Bill Text: IL HB1086 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides for the issuance of grants to essential workers and the dependents of essential workers, subject to appropriation. Defines "essential worker" as an individual whose employment duties provide a service that is typically deemed vital to public health and safety and economic and national security and essential to continue critical infrastructure operations. Sets forth provisions concerning application and qualifications for a grant, the amount of a grant and its use, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2023.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-27 - House Floor Amendment No. 3 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB1086 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB1086-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB1086 Introduced , by Rep. Mary E. Flowers SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
110 ILCS 947/65.120 new
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides for the issuance of grants to essential workers and the dependents of essential workers, subject to appropriation. Defines "essential worker" as an individual whose employment duties provide a service that is typically deemed vital to public health and safety and economic and national security and essential to continue critical infrastructure operations. Sets forth provisions concerning application and qualifications for a grant, the amount of a grant and its use, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2023.
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A BILL FOR
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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 65.120 as follows:
(110 ILCS 947/65.120 new)
Sec. 65.120. Grants for essential workers.
(a)In this Section:
"Dependent" means a spouse, natural child, legally adopted
child, or child in the legal custody of an essential worker.
"Essential worker" means an individual whose employment
duties provide a service that is typically deemed vital to
public health and safety and economic and national security
and essential to continue critical infrastructure operations.
"Essential worker" includes, but is not limited to, a medical
or healthcare worker; child care or school personnel; an
in-home support provider; a telecommunications, information
technology systems, defense, food or agriculture,
transportation or logistics, energy, or water or wastewater
worker, or law enforcement personnel.
"Satisfactory academic progress" means the qualified
applicant's maintenance of minimum standards of academic
performance, consistent with requirements for maintaining

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federal financial aid eligibility, as determined by the
institution of higher learning.
(b) Subject to a separate appropriation for this purpose,
the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider
applications for grant assistance under this Section. Both an
essential worker and all dependents of the essential worker
qualify to receive a grant issued by the Commission in
accordance with this Section. Provided that the recipient is
maintaining satisfactory academic progress, the funds from the
grant may be used to pay up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters of
full payment of tuition and mandatory fees at any public
university or public community college located in this State
for either full or part-time study. This benefit may be used
for undergraduate or graduate study.
In addition, a qualified applicant who has not yet
received a high school diploma or a high school equivalency
certificate and completes a high school equivalency
preparation course through an Illinois Community College
Board-approved provider may use grant funds to pay costs
associated with obtaining a high school equivalency
certificate, including payment of the cost of the high school
equivalency test and up to one retest on each test module, and
any additional fees that may be required in order to obtain an
Illinois High School Equivalency Certificate or an official
transcript of test scores after successful completion of the
high school equivalency test.

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(c) An applicant for a grant under this Section need not
demonstrate financial need to qualify for the benefits.
(d) The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to
implement and administer this Section.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2023.