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| [ Introduced ] | [ House Amendment 001 ] |
92_HB3563eng HB3563 Engrossed LRB9206190OBpcB 1 AN ACT concerning attorneys. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 5 Career Criminal Justice Attorney Retention Act. 6 Section 5. As used in this Act: 7 "Eligible attorney" means an attorney who is employed 8 full-time as an assistant State's attorney, assistant public 9 defender, assistant appellate defender, assistant appellate 10 prosecutor, non-supervisory legal aid attorney, and assistant 11 attorney general whose application under Section 10 of this 12 Act has been accepted and authorized by the State Treasurer 13 to receive assistance to encourage retention by professionals 14 in the criminal justice system. 15 "Education expenses" means the cumulative total of the 16 eligible attorney's cost of attendance at any law school at 17 which the attorney completed course work required to obtain 18 his or her law degree. 19 Section 10. Stipend. Beginning 2 years after the 20 effective date of this Act, an eligible attorney may apply to 21 the State Treasurer on forms furnished by the State Treasurer 22 for an annual stipend for education expenses. 23 To be accepted for a stipend, an eligible attorney must 24 meet the following qualifications: 25 (a) the attorney is currently licensed to practice 26 law in the State of Illinois; 27 (b) the attorney signs a statement agreeing to 28 remain in his or her present employment for at least one 29 year after receiving the stipend; 30 (c) the attorney has been employed as an eligible HB3563 Engrossed -2- LRB9206190OBpcB 1 attorney for the previous 2 years before applying; 2 (d) the attorney submits either (i) proof of the 3 amount of outstanding student loans and the creditor to 4 whom repayment is due or (ii) an affidavit that the 5 attorney has no outstanding student loans. 6 An eligible attorney must apply each year for a stipend. 7 The amount of the annual stipend is $3,500 and may be 8 received by an eligible attorney for 5 years. 9 If the eligible attorney's application indicates that he 10 or she has outstanding student loans, the payment must be 11 made directly to the creditor to whom repayment is due. If 12 the eligible attorney's application indicates that he or she 13 has no outstanding student loans, the payment must be made to 14 the eligible attorney as reimbursement for his or her 15 educational expenses. If the amount of the outstanding 16 student loans is less than the annual stipend, the amount of 17 the stipend not paid to the creditor must be paid to the 18 eligible attorney. 19 The amount of the annual stipend shall be adjusted for 20 inflation each July 1 using the Consumer Price Index of the 21 Bureau of Labor Standards of the U.S. Department of Labor. 22 If an eligible attorney receives a stipend or a stipend 23 is payed on his or her behalf and resigns his or her 24 position, the eligible attorney must repay to the State 25 1/12th of the amount of the annual stipend for each month 26 left in the stipend year that he or she was not an eligible 27 attorney. 28 Section 15. Funding. The General Assembly shall make 29 appropriations to the State Treasurer for annual stipends 30 under this Act. 31 Section 20. Rules. The State Treasurer must adopt rules 32 for the implementation of this Act. HB3563 Engrossed -3- LRB9206190OBpcB 1 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 2 becoming law.