HB3540 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3540

Introduced , by Rep. Anne Stava-Murray

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

35 ILCS 40/5

Amends the Invest in Kids Act. Provides that a "qualified school" must not be controlled by a church or sectarian denomination and must not, in admitting students, discriminate based on socioeconomic factors or engage in unlawful discrimination, as that term is defined in the Illinois Human Rights Act. Effective immediately.

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 Invest in Kids Act is amended by changing Section 5 as follows:

(35 ILCS 40/5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2024)

Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Authorized contribution" means the contribution amount that is listed on the contribution authorization certificate issued to the taxpayer.

"Board" means the State Board of Education.

"Contribution" means a donation made by the taxpayer during the taxable year for providing scholarships as provided in this Act.

"Custodian" means, with respect to eligible students, an Illinois resident who is a parent or legal guardian of the eligible student or students.

"Department" means the Department of Revenue.

"Eligible student" means a child who:

(1) is a member of a household whose federal adjusted gross income the year before he or she initially receives a scholarship under this program, as determined by the Department, does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level and, once the child receives a scholarship, does not exceed 400% of the federal poverty level;

(2) is eligible to attend a public elementary school or high school in Illinois in the semester immediately preceding the semester for which he or she first receives a scholarship or is starting school in Illinois for the first time when he or she first receives a scholarship; and

(3) resides in Illinois while receiving a scholarship.

"Family member" means a parent, child, or sibling, whether by whole blood, half blood, or adoption; spouse; or stepchild.

"Focus district" means a school district which has a school that is either (i) a school that has one or more subgroups in which the average student performance is at or below the State average for the lowest 10% of student performance in that subgroup or (ii) a school with an average graduation rate of less than 60% and not identified for priority.

"Necessary costs and fees" includes the customary charge for instruction and use of facilities in general and the additional fixed fees charged for specified purposes that are required generally of non-scholarship recipients for each academic period for which the scholarship applicant actually enrolls, including costs associated with student assessments, but does not include fees payable only once and other contingent deposits that are refundable in whole or in part. The Board may prescribe, by rules consistent with this Act, detailed provisions concerning the computation of necessary costs and fees.

"Scholarship granting organization" means an entity that:

(1) is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(2) uses at least 95% of the qualified contributions received during a taxable year for scholarships;

(3) provides scholarships to students according to the guidelines of this Act;

(4) deposits and holds qualified contributions and any income derived from qualified contributions in an account that is separate from the organization's operating fund or other funds until such qualified contributions or income are withdrawn for use; and

(5) is approved to issue certificates of receipt.

"Qualified contribution" means the authorized contribution made by a taxpayer to a scholarship granting organization for which the taxpayer has received a certificate of receipt from such organization.

"Qualified school" means a non-public school (i) that is located in Illinois and recognized by the Board pursuant to Section 2-3.25o of the School Code, (ii) that is not controlled by a church or sectarian denomination, and (iii) that, in admitting students, does not discriminate based on socioeconomic factors or engage in unlawful discrimination, as that term is defined in the Illinois Human Rights Act.

"Scholarship" means an educational scholarship awarded to an eligible student to attend a qualified school of their custodians' choice in an amount not exceeding the necessary costs and fees to attend that school.

"Taxpayer" means any individual, corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity subject to the Illinois income tax. For the purposes of this Act, 2 individuals filing a joint return shall be considered one taxpayer.

(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.