SB1446eng 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1446 Engrossed LRB095 11075 NHT 31401 b

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 2-24 as follows:

(110 ILCS 805/2-24 new)

Sec. 2-24. We Want to Learn English Initiative.

(a) Subject to appropriation and Section 7 of the Board of Higher Education Act, the State Board may establish and administer a We Want to Learn English Initiative to provide resources for immigrants and refugees in this State to learn English in order to move towards becoming full members of American society.

(b) Each fiscal year, the State Board may include, as a separate line item, in its budget proposal $25,000,000 in funding for the We Want to Learn English Initiative, to be disbursed by the State Board. The State Board may decide to disburse no less than half of the funds appropriated for this Initiative each fiscal year to community-based, not-for-profit organizations, immigrant social service organizations, faith-based organizations, and on-site job training programs so that immigrants and refugees can learn English where they live, work, pray, and socialize and where their children go to school.

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