102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2141

 

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Dan McConchie

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 1005/1.5 new
110 ILCS 1010/11  from Ch. 144, par. 241
110 ILCS 1010/11.5 new

    Amends the Private College Act and the Academic Degree Act. Exempts a religious institution from the Board of Higher Education's educational requirements, standards, or demands under the Acts and Part 1030 of Title 23 of the Illinois Administrative Code if the religious institution meets certain conditions.


LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2141LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Private College Act is amended by adding
5Section 1.5 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 1005/1.5 new)
7    Sec. 1.5. Exemption; religious institution.
8    (a) The purpose of this Section is to allow private
9religious institutions to create and provide post-secondary
10religious education, with the authority to grant degrees,
11without being burdened by secular educational regulations and
12thereby:
13        (1) eliminate this State's entanglement with religious
14    matter;
15        (2) eliminate this State's conflict with religious
16    institutions' missions;
17        (3) recognize the constitutional liberty of religious
18    institutions to direct religious education as they see
19    fit; and
20        (4) recognize the constitutional liberty of students,
21    faculty, and other persons to attend, teach at, or
22    otherwise interact with religious institutions that are
23    free from government oversight or control.

 

 

SB2141- 2 -LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1    (b) In this Section:
2    "Religious education" means education in primarily
3religious subjects. The term may also include secular subjects
4so long as the education incorporates significant religious or
5faith-based instruction and is part of a comprehensive
6educational program to equip a student to integrate his or her
7religion or faith into his or her career or work.
8    "Religious institution" or "institution" means any
9Illinois tax-exempt, post-secondary educational institution
10dedicated, in its articles of incorporation, affidavit under
11the Religious Corporation Act, charter, or bylaws, to
12religious education and actually engaged exclusively in
13religious education. A religious institution may be
14independent or may operate under the control or supervision of
15or as an integrated part of any church, denomination,
16association of religious assemblies, or religious hierarchy.
17    (c) To be exempt from the Board's educational
18requirements, standards, or demands under this Act and Part
191030 of Title 23 of the Illinois Administrative Code, the
20religious institution must meet all of the following
21conditions:
22        (1) The religious institution is a not-for-profit
23    institution that is owned, controlled, operated, and
24    maintained by a bona fide church or religious denomination
25    and is lawfully operating as a not-for-profit religious
26    corporation pursuant to State law.

 

 

SB2141- 3 -LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1        (2) Promotional materials and websites must contain a
2    statement that offered programs of study are limited to
3    religion, theology, or preparation for a religious
4    vocation that confers status or authority with the
5    religion as ministers or clergy.
6        (3) An affidavit must be published stating that no
7    federal or State funds are used for the institution's
8    programs of study.
9        (4) The title of the degrees offered by the
10    institution must contain a religious modifier, such as
11    Associate of Religious Studies, Bachelor of Religious
12    Studies, or Master of Religious Studies. Degree titles
13    that may not be used by the institution include, but are
14    not limited to, Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied
15    Arts, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Science,
16    Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of
17    Education, Master of Education, Master of Arts, Master of
18    Science, Doctor of Philosophy, or Doctor of Education.
19        (5) Promotional materials and the student enrollment
20    form must contain the following statement:
21            [Name of entity] is exempt from the Illinois Board
22        of Higher Education as a religious institution
23        providing religious instruction only. Any credentials
24        awarded by [name of entity] may not be recognized by
25        other institutions of higher education, employers, and
26        certification or licensing bodies. Complaints

 

 

SB2141- 4 -LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1        pertaining to the exemption may be directed to the
2        Illinois Board of Higher Education at www.ibhe.org.
3        (6) All students are prohibited from using federal or
4    State educational loan funds to pay for the program of
5    study offered by the institution.
6    (d) If this Section conflicts with any other provisions of
7this Act or Part 1030 of Title 23 of the Illinois
8Administrative Code, then this Section shall supersede the
9other provisions.
 
10    Section 10. The Academic Degree Act is amended by changing
11Section 11 and by adding Section 11.5 as follows:
 
12    (110 ILCS 1010/11)  (from Ch. 144, par. 241)
13    Sec. 11. Exemptions for nursing school and job training
14programs. This Act shall not apply to any school or
15educational institution regulated or approved under the Nurse
16Practice Act.
17    This Act shall not apply to any of the following:
18    (a) in-training programs by corporations or other business
19organizations for the training of their personnel;
20    (b) education or other improvement programs by business,
21trade and similar organizations and associations for the
22benefit of their members only; or
23    (c) apprentice or other training programs by labor unions.
24(Source: P.A. 95-639, eff. 10-5-07.)
 

 

 

SB2141- 5 -LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1    (110 ILCS 1010/11.5 new)
2    Sec. 11.5. Exemption for religious institution.
3    (a) The purpose of this Section is to allow private
4religious institutions to create and provide post-secondary
5religious education, with the authority to grant degrees,
6without being burdened by secular educational regulations and
7thereby:
8        (1) eliminate this State's entanglement with religious
9    matter;
10        (2) eliminate this State's conflict with religious
11    institutions' missions;
12        (3) recognize the constitutional liberty of religious
13    institutions to direct religious education as they see
14    fit; and
15        (4) recognize the constitutional liberty of students,
16    faculty, and other persons to attend, teach at, or
17    otherwise interact with religious institutions that are
18    free from government oversight or control.
19    (b) In this Section:
20    "Religious education" means education in primarily
21religious subjects. The term may also include secular subjects
22so long as the education incorporates significant religious or
23faith-based instruction and is part of a comprehensive
24educational program to equip a student to integrate his or her
25religion or faith into his or her career or work.

 

 

SB2141- 6 -LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1    "Religious institution" or "institution" means any
2Illinois tax-exempt, post-secondary educational institution
3dedicated, in its articles of incorporation, affidavit under
4the Religious Corporation Act, charter, or bylaws, to
5religious education and actually engaged exclusively in
6religious education. A religious institution may be
7independent or may operate under the control or supervision of
8or as an integrated part of any church, denomination,
9association of religious assemblies, or religious hierarchy.
10    (c) To be exempt from the Board's educational
11requirements, standards, or demands under this Act and Part
121030 of Title 23 of the Illinois Administrative Code, the
13religious institution must meet all of the following
14conditions:
15        (1) The religious institution is a not-for-profit
16    institution that is owned, controlled, operated, and
17    maintained by a bona fide church or religious denomination
18    and is lawfully operating as a not-for-profit religious
19    corporation pursuant to State law.
20        (2) Promotional materials and websites must contain a
21    statement that offered programs of study are limited to
22    religion, theology, or preparation for a religious
23    vocation that confers status or authority with the
24    religion as ministers or clergy.
25        (3) An affidavit must be published stating that no
26    federal or State funds are used for the institution's

 

 

SB2141- 7 -LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1    programs of study.
2        (4) The title of the degrees offered by the
3    institution must contain a religious modifier, such as
4    Associate of Religious Studies, Bachelor of Religious
5    Studies, or Master of Religious Studies. Degree titles
6    that may not be used by the institution include, but are
7    not limited to, Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied
8    Arts, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Science,
9    Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of
10    Education, Master of Education, Master of Arts, Master of
11    Science, Doctor of Philosophy, or Doctor of Education.
12        (5) Promotional materials and the student enrollment
13    form must contain the following statement:
14            [Name of entity] is exempt from the Illinois Board
15        of Higher Education as a religious institution
16        providing religious instruction only. Any credentials
17        awarded by [name of entity] may not be recognized by
18        other institutions of higher education, employers, and
19        certification or licensing bodies. Complaints
20        pertaining to the exemption may be directed to the
21        Illinois Board of Higher Education at www.ibhe.org.
22        (6) All students are prohibited from using federal or
23    State educational loan funds to pay for the program of
24    study offered by the institution.
25    (d) If this Section conflicts with any other provisions of
26this Act or Part 1030 of Title 23 of the Illinois

 

 

SB2141- 8 -LRB102 14535 CMG 19888 b

1Administrative Code, then this Section shall supersede the
2other provisions.