Bill Text: IL HB3648 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: Creates the Higher Education in Prison Act. Provides that on or before September 1 of the year following the effective date of the Act and each subsequent September 1, the Department of Corrections shall release a report, to be published on the Department of Corrections's Internet website, detailing certain information pertaining to higher education within Department institutions and facilities. Requires the report to be filed with the Governor and General Assembly. Provides that the data provided in the report shall include an aggregate chart at the Department level and individual reports by each correctional institution or facility of the Department of Corrections. Provides that on or before September 1 of the year following the effective date of the Act and each subsequent September 1, each college and university that provides academic programs for committed persons shall report to the Board of Higher Education on enrollment, retention, completion, and student demographics, including race, ethnicity, age, and gender of committed students. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall compile the information and, within 60 days after receipt of such information, issue a report reflecting the information for each institution required to report. Provides that the report must be filed with the Governor and General Assembly and made publicly available on the Board of Higher Education's Internet website.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 23-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-08-11 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0541 [HB3648 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HB3648-Chaptered.html
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| Public Act 103-0541 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Higher | ||||
Education in Prison Act.
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Section 5. Higher education in prison programs. | ||||
(a) In this Section, "higher education" means | ||||
post-secondary academic education at the undergraduate or | ||||
graduate level in a community college or university setting. | ||||
(b) On or before September 1 of the year following the | ||||
effective date of this Act and each subsequent September 1, | ||||
the Department of Corrections shall release a report, to be | ||||
published on the Department of Corrections's Internet website, | ||||
detailing the following information pertaining to higher | ||||
education within Department institutions and facilities: | ||||
(1) the number of unique individuals involved in adult | ||||
basic education, high school equivalency, and credit and | ||||
non-credit bearing higher education programs over the | ||||
course of the fiscal year; | ||||
(2) the racial, ethnic, age, and gender breakdown of | ||||
committed persons participating in higher education | ||||
programs; | ||||
(3) the length of sentence and length of remaining | ||||
sentence of persons enrolled in higher education programs; | ||
(4) the number of committed persons who are on waiting | ||
lists for participation in all educational programs, | ||
including adult basic education, high school equivalency, | ||
and higher education, and the average length of time spent | ||
on each waiting list, including a breakdown by length of | ||
remaining sentence; | ||
(5) the total amount of earned program sentence credit | ||
awarded to committed persons for participating in higher | ||
education programs and the percentage of committed persons | ||
participating in higher education programs that are | ||
awarded earned program sentence credit; | ||
(6) the number, category, and ultimate resolution of | ||
grievances related to higher education programs; | ||
(7) a financial statement that includes annual and | ||
monthly expenditures of Department of Corrections | ||
institutions and facilities on adult basic education, high | ||
school equivalency, and higher education programs; and | ||
(8) an explanation of how participation in adult basic | ||
education, high school equivalency, and higher education | ||
programs is factored into a committed persons' risk | ||
assessment score. | ||
Personal, identifiable information shall be redacted to | ||
protect privacy. | ||
The report must be filed with the Governor and General | ||
Assembly. | ||
(c) The data provided in the report under subsection (b) | ||
shall include an aggregate chart at the Department level and | ||
individual reports by each correctional institution or | ||
facility of the Department of Corrections. | ||
(d) To facilitate the collection of information on higher | ||
education in prison (HEP) programs, each 4-year public or | ||
private institution of higher education with HEP degree or | ||
certificate programs shall provide the Board of Higher | ||
Education with student-level information as part of its | ||
regular agency data-collection processes. Each public | ||
community college with HEP degree or certificate programs | ||
shall provide the Illinois Community College Board with | ||
student-level information as part of its regular agency | ||
data-collection processes. Upon request, the student-level | ||
information shall include the correctional facility in which | ||
the HEP program is being offered. The information provided to | ||
the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community | ||
College Board shall include HEP enrollment and completion data | ||
disaggregated by variables, including but not limited to, | ||
race, ethnicity, gender, age, and type of degree or | ||
certificate. The Board of Higher Education and the Illinois | ||
Community College Board shall annually make HEP program data | ||
publicly available on their Internet websites.
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