HB5984 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 18849 MJR 34235 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB5984

Introduced 2/10/2010, by Rep. Jil Tracy

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.90 new

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that in order to increase the number of nurses who work or specialize in the area of women's health care graduating from approved institutions, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer a tuition assistance program for students accepted for enrollment at approved institutions or for advanced training in the nursing profession in the field of women's health at approved institutions. Requires applicants to have an immediate financial need for the tuition assistance and to be full-time students. Provides that it shall be lawful to condition the tuition assistance upon the recipient's executing an agreement with the Commission to commit at least 5 years of his or her professional career to working in the area of women's health care. Effective immediately.

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 Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 65.90 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.90 new)

Sec. 65.90. Women's health care nurse tuition assistance program.

(a) In this Section:

"Approved institution" means a public community college, private junior college, hospital based diploma in nursing program, or public or private college or university located in this State that has approval from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for an associate degree in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing program, or certificate in practical nursing program.

"Full time student" means a student enrolled for at least 12 hours per term or as otherwise determined by the approved institution.

"Tuition" means the established charges of an approved institution for instruction at that institution.

(b) In order to increase the number of nurses who work or specialize in the area of women's health care graduating from approved institutions, the Commission shall establish and administer a tuition assistance program for students accepted for enrollment at approved institutions or for advanced training in the nursing profession in the field of women's health at approved institutions.

(c) Applicants for tuition assistance under this Section must be residents of this State who show immediate financial need and who have been accepted for enrollment at an approved institution or for advanced training in the nursing profession in the field of women's health at an approved institution. Applicants must be full-time students.

(d) It shall be lawful to condition any tuition assistance under this Section upon the recipient's executing an agreement with the Commission to commit at least 5 years of his or her professional career to working in the area of women's health care.

(e) The Commission shall adopt those rules that are necessary for the implementation and administration of this Section.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.