102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2305

 

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Ann Gillespie

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 947/65.110 new

    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Creates the School Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment grant program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications from eligible social workers who are employed by a public elementary or secondary school district in the State. Relative thereto, the grant program may encourage a grant recipient to use the financial assistance for the repayment of educational loans. Sets forth eligibility requirements. Effective July 1, 2022.


LRB102 16143 CMG 21519 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2305LRB102 16143 CMG 21519 b

1    AN ACT concerning higher education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by adding Section 65.110 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/65.110 new)
7    Sec. 65.110. School social work shortage loan repayment
8grant program.
9    (a) To encourage Illinois students to work, and to
10continue to work, as a school social worker in public and
11nonpublic school districts in this State, the Commission
12shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan
13repayment assistance under this Section. This program shall be
14known as the Illinois School Social Work Shortage Loan
15Repayment Program. The Commission shall administer the program
16and shall adopt all necessary and proper rules to effectively
17implement the program.
18    (b) Beginning July 1, 2022, subject to a separate
19appropriation made for such purposes, the Commission shall
20award a grant up to a maximum of $6,500 to each qualified
21applicant. The Commission may encourage the recipient of a
22grant under this Section to use the grant award for repayment
23of the recipient's educational loan.

 

 

SB2305- 2 -LRB102 16143 CMG 21519 b

1    (c) A person is a qualified applicant under this Section
2if he or she meets all of the following qualifications:
3        (1) The person is a United States citizen or eligible
4    noncitizen.
5        (2) The person is a resident of this State.
6        (3) The person is a borrower with an outstanding
7    balance due on an educational loan related to obtaining a
8    degree in social work.
9        (4) The person has been employed as a school social
10    worker by a public elementary school or secondary school
11    in this State for at least 12 consecutive months.
12        (5) The person is currently employed as a school
13    social worker by a public elementary school or secondary
14    school in this State.
15    (d) An applicant shall submit an application, in a form
16determined by the Commission, for grant assistance under this
17Section to the Commission. An applicant is required to submit,
18with the application, supporting documentation as the
19Commission may deem necessary.
20    (e) The Commission shall give priority to an applicant who
21is a member of an underrepresented community in the school
22social work field in Illinois.
 
23    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
242022.