HB0302 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 04030 AXK 49038 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB0302

Introduced , by Rep. David McSweeney

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.105 new

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer an adult vocational community college scholarship program. Provides that beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for scholarships to community colleges for people over the age of 30 who have been unemployed and are actively searching for employment and who can identify the specific training certificate, credential, or associate degree that he or she is seeking to obtain. Allows applicants to re-apply for the scholarship if they can demonstrate continual progress toward the desired certificate, credential, or degree. Provides that scholarships shall not exceed $2,000 per recipient per academic year. Allows the Commission to establish appropriate applications and forms. Requires the Commission to adopt all necessary and proper rules to implement the program.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 65.105 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.105 new)

Sec. 65.105. Adult vocational community college scholarship.

(a) The Commission shall, subject to appropriation, establish and administer an adult vocational community college scholarship program.

(b) Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for scholarships under this Section. An applicant is eligible for a scholarship under this Section if the Commission finds that the applicant meets all of the following qualifications:

(1) He or she is over the age of 30.

(2) He or she has been unemployed and is actively searching for employment, including being enrolled on the Department of Employment Security's job-search website for at least 6 months prior to the date the application is submitted by the applicant.

(3) He or she is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at his or her local community college organized under the Public Community College Act.

(4) He or she can identify the specific training certificate, credential, or associate degree that he or she is seeking to obtain; the career that the certificate, credential, or degree will help create; and how long it will take the applicant to reach this goal.

Applicants may re-apply for the scholarship under this Section if they can demonstrate continual progress, in terms of grades and attendance, toward the desired certificate, credential, or degree.

(c) The scholarship shall be sufficient to cover the cost of tuition and fees to attend the community college, but in no event shall the scholarship exceed $2,000 per scholarship recipient per academic year.

The total amount of a scholarship awarded by the Commission under this Section to an individual in any given fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the community college at which the student is enrolled.

(d) All applications for scholarships to be awarded under this Section shall be made to the Commission in a form as set forth by the Commission. The form of application and the information required to be set forth in the application shall be determined by the Commission, and the Commission shall require eligible applicants to submit with their applications such supporting documents as the Commission deems necessary.

(e) Subject to a separate appropriation made for such purposes, payment of any scholarships awarded under this Section shall be determined by the Commission. All scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this Section shall be paid to the community college on behalf of the recipients. Scholarship funds are applicable toward 2 semesters of enrollment within an academic year. Up to 2% of the appropriation for this scholarship program may be used by the Commission for the costs of administering the scholarship program.

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