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| Public Act 099-0199 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is | ||||
amended by adding Section 62 as follows: | ||||
(110 ILCS 947/62 new) | ||||
Sec. 62. Grants for exonerated persons. | ||||
(a) In this Section: | ||||
"Exonerated person" means an individual who has received a | ||||
pardon from the Governor of the State of Illinois stating that | ||||
such a pardon is issued on the grounds of innocence of the | ||||
crime for which he or she was imprisoned or an individual who | ||||
has received a certificate of innocence from a circuit court | ||||
pursuant to Section 2-702 of the Code of Civil Procedure. | ||||
"Satisfactory academic progress" means the qualified | ||||
applicant's maintenance of minimum standards of academic | ||||
performance, consistent with requirements for maintaining | ||||
federal financial aid eligibility, as determined by the | ||||
institution of higher learning. | ||||
(b) Subject to a separate appropriation for this purpose, | ||||
the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider | ||||
applications for grant assistance under this Section. | ||||
Recipients of grants issued by the Commission in accordance | ||||
with this Section must be exonerated persons. Provided that the | ||
recipient is maintaining satisfactory academic progress, the | ||
funds from the grant may be used to pay up to 8 semesters or 12 | ||
quarters of full payment of tuition and mandatory fees at any | ||
public university or public community college located in this | ||
State for either full or part-time study. This benefit may be | ||
used for undergraduate or graduate study. | ||
In addition, an exonerated person who has not yet received | ||
a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate | ||
and completes a high school equivalency preparation course | ||
through an Illinois Community College Board-approved provider | ||
may use grant funds to pay costs associated with obtaining a | ||
high school equivalency certificate, including payment of the | ||
cost of the high school equivalency test and up to one retest | ||
on each test module, and any additional fees that may be | ||
required in order to obtain an Illinois High School Equivalency | ||
Certificate or an official transcript of test scores after | ||
successful completion of the high school equivalency test. | ||
(c) An applicant for a grant under this Section need not | ||
demonstrate financial need to qualify for the benefits. | ||
(d) The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to | ||
implement and administer this Section.
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