Rep. Mary E. Flowers

Filed: 3/21/2023

 

 


 

 


 
10300HB1086ham001LRB103 04843 RJT 59546 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1086

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1086 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by adding Section 65.120 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/65.120 new)
7    Sec. 65.120. Grants for essential workers.
8    (a) In this Section:
9    "Dependent" means a spouse, natural child, legally adopted
10child, or child in the legal custody of an essential worker.
11    "Essential worker" means an individual whose employment
12duties provide a service that is typically deemed vital to
13public health and safety and economic and national security
14and essential to continue critical infrastructure operations.
15"Essential worker" includes, but is not limited to, a medical
16or healthcare worker; child care or school personnel; an

 

 

10300HB1086ham001- 2 -LRB103 04843 RJT 59546 a

1in-home support provider; a telecommunications, information
2technology systems, defense, food or agriculture,
3transportation or logistics, energy, or water or wastewater
4worker, or law enforcement personnel.
5    "Satisfactory academic progress" means the qualified
6applicant's maintenance of minimum standards of academic
7performance, consistent with requirements for maintaining
8federal financial aid eligibility, as determined by the
9institution of higher learning.
10    (b) Subject to a separate appropriation for this purpose,
11the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider
12applications for grant assistance under this Section. Both an
13essential worker and all dependents of the essential worker
14qualify to receive a grant issued by the Commission in
15accordance with this Section. Provided that the recipient is
16maintaining satisfactory academic progress, the funds from the
17grant may be used to pay up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters of
18full payment of tuition and mandatory fees at any public
19university or public community college located in this State
20for either full or part-time study based on the income of the
21recipient. This benefit may be used for undergraduate or
22graduate study.
23    In addition, a qualified applicant who has not yet
24received a high school diploma or a high school equivalency
25certificate and completes a high school equivalency
26preparation course through an Illinois Community College

 

 

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1Board-approved provider may use grant funds to pay costs
2associated with obtaining a high school equivalency
3certificate, including payment of the cost of the high school
4equivalency test and up to one retest on each test module, and
5any additional fees that may be required in order to obtain an
6Illinois High School Equivalency Certificate or an official
7transcript of test scores after successful completion of the
8high school equivalency test.
9    (c) An applicant for a grant under this Section need not
10demonstrate financial need to qualify for the benefits.
11    (d) The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to
12implement and administer this Section.
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
142023.".