State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_SB1444eng

 
SB1444 Engrossed                              LRB9110535NTksA

 1        AN ACT to amend the Higher Education  Student  Assistance
 2    Act by adding Section 65.57.

 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section 5.  The Higher Education Student  Assistance  Act
 6    is amended by adding Section 65.57 as follows:

 7        (110 ILCS 947/65.57 new)
 8        Sec. 65.57.  Arthur F. Quern Information Technology Grant
 9    Program.
10        (a)  In  order  to strengthen the workforce in this State
11    by increasing the supply of  skilled  information  technology
12    workers  in  this  State, the Commission shall, each year and
13    subject to available  appropriations,  receive  and  consider
14    applications  for  grant  assistance  under  this  Section to
15    provide  need-based  grants  for  retraining  in  information
16    technology fields, to be named Arthur  F.  Quern  Information
17    Technology  Grants, to qualified students pursuing additional
18    certification or a degree in an information technology  field
19    at  a  degree-granting institution.  An applicant is eligible
20    for a grant under this Section if the Commission  finds  that
21    the applicant:
22             (1)  is  a  United  States  citizen  or  a permanent
23        resident of the United States;
24             (2)  is a resident of this State;
25             (3)  has made a timely application to the Commission
26        for an information technology grant; and
27             (4)  enrolls or is enrolled in an  eligible  program
28        of undergraduate information technology related study, as
29        determined  by  the  Board  of  Higher  Education,  at  a
30        qualified institution of higher learning in this State.
31        (b)  Recipients  shall  be selected from among applicants
 
SB1444 Engrossed            -2-               LRB9110535NTksA
 1    who qualify pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section  based
 2    on   financial   need,   as  determined  by  the  Commission.
 3    Preference may be given to individuals who  have  received  a
 4    baccalaureate  degree  and  who  seek  information technology
 5    training or certification.  Preference may also be  given  to
 6    previous recipients of assistance under this Section.
 7        (c)  A  recipient  must  maintain  satisfactory  academic
 8    progress, as determined by the institution of higher learning
 9    at which he or she is enrolled.
10        (d)  The  Commission shall receive initial and subsequent
11    State  appropriations  for  distribution   to   participating
12    institutions   on  behalf  of  information  technology  grant
13    recipients under this Section.   The  Commission  shall  also
14    receive  appropriate  annual State appropriations for program
15    administration under this Section.
16        (e)  The  Commission  shall  administer  the  information
17    technology grant program  established  by  this  Section  and
18    shall  make  all  necessary and proper rules not inconsistent
19    with this Section for the program's effective implementation.
20        (f)  Each information technology grant is an award of  up
21    to  $2,500,  payable  to a qualified institution on behalf of
22    the award recipient and applicable towards tuition  and  fees
23    and other educational costs, as determined by the Commission.
24    A qualified student may be eligible to receive an information
25    technology grant for up to 2 years.
26        (g)  The  total amount of grant assistance awarded by the
27    Commission under this Section to an individual in  any  given
28    fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance awarded
29    to  that  individual for that year, shall not exceed the cost
30    of attendance at the institution of higher learning at  which
31    the student is enrolled.  If a recipient does not qualify for
32    the maximum $2,500 grant amount during the academic year, the
33    excess award amount shall not be carried forward to the award
34    amount   for  the  following  academic  year  for  which  the
 
SB1444 Engrossed            -3-               LRB9110535NTksA
 1    recipient is eligible for a grant award under this Section.
 2        (h)  All applications for grant assistance to be  awarded
 3    under  this  Section  shall  be  made  to the Commission in a
 4    format set forth  by  the  Commission.   The  format  of  the
 5    application  and  the information required to be set forth in
 6    the application shall be determined by the Commission.
 7        (i)  Subject to a separate appropriation  made  for  such
 8    purposes, payment of a grant awarded under this Section shall
 9    be determined by the Commission.  All grant funds distributed
10    in  accordance  with  this  Section  shall  be  paid  to  the
11    institution on behalf of the recipients.

12        Section  99.  Effective  date.   This Act takes effect on
13    July 1, 2000.

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