HB0738 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 07618 NHT 17716 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0738

Introduced 2/6/2009, by Rep. Michael K. Smith - Keith Farnham - Naomi D. Jakobsson

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.23 new

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Creates the STEM Teachers Loan Repayment Program to encourage academically talented Illinois students to enter and continue teaching in Illinois schools in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to administer the program. Subject to a separate appropriation made for such purposes, each year the Commission shall award a grant to each qualified applicant in an amount equal to the amount of higher education loans he or she must repay that year. Provides that an applicant must agree to teach in a public secondary school in this State in the field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics for a period of at least 5 years beginning with the first year of acceptance of a grant. Provides for repayment of the grant amount if a grant recipient fails to fulfill this teaching requirement. Effective July 1, 2009.

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 65.23 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.23 new)

Sec. 65.23. STEM Teachers Loan Repayment Program.

(a) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois students to enter and continue teaching in Illinois schools in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under this Section. This program shall be known as the STEM Teachers Loan Repayment Program. The Commission shall administer the program and shall make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for the program's effective implementation. The Commission may use up to 5% of the appropriation for this program for administration and promotion of the program.

(b) Subject to a separate appropriation made for such purposes, each year the Commission shall award a grant to each qualified applicant in an amount equal to the amount of higher education loans he or she must repay that year. The Commission shall encourage the recipient of a grant under this Section to use the grant amount awarded to pay off his or her higher education loans.

(c) A person is a qualified applicant under this Section if he or she meets all of the following qualifications:

(1) The person is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen.

(2) The person is a resident of this State.

(3) The person has higher education loans to repay.

(4) The person agrees to teach in a public secondary school in this State in the field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics for a period of at least 5 years beginning with the first year of acceptance of a grant. If the person is unable to fulfill this teaching requirement, he or she may receive a deferment from the obligation of repayment under subsection (e) of this Section under guidelines established by the Commission.

(d) All applications for grant assistance under this Section shall be made to the Commission. The form of application and the information required to be set forth in the application shall be determined by the Commission, and the Commission shall require applicants to submit with their applications such supporting documents as the Commission deems necessary.

(e) A grant recipient who fails to fulfill the teaching requirement under item (4) of subsection (c) of this Section shall repay to the Commission the total amount in grants received under this Section, together with interest at 5% per year on that amount. However, this obligation to repay the grant amount plus interest does not apply if the failure to fulfill the teaching requirement results from the death or adjudication as a person under legal disability of the person holding the grant, and no claim for repayment may be filed against the estate of such a decedent or person under legal disability. Payments received by the Commission under this subsection (e) shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit into the General Revenue Fund. Each person receiving a grant under this Section must be provided with a description of the provisions of this subsection (e) at the time he or she is awarded the grant.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2009.