103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB0102

 

Introduced 1/24/2023, by Sen. Dale Fowler

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 947/65.107 new

    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish and administer a workforce industry needs scholarship program to provide scholarships to qualified students who, in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs, are pursuing a professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher learning. Sets forth the qualifications that a student must meet to receive a scholarship. Provides that each scholarship awarded shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room and board costs of the public institution of higher learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000, except that in the case of a recipient who does not reside on campus at the institution of higher learning at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000. Provides that the Commission shall adopt rules to define what constitutes a postsecondary course of study or other program in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs. Provides that priority for receiving a scholarship may be given to students seeking a professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher learning in an industry sector identified annually by the Commission as having significant regional or statewide workforce needs. Provides for the approval and suspension of approval of a postsecondary course of study or other program of a public institution of higher learning. Provides for rulemaking. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB0102LRB103 26214 RJT 52573 b

1    AN ACT concerning 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 65.107 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/65.107 new)
7    Sec. 65.107. Workforce industry needs scholarship.
8    (a) The Commission shall, subject to appropriation,
9establish and administer a workforce industry needs
10scholarship program to provide scholarships to qualified
11students who, in order to meet regional or statewide workforce
12needs, are pursuing a professional certificate, credential,
13diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher
14learning.
15    (b) For the purposes of this Section, a qualified student
16shall be a student who meets the following qualifications:
17        (1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or
18    eligible noncitizen of the United States;
19        (2) is enrolled or accepted, on at least a half-time
20    basis, at a public institution of higher learning;
21        (3) is pursuing a postsecondary course of study or
22    other program in order to meet regional or statewide
23    workforce needs; and

 

 

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1        (4) is employed, is enrolled or has completed a
2    financial literacy course at a public institution of
3    higher learning, or has completed 100 hours of voluntary
4    time contributing to a nonprofit or public service
5    organization approved by the Commission.
6    (c) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be
7in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room
8and board costs of the public institution of higher learning
9at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of
10$5,000, except that in the case of a recipient who does not
11reside on campus at the institution of higher learning at
12which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship
13shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee expenses and a
14commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000. All
15scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this Section
16shall be paid to the institution on behalf of recipients.
17    (d) The Commission shall adopt rules to define what
18constitutes a postsecondary course of study or other program
19in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs under
20subsection (b). The Commission shall provide high schools and
21public institutions of higher learning, by March 31 of each
22year, a list of postsecondary courses of study or other
23programs that are approved by the Commission to meet regional
24or statewide workforce needs.
25    (e) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded by
26the Commission under this Section to an individual in any

 

 

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1given academic year, when added to other financial assistance
2awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed the
3cost of attendance at the institution of higher learning at
4which the student is enrolled. In any academic year for which a
5qualified student under this Section accepts financial
6assistance through any other program administered by the
7Commission, the qualified student is not eligible for
8scholarship assistance under this Section.
9    (f) A recipient may receive up to 6 semesters or 9 quarters
10of scholarship assistance under this Section. Scholarship
11funds are applicable toward 2 semesters or 3 quarters of
12enrollment each academic year.
13    (g) A student may not be eligible to receive a scholarship
14under this Section for more than one professional certificate,
15credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of
16higher learning within any 5-year period following the
17student's last scholarship disbursement, unless the additional
18professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from
19a public institution of higher learning constitutes progress
20in the same field of study.
21    (h) Priority for receiving a scholarship under this
22Section may be given to students seeking a professional
23certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public
24institution of higher learning in an industry sector
25identified annually by the Commission as having significant
26regional or statewide workforce needs.

 

 

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1    (i) Through an annual program evaluation process, the
2Commission may suspend its approval of a postsecondary course
3of study or other program of a public institution of higher
4learning if the Commission determines that the postsecondary
5course of study or other program of the public institution of
6higher learning no longer meets the qualifications of the
7Commission under subsection (d). If approval of a
8postsecondary course of study or other program is suspended
9during the Commission's annual program evaluation process,
10then a qualified student may not continue to receive a
11scholarship under this Section for the suspended postsecondary
12course of study or other program. However, the qualified
13student is able to continue to receive a scholarship under
14this Section if the student transfers to a similar
15postsecondary course of study or other program at another
16public institution of higher learning. The Commission shall
17advise the student on how to transfer to another similar
18postsecondary course of study or other program.
19    (j) The Commission shall issue a report, by April 15 of
20each year, to the General Assembly detailing the use of funds
21appropriated in the prior fiscal year under this Section. The
22report must include a list of approved postsecondary courses
23of study or other programs for each public institution of
24higher learning that received scholarship funds, the amount
25spent on each approved postsecondary courses of study or other
26programs, the number of students that received scholarships,

 

 

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1the average scholarship amount for each student, a list of
2professional certificates, credentials, diplomas, or degrees
3completed by scholarship students, the average amount of money
4received by each scholarship student for each professional
5certificate, credential, diploma, or degree received, and the
6job placement rates for scholarship students.
7    (k) The Commission and the Department of Employment
8Security shall inform individuals who are receiving
9unemployment insurance about scholarships under this Section
10and any postsecondary courses of study or other programs
11available at public institutions of higher learning.
12    (l) All applications for scholarships under this Section
13shall be made to the Commission in a form as set forth by the
14Commission. The form of application and the information
15required to be set forth in the application shall be
16determined by the Commission, and the Commission shall require
17eligible applicants to submit with their applications such
18supporting documents as the Commission deems necessary.
19    (m) The Commission shall adopt all necessary and proper
20rules not inconsistent with this Section for its effective
21implementation.
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.