Bill Text: IL SB0102 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish and administer a workforce industry needs scholarship program to provide scholarships to qualified students who, in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs, are pursuing a professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher learning. Sets forth the qualifications that a student must meet to receive a scholarship. Provides that each scholarship awarded shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room and board costs of the public institution of higher learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000, except that in the case of a recipient who does not reside on campus at the institution of higher learning at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000. Provides that the Commission shall adopt rules to define what constitutes a postsecondary course of study or other program in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs. Provides that priority for receiving a scholarship may be given to students seeking a professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher learning in an industry sector identified annually by the Commission as having significant regional or statewide workforce needs. Provides for the approval and suspension of approval of a postsecondary course of study or other program of a public institution of higher learning. Provides for rulemaking. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-15 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB0102 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB0102-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB0102 Introduced 1/24/2023, by Sen. Dale Fowler SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
110 ILCS 947/65.107 new
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish and administer a workforce industry needs scholarship program to provide scholarships to qualified students who, in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs, are pursuing a professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher learning. Sets forth the qualifications that a student must meet to receive a scholarship. Provides that each scholarship awarded shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room and board costs of the public institution of higher learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000, except that in the case of a recipient who does not reside on campus at the institution of higher learning at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000. Provides that the Commission shall adopt rules to define what constitutes a postsecondary course of study or other program in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs. Provides that priority for receiving a scholarship may be given to students seeking a professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher learning in an industry sector identified annually by the Commission as having significant regional or statewide workforce needs. Provides for the approval and suspension of approval of a postsecondary course of study or other program of a public institution of higher learning. Provides for rulemaking. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
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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 65.107 as follows:
(110 ILCS 947/65.107 new)
Sec. 65.107. Workforce industry needs scholarship.
(a) The Commission shall, subject to appropriation,
establish and administer a workforce industry needs
scholarship program to provide scholarships to qualified
students who, in order to meet regional or statewide workforce
needs, are pursuing a professional certificate, credential,
diploma, or degree from a public institution of higher
learning.
(b) For the purposes of this Section, a qualified student
shall be a student who meets the following qualifications:
(1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or
eligible noncitizen of the United States;
(2) is enrolled or accepted, on at least a half-time
basis, at a public institution of higher learning;
(3) is pursuing a postsecondary course of study or
other program in order to meet regional or statewide
workforce needs; and

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(4) is employed, is enrolled or has completed a
financial literacy course at a public institution of
higher learning, or has completed 100 hours of voluntary
time contributing to a nonprofit or public service
organization approved by the Commission.
(c) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be
in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room
and board costs of the public institution of higher learning
at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of
$5,000, except that in the case of a recipient who does not
reside on campus at the institution of higher learning at
which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship
shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee expenses and a
commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000. All
scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this Section
shall be paid to the institution on behalf of recipients.
(d) The Commission shall adopt rules to define what
constitutes a postsecondary course of study or other program
in order to meet regional or statewide workforce needs under
subsection (b). The Commission shall provide high schools and
public institutions of higher learning, by March 31 of each
year, a list of postsecondary courses of study or other
programs that are approved by the Commission to meet regional
or statewide workforce needs.
(e) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded by
the Commission under this Section to an individual in any

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given academic year, when added to other financial assistance
awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed the
cost of attendance at the institution of higher learning at
which the student is enrolled. In any academic year for which a
qualified student under this Section accepts financial
assistance through any other program administered by the
Commission, the qualified student is not eligible for
scholarship assistance under this Section.
(f) A recipient may receive up to 6 semesters or 9 quarters
of scholarship assistance under this Section. Scholarship
funds are applicable toward 2 semesters or 3 quarters of
enrollment each academic year.
(g) A student may not be eligible to receive a scholarship
under this Section for more than one professional certificate,
credential, diploma, or degree from a public institution of
higher learning within any 5-year period following the
student's last scholarship disbursement, unless the additional
professional certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from
a public institution of higher learning constitutes progress
in the same field of study.
(h) Priority for receiving a scholarship under this
Section may be given to students seeking a professional
certificate, credential, diploma, or degree from a public
institution of higher learning in an industry sector
identified annually by the Commission as having significant
regional or statewide workforce needs.

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(i) Through an annual program evaluation process, the
Commission may suspend its approval of a postsecondary course
of study or other program of a public institution of higher
learning if the Commission determines that the postsecondary
course of study or other program of the public institution of
higher learning no longer meets the qualifications of the
Commission under subsection (d). If approval of a
postsecondary course of study or other program is suspended
during the Commission's annual program evaluation process,
then a qualified student may not continue to receive a
scholarship under this Section for the suspended postsecondary
course of study or other program. However, the qualified
student is able to continue to receive a scholarship under
this Section if the student transfers to a similar
postsecondary course of study or other program at another
public institution of higher learning. The Commission shall
advise the student on how to transfer to another similar
postsecondary course of study or other program.
(j) The Commission shall issue a report, by April 15 of
each year, to the General Assembly detailing the use of funds
appropriated in the prior fiscal year under this Section. The
report must include a list of approved postsecondary courses
of study or other programs for each public institution of
higher learning that received scholarship funds, the amount
spent on each approved postsecondary courses of study or other
programs, the number of students that received scholarships,

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the average scholarship amount for each student, a list of
professional certificates, credentials, diplomas, or degrees
completed by scholarship students, the average amount of money
received by each scholarship student for each professional
certificate, credential, diploma, or degree received, and the
job placement rates for scholarship students.
(k) The Commission and the Department of Employment
Security shall inform individuals who are receiving
unemployment insurance about scholarships under this Section
and any postsecondary courses of study or other programs
available at public institutions of higher learning.
(l) All applications for scholarships under this Section
shall be made to the Commission in a form as set forth by 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
eligible applicants to submit with their applications such
supporting documents as the Commission deems necessary.
(m) The Commission shall adopt all necessary and proper
rules not inconsistent with this Section for its effective
implementation.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.