95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB0856


 
Introduced 2/8/2007, by Sen. Edward D. Maloney - Emil Jones, Jr.
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		













110 ILCS 947/35










    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.  Makes a technical change
in a Section concerning  the Monetary Award Program.
















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A BILL FOR









 











SB0856

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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 Higher Education Student Assistance Act is 
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amended by changing Section 35 as follows:
 



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    (110 ILCS 947/35)



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    Sec. 35. Monetary award program. 

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    (a)
The Commission shall, each year, receive and
and

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consider applications
for grant assistance under this Section.  
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Subject to a separate
appropriation for such purposes, an 
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applicant is eligible for a grant under
this Section when the 
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Commission finds that the applicant:

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        (1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or 
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    permanent resident
of the United States; and


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        (2) in the absence of grant assistance, will be 
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    deterred by
financial considerations from completing an 
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    educational program at the
qualified institution of his or 
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    her choice.

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    (b) The Commission shall award renewals only upon the 
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student's application
and upon the Commission's finding that 
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the applicant:


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        (1) has remained a student in good standing;


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        (2) remains a resident of this State; and


 


 






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        (3) is in a financial situation that continues to 
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    warrant assistance.

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    (c) All grants shall be applicable only to tuition and 
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necessary fee costs. The Commission shall determine the grant

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amount for each student, which shall not exceed the smallest of

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the following amounts:


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        (1) $4,968, or such lesser amount as
the Commission 
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    finds to be available, during an academic year; or


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        (2) the amount which equals 2 semesters or 3 quarters 
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    tuition
and other necessary fees required generally by the 
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    institution of all
full-time undergraduate students; or


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        (3) such amount as the Commission finds to be 
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    appropriate in view of
the applicant's financial 
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    resources.

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"Tuition and other necessary fees" as used in this Section 
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include the
customary charge for instruction and use of 
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facilities in general, and the
additional fixed fees charged 
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for specified purposes, which are required
generally of 
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nongrant recipients for each academic period for which the 
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grant
applicant actually enrolls, but do not include fees 
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payable only once or
breakage fees and other contingent 
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deposits which are refundable in whole or in
part.  The 
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Commission may prescribe, by rule not inconsistent with this

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Section, detailed provisions concerning the computation of 
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tuition and other
necessary fees.

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    (d) No applicant, including those presently receiving 
 


 






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scholarship
assistance under this Act, is eligible for monetary 
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award program
consideration under this Act after receiving a 
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baccalaureate degree or
the equivalent of 135 semester credit 
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hours of award payments.

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    (e) The Commission, in determining the number of grants to 
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be offered,
shall take into consideration past experience with 
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the rate of grant funds
unclaimed by recipients.  The Commission 
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shall notify applicants that grant
assistance is contingent 
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upon the availability of appropriated funds.

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    (f) The Commission may request appropriations for deposit 
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into the
Monetary Award Program Reserve Fund.  Monies deposited 
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into the Monetary Award
Program Reserve Fund may be expended 
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exclusively for one purpose: to make
Monetary Award Program 
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grants to eligible students.  Amounts on deposit in the
Monetary 
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Award Program Reserve Fund may not exceed 2% of the current 
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annual
State appropriation for the Monetary Award Program.

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    The purpose of the Monetary Award Program Reserve Fund is 
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to enable the
Commission each year to assure as many students 
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as possible of their
eligibility for a Monetary Award Program 
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grant and to do so before commencement
of the academic year.  
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Moneys deposited in this Reserve Fund are intended to
enhance 
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the Commission's management of the Monetary Award Program, 
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minimizing
the necessity, magnitude, and frequency of 
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adjusting award amounts and ensuring
that the annual Monetary 
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Award Program appropriation can be fully utilized.

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    (g) The Commission shall determine the eligibility of and 
 


 






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make grants to
applicants enrolled at qualified for-profit 
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institutions in accordance with the
criteria set forth in this 
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Section.  The eligibility of applicants enrolled at
such 
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for-profit institutions shall be limited as follows:


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        (1) Beginning with the academic year 1997, only to 
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    eligible first-time
freshmen and
first-time transfer 
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    students who have attained an associate degree.


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        (2) Beginning with the academic year 1998, only to 
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    eligible freshmen
students,
transfer students who have 
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    attained an associate degree, and students who
receive a 
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    grant under paragraph (1) for the academic year 1997 and 
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    whose grants
are being renewed for the academic year 1998.


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        (3) Beginning with the academic year 1999, to all 
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    eligible students.

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(Source: P.A. 92-45, eff. 7-1-01; 93-1032, eff. 9-2-04.)