101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2691
 
Introduced , by Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 

 
New Act

     Creates the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity Act. Provides for legislative findings and a definition. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a student attending an institution of higher learning in this State who is deemed an Illinois resident for tuition purposes and is not otherwise eligible to receive federal financial aid shall be eligible to apply  or receive consideration for State financial aid, including any student aid or benefit funded or administered by the State, a State agency, or any public institution of higher learning, including, but not limited to, scholarships, grants, awards, stipends, free room and board, tuition waivers, or other financial or in-kind assistance.
  


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
 
 
A BILL FOR
 

  
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1    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
5Retention of Illinois Students and Equity Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings.   The General Assembly makes all of the 
7following findings:
8        (1) The State of Illinois is committed to ensuring that 
9    all students who are residents of this State have 
10    meaningful and equitable access to higher education 
11    opportunities notwithstanding the student's race, color, 
12    gender or gender identity, age, ancestry, marital status, 
13    military status, religion, pregnancy, national origin, 
14    disability status, sexual orientation, order of protection 
15    status, as defined under Section 1-103 of the Illinois 
16    Human Rights Act, or immigration status.
17        (2) The State of Illinois is committed to retaining 
18    Illinois students who wish to attend institutions of higher 
19    learning in this State by addressing financial barriers for 
20    those students.
 
21    Section 10. Definition. In this Act, "Illinois resident" 
22includes any person who is deemed an Illinois resident for 
 
 
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1tuition purposes under State law.
 
2    Section 15. Equitable eligibility for financial aid. 
3    (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the 
4contrary, a student attending an institution of higher learning 
5in this State who is an Illinois resident and is not otherwise 
6eligible to receive federal financial aid for students is 
7eligible to apply  or receive consideration for State financial 
8aid for students, including any student aid or benefit funded 
9or administered by the State, a State agency, or any public 
10institution of higher learning, including, but not limited to, 
11scholarships, grants, awards, stipends, free room and board, 
12tuition waivers, or other financial or in-kind assistance.
13    (b) The General Assembly finds and declares that this 
14Section is a State law within the meaning of subsection (d) of 
15Section 1621 of Title 8 of the United States Code.
 
16    Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are 
17severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.