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| Public Act 096-1415 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section | ||||
30-14.2 as follows:
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(105 ILCS 5/30-14.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2)
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Sec. 30-14.2. MIA/POW scholarships.
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(a) Any spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or | ||||
any
step-child of an eligible veteran or serviceperson who | ||||
possesses all necessary
entrance requirements shall, upon | ||||
application and proper proof, be awarded
a MIA/POW Scholarship | ||||
consisting of the equivalent of 4 calendar years of
full-time | ||||
enrollment including summer terms, to the state supported
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Illinois institution of higher learning of his choice, subject | ||||
to the
restrictions listed below.
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"Eligible veteran or serviceperson" means any veteran or | ||||
serviceperson, including an Illinois National Guard member who | ||||
is on active duty or is active on a training assignment,
who | ||||
has been declared by the U. S. Department of Defense or the
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U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs to be a prisoner of war, | ||||
be missing
in action, have died as the result of a | ||||
service-connected disability or be
permanently disabled from | ||||
service-connected causes with 100% disability and
who (i) at | ||||
the time of entering service was an Illinois resident, (ii) or | ||
was an
Illinois resident within 6 months after of entering such | ||
service, or (iii) until July 1, 2014, became an Illinois | ||
resident within 6 months after leaving the service and can | ||
establish at least 30 years of continuous residency in the | ||
State of Illinois.
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Full-time enrollment means 12 or more semester hours of | ||
courses per semester,
or 12 or more quarter hours of courses | ||
per quarter, or the equivalent thereof
per term. Scholarships | ||
utilized by dependents enrolled in less than full-time
study | ||
shall be computed in the proportion which the number of hours | ||
so carried
bears to full-time enrollment.
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Scholarships awarded under this Section may be used by a | ||
spouse or child
without regard to his or her age. The holder of | ||
a Scholarship
awarded under this Section shall be subject to | ||
all examinations and academic
standards, including the | ||
maintenance of minimum grade levels, that are
applicable | ||
generally to other enrolled students at the Illinois | ||
institution of
higher learning where the Scholarship is being | ||
used.
If the surviving spouse
remarries or if there is a | ||
divorce between the veteran or serviceperson and
his or her | ||
spouse while the dependent is pursuing his or her course of
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study, Scholarship benefits will be terminated at the end of | ||
the term for
which he or she is presently enrolled. Such | ||
dependents shall also be
entitled, upon proper proof and | ||
application, to enroll in any extension
course offered by a | ||
State supported Illinois institution of higher learning
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without payment of tuition and approved fees.
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The holder of a MIA/POW Scholarship authorized under this | ||
Section shall
not be required to pay any matriculation or | ||
application fees, tuition,
activities fees, graduation fees or | ||
other fees, except multipurpose
building fees or similar fees | ||
for supplies and materials.
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Any dependent who has been or shall be awarded a MIA/POW | ||
Scholarship shall
be reimbursed by the appropriate institution | ||
of higher learning for any
fees which he or she has paid and | ||
for which exemption is granted under this
Section if | ||
application for reimbursement is made within 2 months following
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the end of the school term for which the fees were paid.
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(b) In lieu of the benefit provided in subsection (a), any | ||
spouse,
natural child, legally adopted child, or step-child of | ||
an eligible veteran
or serviceperson, which spouse or child has | ||
a physical, mental or
developmental disability, shall be | ||
entitled to receive, upon application and
proper proof, a | ||
benefit to be used for the purpose of defraying the cost of
the | ||
attendance or treatment of such spouse or child at one or more
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appropriate therapeutic, rehabilitative or educational | ||
facilities. The
application and proof may be made by the parent | ||
or legal guardian of the
spouse or child on his or her behalf.
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The total benefit provided to any beneficiary under this | ||
subsection shall
not exceed the cost equivalent of 4 calendar | ||
years of full-time enrollment,
including summer terms, at the | ||
University of Illinois. Whenever
practicable in the opinion of | ||
the Department of Veterans' Affairs, payment
of benefits under | ||
this subsection shall be made directly to the facility,
the | ||
cost of attendance or treatment at which is being defrayed, as | ||
such
costs accrue.
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(c) The benefits of this Section shall be administered by | ||
and paid for out
of funds made available to the Illinois | ||
Department of Veterans' Affairs.
The amounts that become due to | ||
any state supported Illinois institution of
higher learning | ||
shall be payable by the Comptroller to such institution on
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vouchers approved by the Illinois Department of Veterans' | ||
Affairs. The
amounts that become due under subsection (b) of | ||
this Section shall be
payable by warrant upon vouchers issued | ||
by the Illinois Department of
Veterans' Affairs and approved by | ||
the Comptroller. The Illinois Department
of Veterans' Affairs | ||
shall determine the eligibility of the persons
who make | ||
application for the benefits provided for in this Section.
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(Source: P.A. 93-825, eff. 7-28-04.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | ||
2010.
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