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    AN ACT concerning education.

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


 
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    Section 5. The Nursing Education Scholarship Law is amended  
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by changing Sections 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 as follows:
 



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    (110 ILCS 975/2)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2752)



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    Sec. 2. Legislative finding and declaration of policy. The 
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General Assembly finds and hereby declares that the provision 
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of a
higher education leading to an associate degree in 
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nursing, an
associate
degree in applied sciences in nursing, a 
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hospital-based diploma
in nursing, a
baccalaureate degree in 
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nursing, a graduate degree in nursing, or a certificate in 
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practical nursing for
persons of this State
who desire such an 
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education is important to the health, welfare and
security of 
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this State and Nation, and consequently is an important public

16
purpose.  Many qualified and potential nurses
are deterred by 
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financial considerations from pursuing their nursing

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education, with consequent irreparable loss to the State and 
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Nation of
talents vital to health, welfare and security.  A 
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system of scholarships,
repayment of which may be excused if 
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the individual is employed as a
registered professional
nurse 
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or a licensed practical nurse after
obtaining an associate 
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degree in
nursing, associate degree in applied sciences in 
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nursing, hospital-based
diploma in nursing, baccalaureate 
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degree in nursing, graduate degree in nursing, or certificate

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in practical nursing, will enable such individuals
to attend 
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approved institutions of their choice in the State,
public or

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private.

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(Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)

 



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    (110 ILCS 975/3)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2753)



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    Sec. 3. Definitions. 

 


 






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    The following terms, whenever used or referred to, have the 
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following
meanings except where the context clearly indicates 
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otherwise:

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    (1) "Board" means the Board of Higher Education created by 
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the Board
of Higher Education Act.

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    (2) "Department" means the Illinois Department of Public 
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Health.

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    (3) "Approved institution" means a public community 
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college, private
junior college, hospital-based diploma in 
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nursing
program, or public or private
college or university 
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located in this State that has approval by the Department of 
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Professional
Regulation for an associate degree in nursing

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program,
associate degree in applied
sciences in nursing 
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program, hospital-based diploma in nursing
program,

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baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in 
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nursing program, or
certificate in practical
nursing program.

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    (4) "Baccalaureate degree in nursing program" means a 
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program offered by
an
approved institution and leading to a 
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bachelor of science degree in nursing.

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    (5) "Enrollment" means the establishment and maintenance 
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of an
individual's status as a student in an approved 
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institution, regardless of
the terms used at the institution to 
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describe such status.

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    (6) "Academic year" means the period of time from September 
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1 of one
year through August 31 of the next year or as 
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otherwise defined by the
academic institution.

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    (7) "Associate degree in nursing program or hospital-based 
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diploma in
nursing program" means a program
offered by an 
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approved institution and leading to an associate
degree in

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nursing, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing, or

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hospital-based diploma in nursing.

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    (8) "Graduate degree in nursing program" means a program 
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offered by an approved institution and leading to a master of 
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science degree in nursing or a doctorate of philosophy or 
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doctorate of nursing degree in nursing.

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    (9)
(8) "Director" means the Director of the Illinois 
 


 






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Department of Public
Health.

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    (10)
(9) "Accepted for admission" means a student has 
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completed the
requirements for entry into an associate degree 
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in nursing program,
associate degree in applied sciences in 
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nursing program, hospital-based
diploma in nursing program,

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baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in 
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nursing program, or
certificate in practical nursing program at 
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an approved institution, as
documented by the
institution.

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    (11)
(10) "Fees" means those mandatory charges, in addition 
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to tuition, that
all enrolled students must pay, including 
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required course or lab fees.

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    (12)
(11) "Full-time student" means a student enrolled for 
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at least 12 hours
per
term or as otherwise determined by the 
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academic institution.

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    (13)
(12) "Law" means the Nursing Education Scholarship 
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Law.

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    (14)
(13) "Nursing employment obligation" means employment 
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in this State as a
registered
professional
nurse or licensed 
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practical nurse in direct patient care
or as a nurse educator 
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in the case of a graduate degree in nursing program recipient 
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for at least one year for each year of scholarship assistance 
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received through
the Nursing
Education Scholarship Program.

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    (15)
(14) "Part-time student" means a person who is 
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enrolled for at least
one-third of the number of hours required 
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per term by a school for its
full-time students.

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    (16)
(15) "Practical nursing program" means a program 
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offered by an approved
institution leading to a certificate in 
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practical nursing.

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    (17)
(16) "Registered professional nurse" means a
person 
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who is currently licensed as a registered professional nurse
by 
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the Department of Professional
Regulation under the Nursing and 
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Advanced Practice Nursing Act.

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    (18)
(17) "Licensed practical nurse" means a
person who is 
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currently licensed as a licensed practical nurse
by the 
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Department of Professional
Regulation under the Nursing and 
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Advanced Practice Nursing Act.

 


 






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    (19)
(18) "School term" means an academic term, such as a 
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semester, quarter,
trimester, or number of clock hours, as 
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defined by an approved institution.

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    (20)
(19) "Student in good standing" means a student 
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maintaining a cumulative
grade point average equivalent to at 
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least the academic grade of a "C".

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    (21)
(20) "Total and permanent disability" means a physical 
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or mental impairment,
disease, or loss of a permanent nature 
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that prevents nursing employment with or
without reasonable 
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accommodation.  Proof of disability shall be a declaration
from 
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the social security administration, Illinois Industrial 
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Commission,
Department of Defense, or an insurer authorized to 
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transact business in
Illinois who is providing disability 
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insurance coverage to a contractor.

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    (22)
(21) "Tuition" means the established charges of an 
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institution of higher
learning for instruction at that 
17
institution.

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    (23) "Nurse educator" means a person who is currently 
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licensed as a registered nurse by the Department of 
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Professional Regulation under the Nursing and Advanced 
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Practice Nursing Act, who has a graduate degree in nursing, and 
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who is employed by an approved academic institution to educate 
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registered nursing students, licensed practical nursing 
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students, and registered nurses pursuing graduate degrees.

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(Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)

 



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    (110 ILCS 975/5)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2755)



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    Sec. 5. Nursing education undergraduate scholarships. 
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Beginning with the fall term of the 2004-2005
2002-2003

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academic year, the
Department, in accordance with rules and 
30
regulations promulgated by it for this
program, shall provide 
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scholarships to individuals selected
from among those 
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applicants who qualify for consideration by showing:


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        (1) that he or she has been a resident of this State 
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    for at least one
year prior to application, and is a 
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    citizen or a lawful permanent resident
alien of the United 
 


 






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    States;


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        (2) that he or she is enrolled in or accepted for 
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    admission to an associate degree in
nursing program, 
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    hospital-based
diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate 
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    degree
in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing 
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    program, or practical nursing program at an approved

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    institution; and


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        (3) that he or she agrees to meet the nursing 
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    employment obligation.

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    If in any year the number of qualified applicants exceeds 
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the number of
scholarships to be awarded, the Department shall 
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give priority in awarding
scholarships:
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            (A) To
to students in the greatest financial need, 
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        as shown on a
standardized financial needs assessment 
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        form used by an approved
institution who will pursue 
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        their education on a full-time or closest to
full-time

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        basis and who already have a certificate in practical 
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        nursing, a diploma
in nursing, or an associate degree 
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        in nursing and are pursuing a higher
degree.

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            (B) To registered nurses pursuing a graduate 
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        degree in nursing to pursue employment in an approved 
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        institution that educates licensed practical nurses 
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        and that educates registered nurses in undergraduate 
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        and graduate nursing programs.

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    Unless otherwise indicated, scholarships shall be awarded 
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to
recipients at approved institutions for a period
of up to 2 
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years if the recipient is enrolled in an
associate degree in

28
nursing
program, up to 3 years if the recipient is enrolled in 
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a hospital-based
diploma in nursing program, up to 4 years if 
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the recipient is enrolled in a
baccalaureate degree in nursing 
31
program, up to 5 years if the recipient is enrolled in a 
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graduate degree in nursing program, and up to one year if the

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recipient is enrolled in a certificate in practical nursing 
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program.  At least
40%
50% of the scholarships awarded shall be 
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for recipients who are
pursuing baccalaureate degrees in 
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nursing, 30%
40% of the scholarships
awarded shall be for 
 


 






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recipients who are pursuing associate degrees in
nursing
or a 
2
diploma in nursing, and 10% of the scholarships awarded
shall 
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be for recipients who are pursuing a certificate in practical 
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nursing, and 20% of the scholarships awarded shall be for 
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recipients who are pursuing a graduate degree in nursing.

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(Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)

 



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    (110 ILCS 975/6)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2756)



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    Sec. 6. Nursing requirements for scholarship recipients. 
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Within 12 months after graduation from an associate degree in

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nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing
program,

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baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in 
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nursing program, or
certificate in practical nursing program, 
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any
recipient who accepted a
scholarship under Section 5 shall 
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begin meeting the required nursing
employment obligation.  In 
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order to defer his
or her continuous employment obligation, a 
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recipient must
request the deferment in writing from the 
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Department.
A recipient shall notify program staff within 30 
18
days if he or she
spends up to 4 years in military service 
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before or after graduation.  A
recipient shall notify program 
20
staff within 30 days if he or she is enrolled in
an academic

21
program leading to a graduate degree in nursing.  If a recipient 
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receives
funding through the Nursing Education Scholarship 
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Program for a higher degree,
the nursing employment obligation 
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shall be deferred until he or she is no
longer
enrolled or has 
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graduated.  The recipient must begin meeting the required

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nursing employment obligations no later than 6 months after the 
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end of the
deferments.

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    Any person who fails to fulfill the nursing employment 
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obligation shall
pay to the Department an amount equal to the 
30
amount of scholarship funds
received per year for each 
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unfulfilled year of the nursing employment
obligation, 
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together with interest at 7% per year on the
unpaid balance.

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Payment must begin within 6 months following the date of the 
34
occurrence
initiating the
repayment.  All repayments must be 
35
completed within 6 years from the date of
the
occurrence 
 


 






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initiating the repayment.  However, this obligation may be

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deferred and re-evaluated every 6 months when the failure to 
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fulfill the
nursing employment
obligation results
from 
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involuntarily leaving the profession due to a decrease in the 
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number
of nurses employed in the State or when the failure to 
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fulfill the nursing
employment obligation results from total 
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and permanent disability.  The
repayment obligation shall be 
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excused if the failure to fulfill the nursing
employment 
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obligation results from the death or adjudication as

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incompetent of the person holding the scholarship.  No claim for 
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repayment
may be filed against the estate of such a decedent or 
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incompetent.

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    Each person applying for such a scholarship shall be 
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provided with a copy
of this Section at the time of application 
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for the
benefits of such
scholarship.

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(Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)

 



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    (110 ILCS 975/7)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2757)


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    Sec. 7. Amount of scholarships. To determine a scholarship

19
amount, the Department shall consider tuition and fee charges 
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at
community colleges and universities statewide and projected 
21
living
expenses.  Using information provided annually by the 
22
Illinois Student
Assistance Commission, 75% of the weighted 
23
tuition and fees charged by
community colleges in Illinois 
24
shall be added to the uniform living
allowance reported in the 
25
weighted Monetary Award Program (MAP)
budget to determine the 
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full-time scholarship amount for students
pursuing an 
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associate degree or diploma in nursing at an Illinois
community 
28
college.  Scholarship amounts for students pursuing
associate,

29
or baccalaureate, or graduate degrees in nursing at a college 
30
or university shall
include 75% of the
weighted tuition and 
31
fees charged by public universities in Illinois plus
the 
32
uniform living allowance reported in the weighted MAP budget.

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Scholarship amounts for students in practical nursing programs 
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shall
include 75% of the average of tuition charges at all 
35
practical nursing
programs plus the uniform living allowance 
 


 






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reported in the weighted MAP
budget.  The
Department may provide 
2
that scholarships shall be on a quarterly or
semi-annual basis 
3
and shall be contingent upon the student's diligently
pursuing 
4
nursing studies and being a student in good
standing.  
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Scholarship awards may be provided to part-time students; the

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amount shall be determined by applying the proportion 
7
represented by the
part-time enrollment to full-time 
8
enrollment ratio to the average per-term
scholarship amount for 
9
a student in the same nursing degree category.

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(Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)