HB0243eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0243 Engrossed LRB100 00013 MLM 10013 b

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Sections 5.878 and 6z-102 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.878 new)

Sec. 5.878. The Police Training Academy Job Training Program and Scholarship Fund.

(30 ILCS 105/6z-102 new)

Sec. 6z-102. The Police Training Academy Job Training Program and Scholarship Fund.

(a) A Police Training Academy Job Training Program and Scholarship Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury and shall be used to support program and scholarship activities of the police training academy job training and scholarship programs established under Section 22-83 of the School Code and Section 65.95 of the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Moneys from fees, gifts, grants, and donations received by the State Board of Education and Illinois Student Assistance Commission for purposes of supporting these programs and scholarships shall be deposited into the Police Training Academy Job Training Program and Scholarship Fund.

(b) The State Board of Education; the Illinois Student Assistance Commission; and participating counties, school districts, and law enforcement partners may seek federal, State, and private funds to support the police training academy job training and scholarship programs established under Section 22-83 of the School Code and Section 65.95 of the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.

Section 10. The School Code is amended by adding Section 22-83 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/22-83 new)

Sec. 22-83. Police training academy job training program.

(a) In a county of 175,000 or more inhabitants, any school district with a high school may establish one or more partnerships with a local police department, county sheriff, or police training academy to establish a jobs training program for high school students. The school district shall establish its partnership or partnerships on behalf of all of the high schools in the district; no high school shall establish a partnership for this purpose separate from the school district's partnership under this Section. The jobs training program shall be open to all students, regardless of prior academic history. However, to encourage and maintain successful program participation and partnerships, the school districts and their partner agencies may impose specific program requirements.

(b) The State Board of Education shall track participation and the success of students participating in the jobs training program established under this Section and annually publish a report on its website examining the program and its success.

Section 15. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 65.95 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.95 new)

Sec. 65.95. Police training academy job training scholarship program.

(a) The Commission shall, each year, receive applications for scholarships under this Section. An applicant is eligible for a scholarship under this Section if the Commission finds that the applicant has successfully completed the police training academy job training program established under Section 22-83 of the School Code and been accepted to a public institution of higher learning in the State.

(b) Applicants who are determined to be eligible for assistance under this Section shall receive, subject to appropriation from the Police Training Academy Job Training Program and Scholarship Fund, a renewable scholarship to be applied to tuition and mandatory fees and paid directly to the public institution of higher learning at which the applicant is enrolled. However, the total amount of assistance awarded by the Commission under this Section to an individual in any fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance awarded by the Commission to that individual for that fiscal year, must not exceed the cost of attendance at the institution of higher learning at which the student is enrolled.

(c) A scholarship awarded under this Section may be renewed for a total of up to 4 years of full-time enrollment. The Commission may by rule set the academic requirements necessary to maintain participation in the program.

(d) Students granted a scholarship under this Section shall be granted access to any needed noncredit remedial courses in order to ensure academic success at the public institution of higher learning. Students granted a scholarship under this Section shall also be admitted to a student retention program offered by the public institution of higher learning, including, but not limited to, any CHANCE program the public institution may have established.

(e) The Commission shall make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for its effective implementation.