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91_SB0653ren SB653 Re-enrolled LRB9104091NTsb 1 AN ACT concerning higher education, amending a named Act. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act 5 is amended by changing Sections 37, 50, 52, 55, and 60 and 6 adding Section 113 as follows: 7 (110 ILCS 947/37) 8 Sec. 37. Higher education license plate grant program. 9 (a) Each year, the Illinois Student Assistance 10 Commission shall receive a separate appropriation for the 11 purpose of providing grant assistance to students enrolled at 12 Illinois private colleges and universities. Subject to a 13 separate appropriation for such purposes, an applicant is 14 eligible for a grant to a degree-granting, not-for-profit 15 private college or university located in this State under 16 this Section when the institutionCommissionfinds that the 17 applicant: 18 (1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or 19 permanent resident of the United States; and 20 (2) in the absence of grant assistance, will be 21 deterred by financial considerations from completing an 22 educational program at the qualified institution of his 23 or her choice. 24 (b) The private college or university shall award 25 renewals only upon the student's application and upon the 26 institution's finding that the applicant: 27 (1) has remained a student in good standing at a 28 degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or 29 university located in this State; 30 (2) remains a resident of this State; and 31 (3) is in a financial situation that continues to SB653 Re-enrolled -2- LRB9104091NTsb 1 warrant assistance. 2 (c) All grants shall be applicable only to tuition and 3 necessary fee costs for 2 semesters or 3 quarters in an 4 academic year. Requests for summer term assistance must be 5 made separately and shall be considered on an individual 6 basis according to Commission policy. The institution shall 7 determine the grant amount for each full-time and part-time 8 student, which shall be the smallest of the following 9 amounts: 10 (1) $2,000 for 2 semesters or 3 quarters of 11 full-time undergraduate enrollment or $1,000 for 2 12 semesters or 3 quarters of part-time undergraduate 13 enrollment, or such lesser amount as the institution 14Commissionfinds to be available; or 15 (2) the amount that equals the tuition and other 16 necessary fees for 2 semesters or 3 quarters required 17 generally by the institution of all full-time 18 undergraduate students, or in the case of part-time 19 students an amount of tuition and fees for 2 semesters or 20 3 quarters that does not exceed one-half the amount of 21 tuition and necessary fees generally charged to full-time 22 undergraduate students by the institution; or 23 (3) such amount as the institution finds to be 24 appropriate in view of the applicant's financial 25 resources. 26 "Tuition and other necessary fees" as used in this Section 27 includes the customary charge for instruction and use of 28 facilities in general, and the additional fixed fees charged 29 for specified purposes, which are required generally of 30 nongrant recipients for each academic period for which the 31 grant applicant actually enrolls, but does not include fees 32 payable only once or breakage fees and other contingent 33 deposits that are refundable in whole or in part. The 34 Commission may prescribe, by rule not inconsistent with this SB653 Re-enrolled -3- LRB9104091NTsb 1 Section, detailed provisions concerning the computation of 2 tuition and other necessary fees. 3 (d) No applicant, including those presently receiving 4 scholarship assistance under this Act, is eligible for grant 5 program consideration under this Section after receiving a 6 baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 10 semesters or 15 7 quarters of award payments. The institution shall determine 8 when award payments for part-time enrollment or interim or 9 summer terms shall be counted as a partial semester or 10 quarter of payment. 11 (e) The Commission shall ensure that in each school year 12 the total amount of grants awarded under this Section for 13 study at each degree-granting, not-for-profit private college 14 or university in this State shall be at least equal to the 15 total amount deposited into the University Grant Fund from 16 the issuance or renewal of license plates bearing the name of 17 that degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or 18 university during the calendar year preceding the calendar 19 year in which the school year begins. 20 The institution shall notify applicants that grant 21 assistance is contingent upon the availability of 22 appropriated funds. 23 (Source: P.A. 89-424, eff. 6-1-96; 90-278, eff. 7-31-97.) 24 (110 ILCS 947/50) 25 Sec. 50. Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship 26 program. 27 (a) As used in this Section: 28 "Eligible applicant" means a minority student who 29 has graduated from high school or has received a General 30 Educational Development Certification and has maintained 31 a cumulative grade point average at the postsecondary 32 level of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and who by 33 reason thereof is entitled to apply for scholarships to SB653 Re-enrolled -4- LRB9104091NTsb 1 be awarded under this Section. 2 "Minority student" means a student who is either (i) 3 Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial 4 groups in Africa); (ii) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or 5 Portuguese culture with origins in Mexico, South or 6 Central America, or the Caribbean islands, regardless of 7 race); (iii) Asian American (a person with origins in any 8 of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, 9 the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan, and the 10 Pacific Islands, including, among others, Hawaii, 11 Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia); or (iv) Native 12 American (a person who is a member of a federally or 13 state recognized Indian tribe, or whose parents or 14 grandparents have such membership) and to include the 15 native people of Alaska. 16 "Qualified student" means a person (i) who is a 17 resident of this State and a citizen or permanent 18 resident of the United States; (ii) who is a minority 19 student, as defined in this Section; (iii) who, as an 20 eligible applicant, has made a timely application for a 21 minority teaching scholarship under this Section; (iv) 22 who is enrolled on a full time basis at the sophomore 23 level or above until his or her last semester at a 24 qualified Illinois institution of higher learning as an 25 undergraduate student and has not received a 26 baccalaureate degree, except that last semester seniors 27 must enroll only for a minimum of 6 credit hours in order 28 to retain minority scholarship eligibility under this 29 Section; (v) who is enrolled in a course of study leading 30 to teacher certification; (vi) who maintains a grade 31 point average of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale while 32 enrolled at the postsecondary level; and (vii) who 33 continues to advance satisfactorily toward the attainment 34 of a degree. SB653 Re-enrolled -5- LRB9104091NTsb 1 (b) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois 2 minority students to pursue teaching careers at the 3 elementary or secondary school level, each qualified student 4 shall be awarded a minority teacher scholarship to any 5 qualified Illinois institution of higher learning. 6 (c) Each minority teacher scholarship awarded under this 7 Section shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition 8 and fees and room and board costs of the qualified Illinois 9 institution of higher learning at which the recipient is 10 enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000; except that in 11 the case of a recipient who does not reside on-campus at the 12 institution at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the 13 scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee 14 expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of 15 $5,000. 16 (d) The total amount of minority teacher scholarship 17 assistance awarded by the Commission under this Section to an 18 individual in any given fiscal year, when added to other 19 financial assistance awarded to that individual for that 20 year, shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the 21 institution at which the student is enrolled. If the amount 22 of minority teacher scholarship to be awarded to a qualified 23 student as provided in subsection (c) of this Section exceeds 24 the cost of attendance at the institution at which the 25 student is enrolled, the minority teacher scholarship shall 26 be reduced by an amount equal to the amount by which the 27 combined financial assistance available to the student 28 exceeds the cost of attendance. 29 (e) The maximum number of academic termsyearsfor which 30 a qualified student can receive minority teacher scholarship 31 assistance shall be 8 semesters or 12 quarters4 yearsof 32 undergraduate study. 33 (f) In any academic year for which an eligible applicant 34 under this Section accepts financial assistance through the SB653 Re-enrolled -6- LRB9104091NTsb 1 Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program, as authorized by 2 Section 551 et seq. of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the 3 applicant shall not be eligible for scholarship assistance 4 awarded under this Section. 5 (g) All applications for minority teacher scholarships 6 to be awarded under this Section shall be made to the 7 Commission on forms which the Commission shall provide for 8 eligible applicants. The form of applications and the 9 information required to be set forth therein shall be 10 determined by the Commission, and the Commission shall 11 require eligible applicants to submit with their applications 12 such supporting documents or recommendations as the 13 Commission deems necessary. 14 (h) Subject to a separate appropriation for such 15 purposes, payment of any minority teacher scholarship awarded 16 under this Section shall be determined by the Commission. 17 All scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this 18 subsection shall be paid to the institution and used only for 19 payment of the tuition and fee and room and board expenses 20 incurred by the student in connection with his or her 21 attendance as an undergraduate student at a qualified 22 Illinois institution of higher learning. Any minority 23 teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall be 24 applicable to 2 semesters or 3 quarters of enrollment. If a 25 qualified student withdraws from enrollment prior to 26 completion of the first semester or quarter for which the 27 minority teacher scholarship is applicable, the school shall 28 refund to the Commission the full amount of the minority 29 teacher scholarship. 30 (i) The Commission shall administer the minority teacher 31 scholarship aid program established by this Section and shall 32 make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with 33 this Section for its effective implementation. 34 (j) When an appropriation to the Commission for a given SB653 Re-enrolled -7- LRB9104091NTsb 1 fiscal year is insufficient to provide scholarships to all 2 qualified students, the Commission shall allocate the 3 appropriation in accordance with this subsection. If funds 4 are insufficient to provide all qualified students with a 5 scholarship as authorized by this Section, the Commission 6 shall allocate the available scholarship funds for that 7 fiscal year on the basis of the date the Commission receives 8 a complete application form. 9 (k) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (j) or 10 any other provision of this Section, at least 30% of the 11 funds appropriated for scholarships awarded under this 12 Section in each fiscal year shall be reserved for qualified 13 male minority applicants. 14 (l) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any 15 academic year, each recipient of a minority teacher 16 scholarship awarded under this Section shall be required by 17 the Commission to sign an agreement under which the recipient 18 pledges that, within the 510year period following the 19 termination of the undergraduate program for which the 20 recipient was awarded a minority teacher scholarship, the 21 recipient (i) shall teach for a period of not less than one 22 year for each year of scholarship assistance he or she was 23 awarded under this Section; and (ii) shall fulfill this 24 teaching obligation at a nonprofit Illinois public, private, 25 or parochial preschool, elementary school, or secondary 26 school at which no less than 30% of the enrolled students are 27 minority students in the year during which the recipient 28 begins teaching at the school; and (iii) shall, upon request 29 by the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that 30 he or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the 31 teaching agreement provided for in this subsection. 32 (m) If a recipient of a minority teacher scholarship 33 awarded under this Section fails to fulfill the teaching 34 obligation set forth in subsection (l) of this Section, the SB653 Re-enrolled -8- LRB9104091NTsb 1 Commission shall require the recipient to repay the amount of 2 the scholarships received, prorated according to the fraction 3 of the teaching obligation not completed, at a rate of 4 interest equal to 5%that defined under subpart E of Part 6535of the Code of Federal Regulations, and if applicable, 6 reasonable collection fees. The Commission is authorized to 7 establish rules relating to its collection activities for 8 repayment of scholarships under this Section. All repayments 9 collected under this Section shall be forwarded to the State 10 Comptroller for deposit into the State's General Revenue 11 Fund. 12 (n) A recipient of minority teacher scholarship shall 13 not be considered in violation of the agreement entered into 14 pursuant to subsection (l) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a 15 full time basis as a graduate student in a course of study 16 related to the field of teaching at a qualified Illinois 17 institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving, not in 18 excess of 3 years, as a member of the armed services of the 19 United States; (iii) is temporarily totally disabled for a 20 period of time not to exceed 3 years as established by sworn 21 affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) is seeking and 22 unable to find full time employment as a teacher at an 23 Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or 24 elementary or secondary school that satisfies the criteria 25 set forth in subsection (l) of this Section and is able to 26 provide evidence of that fact; or, (v) becomes permanently 27 totally disabled as established by sworn affidavit of a 28 qualified physician. 29 (o) Scholarship recipients under this Section who 30 withdraw from the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship 31 program but remain enrolled in school to continue their 32 postsecondary studies in another academic discipline shall 33 not be required to commence repayment of their Minority 34 Teachers of Illinois scholarship so long as they remain SB653 Re-enrolled -9- LRB9104091NTsb 1 enrolled in school on a full-time basis or if they can 2 document for the Commission special circumstances that 3 warrant extension of repayment. 4 (Source: P.A. 87-302; 87-920; 87-997; 87-1004; 88-45; 5 88-231.) 6 (110 ILCS 947/52) 7 Sec. 52. David A. DeBolt Teacher Shortage Scholarship 8 Program. 9 (a) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois 10 students, especially minority students, to pursue teaching 11 careers in teacher shortage disciplines, the Commission 12 shall, each year, receive and consider applications for 13 scholarship assistance under this Section. An applicant is 14 eligible for a scholarship under this Section when the 15 Commission finds that the applicant is: 16 (1) a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen; 17 (2) a resident of Illinois; 18 (3) a high school graduate or a person who has 19 received a General Educational Development Certificate; 20 (4) enrolled or accepted for enrollment, on at 21 least a half-time basis at the sophomore level or above, 22 at an Illinois institution of higher learning; and 23 (5) pursuing a postsecondary course of study 24 leading to initial certification in a teacher shortage 25 discipline or pursuing additional course work needed to 26 gain State Board of Education approval to teach in an 27 approved specialized area in which a teacher shortage 28 exists. 29 (b) Recipients shall be selected from among applicants 30 qualified pursuant to subsection (a) based on a combination 31 of the following criteria as set forth by the Commission: (1) 32 academic excellence; (2) status as a minority student as 33 defined in Section 50; and (3) financial need. Preference SB653 Re-enrolled -10- LRB9104091NTsb 1 may be given to previous recipients of assistance under this 2 Section, provided they continue to maintain eligibility and 3 maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the 4 institution of higher learning at which they enroll. 5 (c) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be 6 in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room 7 and board costs of the Illinois institution of higher 8 learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual 9 maximum of $5,000; except that in the case of a recipient who 10 does not reside on-campus at the institution of higher 11 learning at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the 12 scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee 13 expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of 14 $5,000. 15 (d) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded 16 by the Commission under this Section to an individual in any 17 given fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance 18 awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed 19 the cost of attendance at the institution of higher learning 20 at which the student is enrolled. 21 (e) A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters or 12 22 quarters of scholarship assistance under this Section. 23 (f) All applications for scholarship assistance to be 24 awarded under this Section shall be made to the Commission in 25 a form as set forth by the Commission. The form of 26 application and the information required to be set forth 27 therein shall be determined by the Commission, and the 28 Commission shall require eligible applicants to submit with 29 their applications such supporting documents as the 30 Commission deems necessary. 31 (g) Subject to a separate appropriation made for such 32 purposes, payment of any scholarship awarded under this 33 Section shall be determined by the Commission. All 34 scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this Section SB653 Re-enrolled -11- LRB9104091NTsb 1 shall be paid to the institution on behalf of the recipients. 2 Scholarship funds are applicable toward 2 semesters or 3 3 quarters of enrollment within an academic year. 4 (h) The Commission shall administer the David A. DeBolt 5 Teacher Shortage Scholarship Program established by this 6 Section and shall make all necessary and proper rules not 7 inconsistent with this Section for its effective 8 implementation. 9 (i) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any 10 academic year, each recipient of a scholarship awarded under 11 this Section shall be required by the Commission to sign an 12 agreement under which the recipient pledges that, within the 13 5 year period following the termination of the academic 14 program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, 15 the recipient: (i) shall teach in a teacher shortage 16 discipline for a period of not less than one year for each 17 year of scholarship assistance awarded under this Section, 18 (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at an Illinois 19 public, private, or parochial preschool or elementary or 20 secondary school, and (iii) shall, upon request of the 21 Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he or 22 she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching 23 agreement provided for in this subsection. 24 (j) If a recipient of a scholarship awarded under this 25 Section fails to fulfill the teaching obligation set forth in 26 subsection (i) of this Section, the Commission shall require 27 the recipient to repay the amount of the scholarships 28 received, prorated according to the fraction of the teaching 29 obligation not completed, plus interest at a rate no greater 30 than the highest rate applicable for educational loans made 31 pursuant to Title IV, Part B of the Higher Education Act of 32 1965, as amended, and if applicable, reasonable collection 33 fees. The Commission is authorized to establish rules 34 relating to its collection activities for repayment of SB653 Re-enrolled -12- LRB9104091NTsb 1 scholarships under this Section. 2 (k) A recipient of a scholarship awarded by the 3 Commission under this Section shall not be in violation of 4 the agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (i) if the 5 recipient (i) enrolls on a full-time basis as a graduate 6 student in a course of study related to the field of teaching 7 at an institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving as a 8 member of the armed services of the United States; (iii) is 9 temporarily totally disabled, as established by sworn 10 affidavit of a qualified physician; or (iv) is seeking and 11 unable to find full-time employment as a teacher at a school 12 that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (i) and 13 is able to provide evidence of that fact. Any such extension 14 of the period during which the teaching requirement must be 15 fulfilled shall be subject to limitations of duration as 16 established by the Commission. 17 (Source: P.A. 90-201, eff. 7-24-97.) 18 (110 ILCS 947/55) 19 Sec. 55. Police officer or fire officer survivor grant. 20 Grants shall be provided for any spouse, natural child, 21 legally adopted child, or child in the legal custody of 22 police officers and fire officers killed or permanently 23 disabled with 90% to 100% disability in the line of duty 24 while employed by, or in the voluntary service of, this State 25 or any local public entity in this State. Beneficiaries need 26 not be Illinois residents at the time of enrollment in order 27 to receive this grant. Beneficiaries are entitled to 8 28 semesters or 12 quarters of full payment of tuition and 29 mandatory fees at any State-sponsored Illinois institution of 30 higher learning for either full or part-time study, or the 31 equivalent of 8 semesters or 12 quarters of payment of 32 tuition and mandatory fees at the rate established by the 33 Commission for private institutions in the State of Illinois, SB653 Re-enrolled -13- LRB9104091NTsb 1 provided the recipient is maintaining satisfactory academic 2 progress. This benefit may be used for undergraduate or 3 graduate study. The benefits of this Section shall be 4 administered by and paid out of funds available to the 5 Commission and shall accrue to the bona fide applicant 6 without the requirement of demonstrating financial need to 7 qualify for those benefits. 8 (Source: P.A. 89-430, eff. 12-15-95.) 9 (110 ILCS 947/60) 10 Sec. 60. Grants for dependents of Department of 11 Corrections employees killed or permanently disabled in the 12 line of duty. Any spouse, natural child, legally adopted 13 child, or child in the legal custody of an employee of the 14 Department of Corrections who is assigned to a security 15 position with the Department with responsibility for inmates 16 of any correctional institution under the jurisdiction of the 17 Department and who is killed or permanently disabled with 90% 18 to 100% disability in the line of duty is entitled to 8 19 semesters or 12 quarters of full payment of tuition and 20 mandatory fees at any State-supported Illinois institution of 21 higher learning for either full or part-time study, or the 22 equivalent of 8 semesters or 12 quarters of payment of 23 tuition and mandatory fees at the rate established by the 24 Commission for private institutions in the State of Illinois, 25 provided the recipient is maintaining satisfactory academic 26 progress. This benefit may be used for undergraduate or 27 graduate study. Beneficiaries need not be Illinois residents 28 at the time of enrollment in order to receive this grant. The 29 benefits of this Section shall be administered by and paid 30 out of funds available to the Commission and shall accrue to 31 the bona fide applicant without the requirement of 32 demonstrating financial need to qualify for those benefits. 33 (Source: P.A. 89-430, eff. 12-15-95.) SB653 Re-enrolled -14- LRB9104091NTsb 1 (110 ILCS 947/113 new) 2 Sec. 113. Federal Student Loan Fund; Student Loan 3 Operating Fund; Federal Reserve Recall Fund. The Commission 4 shall create the Federal Student Loan Fund, the Student Loan 5 Operating Fund, and the Federal Reserve Recall Fund. At the 6 request of the Commission's Executive Director, the 7 Comptroller shall transfer funds, as necessary, from the 8 Student Assistance Commission Student Loan Fund into the 9 Federal Student Loan Fund, the Student Loan Operating Fund, 10 and the Federal Reserve Recall Fund. On or before August 31, 11 2000, the Commission's Executive Director shall request the 12 Comptroller to transfer all funds from the Student Assistance 13 Commission Student Loan Fund into any of the following funds: 14 the Federal Student Loan Fund, the Student Loan Operating 15 Fund, or the Federal Reserve Recall Fund. On September 1, 16 2000, the Student Assistance Commission Student Loan Fund is 17 abolished. Any future liabilities of this abolished fund 18 shall be assignable to the appropriate fund created as one of 19 its successors. 20 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 21 1, 1999.