HB3626 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 11112 AXK 56330 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3626

Introduced , by Rep. Luis Arroyo

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.105 new

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Creates a legislative grant committee to receive and consider applications for grant assistance. Requires the committee to receive and consider nominations for grant assistance, with a total of 8 grants per representative district to be awarded each year. Provides that a nominee is eligible for a grant if the committee finds that the nominee meets certain qualifications, including that he or she is a resident of the representative district for which a grant is to be awarded and that he or she is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at a public university in this State. Provides that legislative grants are good for a period of not more than one year while enrolled for residence credit, are applicable toward 2 semesters of enrollment within an academic year, and exempt the holder from the payment of tuition and fees. Sets forth provisions concerning application for a grant and renewals.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

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 65.105 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.105 new)

Sec. 65.105. Legislative grant program.

(a) A legislative grant committee is created to receive and consider applications for grant assistance under this Section. The committee shall consist of the following members:

(1) Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House.

(2) Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House.

(3) Five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate.

(4) Five members of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

Members of the committee shall serve without compensation. The Commission shall provide administrative and other support to the committee.

(b) Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, the legislative grant committee shall, each year, receive and consider nominations for grant assistance under this Section. A total of 8 grants per representative district shall be awarded each year. A nominee is eligible for a grant under this Section if the committee finds that the nominee meets all of the following qualifications:

(1) He or she is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen.

(2) He or she is a resident of the representative district for which a grant is to be awarded.

(3) He or she is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at a public university in this State.

(c) Recipients of legislative grants shall be selected from among nominees who are qualified pursuant to subsection (b) and who have filled out a grant application. All applications for grant assistance to be awarded under this Section shall be made to the legislative grant committee in a form as set forth by the committee. The form of application and the information required to be set forth in the application shall be determined by the committee, and the committee shall require eligible applicants to submit with their applications such supporting documents as the committee deems necessary.

(d) A legislative grant is good for a period of not more than one year while enrolled for residence credit. A recipient of the grant is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university in this State for a period that is equivalent to one year of full-time enrollment, including summer terms, and shall exempt the holder from the payment of tuition or any matriculation, graduation, activity, term, or incidental fee, except any portion of a multipurpose fee that is used for a purpose for which exemption is not granted under this Section. Exemption may not be granted from any other fees, including book rental fees, service fees, laboratory fees, supply fees, union building fees, hospital and medical insurance fees, and any fees established for the operation and maintenance of buildings, the income of which is pledged to the payment of interest and principal on bonds issued by the governing board of a university. Any student who has been or is to be awarded a grant shall be reimbursed by the appropriate university for any fees that he or she has paid and for which exemption is granted under this Section if application for such reimbursement is made within 2 months following the academic term for which the fees were paid.

(e) Renewals may be given to previous recipients of assistance under this Section, provided they continue to maintain eligibility and maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the university at which they enroll. A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters of grant assistance under this Section.