SB3761 Engrossed LRB102 25678 NLB 34972 b
1		AN ACT concerning education.
2		Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3		represented in the General Assembly:
4		Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5		amended by changing Section 65.115 as follows:
6		(110 ILCS 947/65.115)
7		(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a
8		delayed effective date)
9		Sec. 65.115 65.110. School and Municipal Social Work
10		Shortage Loan Repayment Program.
11		(a) To encourage Illinois students to work, and to
12		continue to work, as a school social worker in public school
13		districts in this State or in State municipalities, the
14		Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications
15		for loan repayment assistance under this Section. This program
16		shall be known as the School and Municipal Social Work
17		Shortage Loan Repayment Program. The Commission shall
18		administer the program and shall adopt all necessary and
19		proper rules to effectively implement the program.
20		(b) Beginning July 1, 2022, subject to a separate
21		appropriation made for such purposes, the Commission shall
22		award a grant, up to a maximum of $6,500, to each qualified
23		applicant. The Commission may encourage the recipient of a

SB3761 Engrossed - 2 - LRB102 25678 NLB 34972 b
1		grant under this Section to use the grant award for repayment
2		of the recipient's educational loan. If an appropriation for
3		this program for a given fiscal year is insufficient to
4		provide grants to all qualified applicants, the Commission
5		shall allocate the appropriation in accordance with this
6		subsection. If funds are insufficient to provide all qualified
7		applicants with a grant as authorized by this Section, the
8		Commission shall allocate the available grant funds for that
9		fiscal year to qualified applicants who submit a complete
10		application on or before a date specified by the Commission,
11		based on the following order of priority:
12		(1) first, to new, qualified applicants who are
13		members of a racial minority as defined in subsection (e);
14		and
15		(2) second, to other new, qualified applicants in
16		accordance with this Section.
17		(c) A person is a qualified applicant under this Section
18		if he or she meets all of the following qualifications:
19		(1) The person is a United States citizen or eligible
20		noncitizen.
21		(2) The person is a resident of this State.
22		(3) The person is a borrower with an outstanding
23		balance due on an educational loan related to obtaining a
24		degree in social work.
25		(4) The person has been employed as a school social
26		worker by a public elementary school or secondary school

SB3761 Engrossed - 3 - LRB102 25678 NLB 34972 b
1		in this State for at least 12 consecutive months or as a
2		social worker for an Illinois municipality who did not
3		report directly to a police department.
4		(5) The person is currently employed as a school
5		social worker by a public elementary school or secondary
6		school in this State or as a social worker for an Illinois
7		municipality who does not report directly to a police
8		department.
9		(d) An applicant shall submit an application, in a form
10		determined by the Commission, for grant assistance under this
11		Section to the Commission. An applicant is required to submit,
12		with the application, supporting documentation as the
13		Commission may deem necessary.
14		(e) Racial minorities are underrepresented as school
15		social workers in elementary and secondary schools and in
16		municipalities in Illinois, and the General Assembly finds
17		that it is in the interest of this State to provide them
18		priority consideration for programs that encourage their
19		participation in this field and thereby foster a profession
20		that is more reflective of the diversity of Illinois
21		residents, students and parents they will serve. A more
22		reflective workforce in school social work allows improved
23		outcomes for individuals students and a better utilization of
24		services. Therefore, the Commission shall give priority to
25		those applicants who are members of a racial minority. In this
26		subsection (e), "racial minority" means a person who is a

SB3761 Engrossed - 4 - LRB102 25678 NLB 34972 b
1		citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident
2		alien of the United States and who is:
3		(1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black
4		racial groups in Africa);
5		(2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese
6		culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America,
7		or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race);
8		(3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of
9		the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the
10		Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or
11		(4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having
12		origins in any of the original peoples of North America).
13		(Source: P.A. 102-622, eff. 7-1-22; revised 11-10-21.)