103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2928

 

Introduced 1/26/2024, by Sen. Natalie Toro

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Second Chance State Education Act. Contains declarations and findings. Creates the Second Chance Seat in Every Class Act. Provides that each institution of higher education shall reserve at least one enrollment in each class for a returning resident (a person who is a resident of and domiciled in Illinois, has graduated from high school or the equivalent, has been convicted of a felony by a court sitting in the State of Illinois, was sentenced to incarceration pursuant to that conviction, and is not currently incarcerated) and at least one enrollment in each online class for an incarcerated individual. Provides for computer equipment, Internet connections, books, and supplies for enrolled incarcerated individuals. Creates the Incarcerated Individuals and Returning Residents Educational Supply Fund as a fund of the Department of Returning Resident Affairs. Provides that moneys in the Fund shall be used exclusively to pay for costs that incarcerated individuals and returning residents incur for books or other supplies needed to take classes under the Act. Provides that any concession or similar agreement between a public institution of higher education and the operator of a bookstore or similar operation at that public institution of higher education shall include a provision requiring the operator of the bookstore or similar operation to pay 1% of its gross revenues from the operation of that bookstore or similar operation to the Fund. Creates the Second Chance State College Admissions Act. Provides that no institution of higher education shall consider criminal history information when making any decision about an applicant or student, inquire about or consider criminal history information at any time during the admission decision-making process, or place an applicant or student on probationary or similar status based upon criminal history information, with specified exceptions. Contains provisions concerning compliance, administration, enforcement, education, licensing, employment barriers, severability, and other matters. Effective immediately.


LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2928LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4
Article 1

 
5    Section 1-1. References to Act. This Act may be referred
6to as the Second Chance State Education Act.
 
7    Section 1-5. Legislative declarations and findings. The
8General Assembly finds and declares that:
9        (1) The price exacted by the approximately 41%
10    recidivism rate in Illinois is intolerably high. Each
11    recidivism event costs Illinois over $151,000. The cost of
12    recidivism in terms of violence to Illinois communities is
13    higher, with 39% of returning residents being re-arrested
14    for a violent crime within 9 years of release and 83% of
15    homicide offenders in Illinois having arrest or conviction
16    records.
17        (2) The General Assembly has previously found that
18    "[t]he benefits of higher education programming…to
19    [incarcerated individuals] and to society are
20    well-documented".
21        (3) That documentation includes Northwestern
22    University's reporting that:

 

 

SB2928- 2 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1            "[T]here is a 43% reduction in recidivism rates
2        for those [incarcerated individuals] who participate
3        in prison education programs. Indeed, the higher the
4        degree, the lower the recidivism rate is: 14% for
5        those who obtain an associate degree, 5.6% for those
6        who obtain a bachelor's degree, and 0% for those who
7        obtain a master's degree."
8        (4) Further documentation indicates that the benefits
9    of providing educational opportunities to incarcerated
10    individuals and returning residents include reductions in
11    prison disciplinary infractions and increased employment
12    opportunities for returning residents. Most significantly,
13    providing educational opportunities to incarcerated
14    individuals and returning residents creates the type of
15    positive benefits for their children that breaks the
16    intergenerational cycle of incarceration.
17        (5) The General Assembly therefore finds that it is in
18    the best interests of the health, welfare, and prosperity
19    of all Illinois citizens for Illinois to provide and
20    require the provision of the educational opportunities set
21    forth in this Act.
 
22
Article 5

 
23    Section 5-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
24Second Chance Seat in Every Class Act. As used in this Article,

 

 

SB2928- 3 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1"this Act" means this Article.
 
2    Section 5-5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
3    "Degree granting institution" has the meaning set forth in
4Section 2 of the Academic Degree Act.
5    "Department" means the Department of Returning Resident
6Affairs.
7    "Incarcerated individual" means any person who has
8graduated from high school or the equivalent, has been
9convicted of a felony and as a result of that conviction is
10incarcerated in a facility that is located in this State and is
11operated by or under contract with: (1) the Department of
12Corrections; or (2) the United States Department of Justice.
13    "Institution of higher education" means any publicly or
14privately operated university, college, community college,
15business, technical, or vocational school, or other
16educational institution offering degrees or instruction beyond
17the secondary school level, including, without limitation, a
18degree granting institution, post-secondary educational
19institution, public institution of higher education, or any
20institution that operates pursuant to authority provided to it
21by the Board of Higher Education or the Board of Higher
22Education Act.
23    "Post-secondary educational institution" has the meaning
24set forth in Section 1 of the Private College Act.
25    "Public institutions of higher education" has the meaning

 

 

SB2928- 4 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1set forth in Section 1 of the Board of Higher Education Act.
2    "Returning resident" means a person who: (1) is a resident
3of and domiciled in Illinois; (2) has graduated from high
4school or the equivalent; (3) has been convicted of a felony by
5a court sitting in the State of Illinois; (4) was sentenced to
6incarceration pursuant to that conviction; and (5) is not
7currently incarcerated.
 
8    Section 5-10. Returning resident enrollment rights. As a
9condition of its authority to operate in this State, each
10institution of higher education shall reserve at least one
11enrollment in each class offered by that institution of higher
12education for a returning resident, subject to the following
13provisions:
14        (1) the returning resident shall not be required to
15    have taken an entrance examination or been admitted as a
16    student of the institution of higher education where the
17    returning resident is taking the class;
18        (2) the returning resident shall not be subject to any
19    residency requirements otherwise applicable to enrollment
20    in a class at the institution of higher education;
21    provided that the returning resident shall be a resident
22    of and domiciled in Illinois;
23        (3) except as provided herein, the returning resident
24    must fulfill the other academic prerequisites for the
25    class that apply to other students desiring to take the

 

 

SB2928- 5 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    class;
2        (4) the returning resident shall have the option to
3    take the class for credit or to audit the class and shall
4    be entitled to be awarded degrees, certifications, or
5    similar awards upon the returning resident's satisfactory
6    completion of the requirements for such degrees,
7    certifications, or similar awards;
8        (5) except as otherwise provided herein, the returning
9    resident shall be subject to the course requirements
10    applicable to all other students in a class the returning
11    resident takes pursuant to this Act;
12        (6) the returning resident shall not be required to
13    pay any tuition, fee, or other charge for any class the
14    returning resident takes pursuant to this Act.
 
15    Section 5-15. Incarcerated individual enrollment rights.
16    (a) As a condition of its authority to operate in this
17State, each institution of higher education shall reserve at
18least one enrollment in each online class offered by that
19institution of higher education for an incarcerated
20individual, subject to the following provisions:
21        (1) the incarcerated individual shall not be required
22    to have taken an entrance examination or been admitted as
23    a student of the institution of higher education where the
24    incarcerated individual is taking the class;
25        (2) the incarcerated individual shall not be subject

 

 

SB2928- 6 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    to any residency requirements otherwise applicable to
2    enrollment in a class at the institution of higher
3    education;
4        (3) except as otherwise provided herein, the
5    incarcerated individual has fulfilled the other academic
6    prerequisites for the class that apply to other students
7    desiring to take the class;
8        (4) the incarcerated individual shall have the option
9    to take the class for credit or to audit it and shall be
10    entitled to be awarded degrees, certifications, or similar
11    awards upon the incarcerated individual's satisfactory
12    completion of the requirements for such degrees,
13    certifications, or similar awards;
14        (5) except as otherwise provided herein, the
15    incarcerated individual shall be subject to the
16    requirements applicable to all other students in a class
17    the incarcerated individual takes pursuant to this Act;
18        (6) the incarcerated individual shall not be required
19    to pay any tuition, fee, or other charge for any class the
20    incarcerated individual takes pursuant to this Act; and
21        (7) an institution of higher education shall not be
22    required to enroll an incarcerated individual in those
23    laboratory and similar classes that the incarcerated
24    individual could not complete due to the limitations
25    resulting from the incarcerated individual's confinement.
26    (b) Within one year after the effective date of this Act,

 

 

SB2928- 7 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1the Department of Corrections shall provide each incarcerated
2individual who is incarcerated in a facility operated by or
3under contract with the Department of Corrections and who
4wishes to enroll in one or more classes pursuant to this
5Section with:
6        (1) the incarcerated individual's own individual,
7    personal computer equipment, an Internet connection and
8    all other technology that is necessary for such enrollment
9    and that the incarcerated individual can access at any
10    time, at no cost to the incarcerated individual;
11        (2) the ability to obtain books or other supplies that
12    the incarcerated individual reasonably needs to
13    successfully complete such class or classes, subject to
14    reasonable safety and security considerations. The
15    Department of Corrections shall not charge such
16    incarcerated individual more for such books or supplies
17    than the actual cost of those books and supplies, without
18    any addition for administrative expenses the Department of
19    Corrections incurs relative to the provision of those
20    books and supplies.
 
21    Section 5-20. Enforcement. Institutions of higher
22education shall strictly comply with the provisions of this
23Act. The Department is authorized, directed, and required to
24take all actions necessary to obtain such compliance and
25otherwise enforce the provisions of this Act. Notwithstanding

 

 

SB2928- 8 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1and in addition to any other requirement of this Act or any
2other provision of law:
3        (1) The provisions of this Act may be enforced
4    pursuant to judicial proceedings against an alleged
5    violator that seek to require the violator to cease and
6    desist from violation of the Act, allow one or more
7    returning residents or incarcerated individuals to enroll
8    in the class or classes they are entitled to enroll in
9    pursuant to this Act, and pay any damages suffered by one
10    or more returning residents or incarcerated individuals
11    for violation of the Act.
12        (2) A returning resident or incarcerated individual
13    shall have a private right of action to enforce the
14    provisions of this Act by personally bringing an action
15    pursuant to paragraph (1). Any institution of higher
16    education that is found liable for violation of this Act
17    pursuant to this paragraph shall, in addition to other
18    damages, be liable to pay all reasonable attorney's fees,
19    costs, and expenses incurred by the returning resident or
20    incarcerated individual and that pertain to the returning
21    resident's or incarcerated individual's attempts to
22    enforce the returning resident's or incarcerated
23    individual's rights against that institution of higher
24    education pursuant to this Act.
25        (3) Venue for any action brought pursuant to this
26    Section shall be in the county where the returning

 

 

SB2928- 9 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    resident who is the subject of the action is domiciled or
2    the county where the incarcerated individual who is the
3    subject of the action is detained.
 
4    Section 5-25. Incarcerated Individuals and Returning
5Residents Educational Supply Fund; rules.
6    (a) The Incarcerated Individuals and Returning Residents
7Educational Supply Fund is established as a fund of the
8Department. Moneys in the Fund shall be used exclusively to
9pay for all or a portion of the costs that incarcerated
10individuals and returning residents incur for books or other
11supplies needed to take one or more classes pursuant to this
12Act. Moneys in the Fund shall not be transferable to any other
13State fund and shall not be pledged or used for any purpose
14other than those set forth in this Section.
15    (b) Any concession or similar agreement between a public
16institution of higher education and the operator of a
17bookstore or similar operation at that public institution of
18higher education shall include a provision requiring the
19operator of the bookstore or similar operation to pay 1% of its
20gross revenues from the operation of that bookstore or similar
21operation to the Incarcerated Individuals and Returning
22Residents Educational Supply Fund. The Department of Revenue
23shall collect such moneys from such operators and shall remit
24such collections for deposit into the Fund. Notwithstanding
25any other provision of this Act, the Department of Revenue

 

 

SB2928- 10 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1shall be authorized to enforce the provisions of this
2subsection (b) regarding payments due from such operators.
3Within 120 days after the effective date of this Act, the
4Department of Revenue shall publish notice of proposed rules
5necessary for it to implement the provisions of this
6subsection (b) in the Illinois Register in accordance with
7Section 5-40 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
8    (c) Within 120 days after the later of the: (i)
9appointment of the Department's first Director; or (ii)
10effective date of this Act, the Department shall publish
11notice of proposed rules necessary for it to implement the
12provisions of this Act in the Illinois Register in accordance
13with Section 5-40 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure
14Act.
 
15    Section 5-30. Administration. This Act shall be
16incorporated in and administered by the Department as part of
17the Second Chance State Program established under the
18Department of Returning Resident Affairs Act.
 
19    Section 5-35. Provisions of Act mandatory. The provisions
20of this Act are mandatory and shall not be considered to be
21directory or discretionary.
 
22
Article 10

 

 

 

SB2928- 11 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    Section 10-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as
2the Second Chance State College Admissions Act. As used in
3this Article, "this Act" means this Article.
 
4    Section 10-5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
5    "Admission decision-making process" means the submission
6of a college application and all aspects of the college
7application process through admission.
8    "Applicant" means an individual who is seeking admission
9to an institution of higher education.
10    "Criminal history information" means any record regarding
11an applicant's criminal history, including, but not limited
12to, records of: (1) arrests and detentions, (2) criminal
13charges or indictments and the nature of any disposition
14arising therefrom that does not result in a conviction, and
15(3) convictions other than convictions pursuant to: (A)
16Articles 9 and 10, Subdivisions 5, 10, and 20 of Article 11,
17Sections 11-25 and 11-26, Article 20, 29D, or 30 of the
18Criminal Code of 2012 or similar laws enacted by other
19governmental authorities; or (B) Article 12, 24, or 33A of the
20Criminal Code of 2012 or similar laws enacted by other
21governmental authorities unless 5 years have passed since the
22completion of any sentence imposed pursuant to such conviction
23and the defendant convicted of the offense has not since been
24convicted of a felony.
25    "Degree granting institution" has the meaning set forth in

 

 

SB2928- 12 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1Section 2 of the Academic Degree Act.
2    "Institution of higher education" means any publicly or
3privately operated university, college, community college,
4business, technical, or vocational school, or other
5educational institution offering degrees or instruction beyond
6the secondary school level, including, without limitation, a
7degree granting institution, post-secondary educational
8institution, public institution of higher education, or any
9institution that operates pursuant to authority provided to it
10by the Board of Higher Education or the Board of Higher
11Education Act.
12    "Post-secondary educational institution" has the meaning
13set forth in Section 1 of the Private College Act.
14    "Public institutions of higher education" has the meaning
15set forth in Section 1 of the Board of Higher Education Act.
16    "Student" means any person taking or seeking to take any
17class at a public institution of higher education, regardless
18of whether the individual has been admitted as a student at
19that public institution of higher education.
 
20    Section 10-10. Discrimination prohibited. Except as
21provided herein and otherwise authorized by law, no
22institution of higher education shall consider an applicant's
23or student's criminal history information when making any
24decision about the applicant or student. This Section does not
25apply to decisions regarding housing.
 

 

 

SB2928- 13 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    Section 10-15. Inquiry about and consideration of criminal
2history information during the admission process.
3    (a) An institution of higher education shall not inquire
4about or consider an applicant's criminal history information
5at any time during the admission decision-making process.
6    (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), an
7institution of higher education may make inquiry about or
8consider an applicant's criminal history information if such
9inquiry or consideration is required by federal law or
10pursuant to Section 2605-327 of the Illinois State Police Law
11of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois or Section 10,
1215, or 20 of the Medical School Matriculant Criminal History
13Records Check Act, if applicable. Any inquiry or consideration
14shall be limited to that which is necessary to comply with the
15applicable State or federal law. Inquiry about or
16consideration of criminal history information outside the
17scope of that required by applicable State or federal law is
18prohibited.
 
19    Section 10-20. Probationary status based on criminal
20history information prohibited. An institution of higher
21education shall not place an applicant or student on any
22probationary or similar status based upon criminal history
23information.
 

 

 

SB2928- 14 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    Section 10-25. Information about educational, licensing,
2or employment barriers for people with criminal records. An
3institution for higher education shall include information on
4its website that informs prospective applicants that a
5criminal record may affect an individual's ability to obtain
6certain professional or occupational licenses or types of
7employment or to participate in certain clinical or other
8educational requirements.
 
9    Section 10-30. Enforcement. Institutions of higher
10education shall strictly comply with the provisions of this
11Act. The Board of Higher Education is authorized, directed,
12and required to take all actions necessary to obtain such
13compliance and otherwise enforce the provisions of this Act.
14Within 120 days after the effective date of this Act, the Board
15of Higher Education shall publish notice of proposed rules
16necessary for it to implement the provisions of this Act in the
17Illinois Register in accordance with Section 5-40 of the
18Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Notwithstanding and in
19addition to any other requirement of this Act or any other
20provision of law:
21        (1) The provisions of this Act may be enforced
22    pursuant to judicial proceedings against an alleged
23    violator that seek to require the violator to cease and
24    desist from violation of the Act and pay any damages
25    suffered by one or more persons aggrieved by the Act.

 

 

SB2928- 15 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1    Venue for any such action shall be in the county where the
2    person aggrieved by a violation of this Act is domiciled.
3    If the person aggrieved by a violation of this Act is not
4    domiciled in Illinois, venue for any such action shall be
5    in the county where the principal office of the
6    institution of higher education that is the subject to
7    such action is located.
8        (2) Any person who has been aggrieved by a violation
9    of this Act shall have a private right of action to enforce
10    the provisions of this Act by personally bringing an
11    action pursuant to paragraph (1) above. Any institution of
12    higher education that is found liable for violation of
13    this Act pursuant to this paragraph shall, in addition to
14    other damages, be liable to pay all reasonable attorney's
15    fees, costs, and expenses incurred by the plaintiff in
16    that action and that pertain to that plaintiff's attempts
17    to enforce its rights against that institution of higher
18    education pursuant to this Act.
 
19    Section 10-35. Provisions of Act mandatory. The provisions
20of this Act are mandatory and shall not be considered to be
21directory or discretionary.
 
22
Article 99

 
23    Section 99-97. Severability. The provisions of this Act

 

 

SB2928- 16 -LRB103 34517 RJT 64351 b

1are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
 
2    Section 99-99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
3becoming law.