HR1039 Enrolled LRB094 19954 RAS 57325 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION 1039

 
2     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois honors Illinois veterans for
3 service in the United States Armed Services and Illinois
4 National Guard with grants and scholarships to attend Illinois
5 public universities and community colleges; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The Illinois Veteran Grant Program pays eligible
7 tuition and certain fees for undergraduate study at any
8 Illinois community college for Illinois residents who qualify;
9 a qualified applicant is any member of the Armed Forces of the
10 United States who has served at least one year of active duty
11 and whose separation from such service has been characterized
12 as honorable; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The Illinois National Guard Grant Program pays
14 tuition and eligible fees at all Illinois community colleges; a
15 qualified applicant must be on active status and have served
16 for at least one year in the Illinois National Guard; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The MIA-POW Scholarship Program for dependents of
18 Illinois residents declared to be missing in action or
19 prisoners of war pays all tuition and fees at any Illinois
20 community college; and
 
21     WHEREAS, The Illinois Veteran Grant Program, the Illinois
22 National Guard Grant Program, and the MIA-POW Scholarship
23 Program are all considered entitlement grants; thus, if the
24 General Assembly does not fully fund these programs to cover
25 all expenses, the community college must waive all tuition and
26 fees on behalf of that student; and
 
27     WHEREAS, Illinois community colleges must raise tuition
28 and fees in order to compensate for unfunded mandates placed
29 upon them by the Governor's budget; and
 

 

 

HR1039 Enrolled - 2 - LRB094 19954 RAS 57325 r

1     WHEREAS, It is not fiscally responsible for the Governor to
2 increase government spending while other parts of the budget
3 continue to be underfunded; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The Governor's Fiscal Year 2007 proposed budget
5 provides level funding for the Illinois Veteran Grant Program,
6 the Illinois National Guard Grant Program, and the MIA-POW
7 Scholarship Program, despite increasing enrollment primarily
8 due to the Global War on Terrorism; therefore, be it
 
9     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
10 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11 the community colleges of the State of Illinois are entitled to
12 reimbursement for the costs incurred in the administration of
13 the Illinois Veteran Grant Program, the Illinois National Guard
14 Grant Program, and the MIA-POW Scholarship Program in the past
15 fiscal years; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education and the
17 Illinois Community College Board conduct a joint study
18 detailing the amount of tuition and fees each community college
19 has waived over the current and last four fiscal years to
20 compensate for the lack of funding in the Governor's budgets
21 for the Illinois Veteran Grant Program, the Illinois National
22 Guard Grant Program, and the MIA-POW Scholarship Program, with
23 a report of the findings of the joint study submitted to the
24 General Assembly and to the Governor no later than January 1,
25 2007; and be it further
 
26     RESOLVED, That the amount determined by the joint study of
27 the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community
28 College Board be the recommended amount of reimbursement to the
29 community colleges of this State to be appropriated in Fiscal
30 Year 2008; and be it further
 
31     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be

 

 

HR1039 Enrolled - 3 - LRB094 19954 RAS 57325 r

1 delivered to the Governor, the Board of Higher Education, the
2 Illinois Community College Board, and the president of each
3 community college of the State.