board of Higher Education created by the Board of Higher Education Act.

(2) "Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health.

(3) "Approved institution" means a public community college, private junior college, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, or public or private college or university with a pre-licensure nursing education program located in this State that has approval by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for an associate degree in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing program, or certificate in a practical nursing program or a post-licensure nursing education program approved by the Board of Higher Education or any successor agency with similar authority.

(4) "Baccalaureate degree in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a bachelor of science degree in nursing.

(5) "Enrollment" means the establishment and maintenance of an individual's status as a student in an approved institution, regardless of the terms used at the institution to describe such status.

(6) "Academic year" means the period of time from September 1 of one year through August 31 of the next year or as otherwise defined by the academic institution.

(7) "Associate degree in nursing program or hospital-based diploma in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to an associate degree in nursing, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing, or hospital-based diploma in nursing.

(8) "Graduate degree in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a master of science degree in nursing or a doctorate of philosophy or doctorate of nursing degree in nursing.

(9) "Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

(10) "Accepted for admission" means a student has completed the requirements for entry into an associate degree in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences 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 at an approved institution, as documented by the institution.

(11) "Fees" means those mandatory charges, in addition to tuition, that all enrolled students must pay, including required course or lab fees.

(12) "Full-time student" means a student enrolled for at least 12 hours per term or as otherwise determined by the academic institution.

(13) "Law" means the Nursing Education Scholarship Law.

(14) "Nursing employment obligation" means employment in this State as a registered professional nurse, licensed practical nurse, or advanced practice registered nurse in direct patient care for at least one year for each year of scholarship assistance received through the Nursing Education Scholarship Program.

(15) "Part-time student" means a person who is enrolled for at least one-third of the number of hours required per term by a school for its full-time students.

(16) "Practical nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution leading to a certificate in practical nursing.

(17) "Registered professional nurse" means a person who is currently licensed as a registered professional nurse by the Department of Professional Regulation under the Nurse Practice Act.

(18) "Licensed practical nurse" means a person who is currently licensed as a licensed practical nurse by the Department of Professional Regulation under the Nurse Practice Act.

(19) "School term" means an academic term, such as a semester, quarter, trimester, or number of clock hours, as defined by an approved institution.

(20) "Student in good standing" means a student maintaining a cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least the academic grade of a "C".

(21) "Total and permanent disability" means a physical or mental impairment, disease, or loss of a permanent nature that prevents nursing employment with or without reasonable accommodation. Proof of disability shall be a declaration from the social security administration, Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, Department of Defense, or an insurer authorized to transact business in Illinois who is providing disability insurance coverage to a contractor.

(22) "Tuition" means the established charges of an institution of higher learning for instruction at that institution.

(23) "Nurse educator" means a person who is currently licensed as a registered nurse by the Department of Professional Regulation under the Nurse Practice Act, who has a graduate degree in nursing, and who is employed by an approved academic institution to educate registered nursing students, licensed practical nursing students, and registered nurses pursuing graduate degrees.

(24) "Nurse educator employment obligation" means employment in this State as a nurse educator for at least 2 years for each year of scholarship assistance received under Section 6.5 of this Law.

(25) "Commission" means the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

Rulemaking authority to implement the provisions of this Act is conditioned on the rules being adopted in accordance with all provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and all rules and procedures of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules; any purported rule not so adopted, for whatever reason, is unauthorized.

(Source: P.A. 102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)