093_HB2899 LRB093 07592 NHT 07771 b 1 AN ACT concerning teachers. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 5 2-3.131 and 2-3.132 as follows: 6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.131 new) 7 Sec. 2-3.131. Teacher signing bonus. Subject to 8 appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish 9 and administer a program to provide signing bonuses to 10 teachers who contract with the State Board of Education to 11 teach in a public school, for a minimum of 5 consecutive 12 school years, in a school district that has a shortage of 13 teachers or in a subject area that has a shortage of 14 teachers. The State Board of Education shall determine the 15 amount of the bonus. A teacher who receives a signing bonus 16 under this program shall not be deemed an employee of the 17 State. The State Board of Education may adopt any rules 18 necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this 19 Section. 20 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.132 new) 21 Sec. 2-3.132. Teacher loan repayment program. Subject to 22 appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish 23 and administer a loan repayment program for teachers who 24 contract with the State Board of Education to teach in a 25 public school, for a minimum of 5 consecutive school years, 26 in a school district that has a shortage of teachers or in a 27 subject area that has a shortage of teachers. Under this 28 program, each school year the State Board of Education shall 29 award a grant to a teacher under contract in an amount that 30 equals 50% of the amount in higher education student loans -2- LRB093 07592 NHT 07771 b 1 that the person must repay that school year. The State Board 2 of Education shall encourage recipients to use the grants to 3 pay off their educational loans. The State Board of Education 4 may adopt any rules necessary to carry out its 5 responsibilities under this Section. 6 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on July 7 1, 2003.