HB6324 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 20590 NHT 48648 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB6324

Introduced , by Rep. Bill Mitchell

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 805/2-16.02a new

Amends the Public Community College Act. From appropriations made for these purposes, requires the Illinois Community College Board to implement a transitional grant program to assist those community colleges that have received less State grant funding in a given fiscal year than they received the previous fiscal year and that are located in regions of this State identified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as experiencing a cycle of economic or population decline or both. Effective July 1, 2008.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Public Community College Act is amended by adding Section 2-16.02a as follows:

(110 ILCS 805/2-16.02a new)

Sec. 2-16.02a. Transitional grant program.

(a) The General Assembly finds that community colleges are an important component of this State's economy, system of higher education, and workforce development efforts. This State's capacity to compete in a global marketplace depends not only on our commitment to adequately fund community colleges, but our ability to produce and maintain a skilled workforce in all regions of the State. The General Assembly further finds that the majority of State funding to community colleges relies primarily on reported student enrollment and the number of semester credit hours rendered and local revenue. Community colleges located in areas of this State that are losing their population base and industry are vulnerable to experiencing financial difficulties at a time when there is a growing need to train workers for jobs that require high levels of skills.

(b) To maintain a viable community college system in all regions of this State, the State Board shall implement, from appropriations made for the purposes of this Section, a transitional grant program to assist those community colleges that have received less grant funding in a given fiscal year than they received the previous fiscal year under Section 2-16.02 of this Act and that are located in regions of this State identified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as experiencing a cycle of economic or population decline or both.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2008.