|
(a) If a governing body determines that it is necessary for |
the best interests of the public to promote access to a |
community college education, the governing body may, by |
ordinance or resolution, declare its intention to establish a |
promise zone. |
(b) The governing body shall set a date for a public |
hearing on the adoption of a proposed resolution establishing |
the promise zone. Notice of the public hearing shall be |
published twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the |
eligible entity, not less than 20 or more than 40 days before |
the date of the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be posted |
in at least 20 conspicuous and public places in the eligible |
entity not less than 20 days before the hearing. The notice |
shall state the date, time, and place of the hearing and shall |
describe the proposed promise zone, the details of the promise |
of financial assistance, and the criteria for eligibility to |
receive that financial assistance. |
(c) If the governing body of the eligible entity intends to |
proceed with the establishment of the promise zone, the |
governing body shall, by ordinance or resolution, establish a |
promise zone.
|
Section 15. Promise Zone Authority; creation. |
(a) If the governing body, by ordinance or resolution, |
establishes the promise zone, the governing body shall, by |
ordinance or resolution, create a Lincoln Promise Zone |
|
Authority. |
(b) For the City of Rockford and the City of Aurora, an |
Authority shall be under the supervision and control of a Board |
consisting of the mayor and 6 members appointed by the mayor, |
with the advice and consent of the governing body, with 2 of |
the 6 members being educators and 2 of the 6 members being |
community business leaders. With respect to the City of East |
St. Louis, an Authority shall be under the supervision and |
control of a Board consisting of the mayor and (i) 2 members |
who are educators appointed by the State Senator from the 57th |
Legislative District, with the advice and consent of the |
governing body; (ii) 2 members who are community business |
leaders appointed by the State Senator from the 57th |
Legislative District, with the advice and consent of the |
governing body; and (iii) 2 members appointed by the mayor, |
with the advice and consent of the governing body. Each member |
of an Authority shall serve until the Authority is abolished |
under Section 90 of this Act. An appointment to fill a vacancy |
shall be made by the person who made the original appointment, |
with the advice and consent of the governing body. Members of |
the Board shall serve without compensation, but may be |
reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses from funds the |
Authority receives. The Chairperson of the Board shall be |
elected by the Board.
|
Section 20. Powers of the Authority. |
|
(a) An Authority is a public body corporate that may sue |
and be sued in any court of this State. An Authority possesses |
all of the powers necessary to carry out its purpose. The |
enumeration of a power in this Act shall not be construed as a |
limitation upon the general powers of the Authority. |
(b) The Board may employ and fix the compensation of a |
Director. The Director shall serve at the pleasure of the |
Board. A member of the Board is not eligible to hold the |
position of Director. Before beginning his or her duties, the |
Director shall furnish bond by posting a bond in the sum |
determined in the ordinance or resolution establishing the |
Authority payable to the Authority for use and benefit of the |
Authority, approved by the Board, and filed with the clerk of |
the eligible entity. The premium on the bond shall be |
considered an operating expense of the Authority, payable from |
funds available to the Authority for expenses of operation. The |
Director shall be the chief executive officer of the Authority. |
(c) Subject to the approval of the Board, the Director |
shall supervise and be responsible for implementing the promise |
zone development plan established under Section 25 of this Act |
and the performance of the functions of the Authority in the |
manner authorized by this Act. The Director shall attend the |
meetings of the Board and shall provide to the Board, the |
governing body, and the chief executive officer of the eligible |
entity a regular report covering the activities and financial |
condition of the Authority. If the Director is absent or |
|
disabled, the Board may designate a qualified person as Acting |
Director to perform the duties of the office. |
(d) The Board may employ and fix the compensation of a |
Treasurer, who shall keep the financial records of the |
Authority and who, together with the Director, shall approve |
all vouchers for the expenditure of funds of the Authority. The |
Treasurer shall perform all duties delegated to him or her by |
the Board and shall furnish a bond in an amount prescribed by |
the Board. |
(e) The Board may employ and fix the compensation of a |
Secretary, who shall maintain custody of the official seal and |
of records, books, documents, or other papers not required to |
be maintained by the Treasurer. The Secretary shall attend |
meetings of the Board and keep a record of its proceedings and |
shall perform other duties delegated by the Board. |
(f) The Board may retain legal counsel to advise the Board |
in the proper performance of its duties. |
(g) The Board may employ other personnel considered |
necessary by the Board. |
(h) The Board may do any of the following: |
(1) prepare an analysis of the community college |
educational opportunities for the residents of the promise |
zone; |
(2) study and analyze the need for financial resources |
to provide community college educational opportunities for |
residents of the promise zone; |
|
(3) acquire, by purchase or otherwise, on terms and |
conditions and in a manner the Authority considers proper, |
own, convey, or otherwise dispose of, or lease as lessor or |
lessee land and other property, real or personal, or rights |
or interests in the property that the Authority determines |
is reasonably necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act |
and grant or acquire licenses, easements, and options; |
(4) fix, charge, and collect fees, rents, and charges |
for the use of any facility, building, or property under |
its control or any part of the facility, building, or |
property; |
(5) lease, in whole or in part, any facility, building, |
or property under its control; or |
(6) solicit and accept grants and donations of money, |
property, labor, or other things of value from a private |
source, except as otherwise prohibited by law.
|
Section 25. Promise zone development plan. A Lincoln |
Promise Zone Authority created under Section 15 of this Act |
shall prepare and adopt a promise zone development plan, which |
shall include all of the following: |
(1) A complete description of the proposed promise of |
financial assistance. The proposed promise of financial |
assistance shall include, without limitation, a promise of |
financial assistance for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 |
academic years to all students residing within the promise |
|
zone who graduate from a public high school located within |
that promise zone to attend community college in the public |
community college district where the eligible entity is |
located. The proposed promise of financial assistance |
shall, at a minimum, provide funding sufficient to provide |
an eligible student the tuition necessary to obtain an |
associate degree or its equivalent at the local community |
college during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 academic years, |
subject to any limitations authorized under this Section. |
The proposed promise of financial assistance may also |
authorize the expenditure of funds for educational |
improvement activities designed to increase readiness for |
postsecondary education at public schools located in the |
promise zone. |
(2) A complete description of any limitation on the |
promise of financial assistance, including, but not |
limited to, the following: |
(A) whether the promise of financial assistance |
will be prorated based on the number of years the |
student has resided within the promise zone; |
(B) whether the promise of financial assistance |
will be restricted to students who have resided within |
or attended a public high school within the promise |
zone for a minimum number of years; |
(C) whether the promise of financial assistance is |
predicated on the student maintaining a minimum |
|
college grade point average and carrying a minimum |
college credit hour classload. |
(3) A requirement that graduates of a public high |
school exhaust all other known and available grants for |
tuition and fees for postsecondary education provided by a |
federal, State, or local governmental entity, as |
determined by the Board. |
(4) A description of how the funds necessary to |
accomplish the promise of financial assistance will be |
raised. The promise zone development plan shall be financed |
from one or more of the following sources: |
(A) private donations; |
(B) money obtained from other private sources |
approved by the governing body or otherwise authorized |
by law; or |
(C) interest or other investment income, earnings, |
or proceeds from item (A) or (B) of this subdivision |
(4). |
(5) An actuarial model of how much the proposed plan is |
estimated to cost. |
The Board shall submit the promise zone development plan to |
the review committee established under Section 35 of this Act |
promptly after the plan's adoption. The promise zone |
development plan shall be published on the Internet website of |
the eligible entity that established the promise zone.
|
|
Section 30. Deposit and expenditure of moneys received by |
the Authority. Moneys received by the Authority shall |
immediately be deposited to the credit of the Authority, |
subject to disbursement under this Act. The Authority shall not |
expend more than 15% of its proposed annual budget for |
administrative costs.
|
Section 35. Review committee. |
(a) There is created a review committee consisting of the |
following members: |
(1) The Chairperson of the Senate's Higher Education |
Committee. |
(2) The Minority Spokesperson of the Senate's Higher |
Education Committee. |
(3) The Chairperson of the Senate's Education |
Committee. |
(4) The Chairperson of the House of Representative's |
Higher Education Committee. |
(5) The Minority Spokesperson of the House of |
Representative's Higher Education Committee. |
(6) The Chairperson of the House of Representative's |
Elementary & Secondary Education Committee. |
(7) One representative of the Illinois Student |
Assistance Commission, appointed by the Chairman of the |
Illinois Student Assistance Commission. |
(8) One representative of the Board of Higher |
|
Education, appointed by the Chairman of the Board of Higher |
Education.
|
(9) One representative of the Illinois Community |
College Board, appointed by the Chairman of the Illinois |
Community College Board. |
(b) The review committee shall review each promise zone |
development plan submitted under Section 25 of this Act, as |
well as the plan's implementation. An Authority must submit |
such information as the review committee may request from time |
to time. |
(c) The review committee shall report to the General |
Assembly on all aspects of this Act's implementation on or |
before December 31, 2017.
|
Section 90. Abolishment of Authority; expiration of Act. |
(a) An Authority created under this Act is abolished on |
January 31, 2018. |
(b) This Act is repealed on January 31, 2018.
|
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
becoming law.
|