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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 Nursing Education Scholarship Law is amended
5 by changing Sections 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 as follows:
 
6     (110 ILCS 975/2)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2752)
7     Sec. 2. Legislative finding and declaration of policy. The
8 General Assembly finds and hereby declares that the provision
9 of a higher education leading to an associate degree in
10 nursing, an associate degree in applied sciences in nursing, a
11 hospital-based diploma in nursing, a baccalaureate degree in
12 nursing, a graduate degree in nursing, or a certificate in
13 practical nursing for persons of this State who desire such an
14 education is important to the health, welfare and security of
15 this State and Nation, and consequently is an important public
16 purpose. Many qualified and potential nurses are deterred by
17 financial considerations from pursuing their nursing
18 education, with consequent irreparable loss to the State and
19 Nation of talents vital to health, welfare and security. A
20 system of scholarships, repayment of which may be excused if
21 the individual is employed as a registered professional nurse
22 or a licensed practical nurse after obtaining an associate
23 degree in nursing, associate degree in applied sciences in
24 nursing, hospital-based diploma in nursing, baccalaureate
25 degree in nursing, graduate degree in nursing, or certificate
26 in practical nursing, will enable such individuals to attend
27 approved institutions of their choice in the State, public or
28 private.
29 (Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)
 
30     (110 ILCS 975/3)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2753)
31     Sec. 3. Definitions.

 

 

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1     The following terms, whenever used or referred to, have the
2 following meanings except where the context clearly indicates
3 otherwise:
4     (1) "Board" means the Board of Higher Education created by
5 the Board of Higher Education Act.
6     (2) "Department" means the Illinois Department of Public
7 Health.
8     (3) "Approved institution" means a public community
9 college, private junior college, hospital-based diploma in
10 nursing program, or public or private college or university
11 located in this State that has approval by the Department of
12 Professional Regulation for an associate degree in nursing
13 program, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing
14 program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program,
15 baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in
16 nursing program, or certificate in practical nursing program.
17     (4) "Baccalaureate degree in nursing program" means a
18 program offered by an approved institution and leading to a
19 bachelor of science degree in nursing.
20     (5) "Enrollment" means the establishment and maintenance
21 of an individual's status as a student in an approved
22 institution, regardless of the terms used at the institution to
23 describe such status.
24     (6) "Academic year" means the period of time from September
25 1 of one year through August 31 of the next year or as
26 otherwise defined by the academic institution.
27     (7) "Associate degree in nursing program or hospital-based
28 diploma in nursing program" means a program offered by an
29 approved institution and leading to an associate degree in
30 nursing, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing, or
31 hospital-based diploma in nursing.
32     (8) "Graduate degree in nursing program" means a program
33 offered by an approved institution and leading to a master of
34 science degree in nursing or a doctorate of philosophy or
35 doctorate of nursing degree in nursing.
36     (9) (8) "Director" means the Director of the Illinois

 

 

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1 Department of Public Health.
2     (10) (9) "Accepted for admission" means a student has
3 completed the requirements for entry into an associate degree
4 in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences in
5 nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program,
6 baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in
7 nursing program, or certificate in practical nursing program at
8 an approved institution, as documented by the institution.
9     (11) (10) "Fees" means those mandatory charges, in addition
10 to tuition, that all enrolled students must pay, including
11 required course or lab fees.
12     (12) (11) "Full-time student" means a student enrolled for
13 at least 12 hours per term or as otherwise determined by the
14 academic institution.
15     (13) (12) "Law" means the Nursing Education Scholarship
16 Law.
17     (14) (13) "Nursing employment obligation" means employment
18 in this State as a registered professional nurse or licensed
19 practical nurse in direct patient care or as a nurse educator
20 in the case of a graduate degree in nursing program recipient
21 for at least one year for each year of scholarship assistance
22 received through the Nursing Education Scholarship Program.
23     (15) (14) "Part-time student" means a person who is
24 enrolled for at least one-third of the number of hours required
25 per term by a school for its full-time students.
26     (16) (15) "Practical nursing program" means a program
27 offered by an approved institution leading to a certificate in
28 practical nursing.
29     (17) (16) "Registered professional nurse" means a person
30 who is currently licensed as a registered professional nurse by
31 the Department of Professional Regulation under the Nursing and
32 Advanced Practice Nursing Act.
33     (18) (17) "Licensed practical nurse" means a person who is
34 currently licensed as a licensed practical nurse by the
35 Department of Professional Regulation under the Nursing and
36 Advanced Practice Nursing Act.

 

 

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1     (19) (18) "School term" means an academic term, such as a
2 semester, quarter, trimester, or number of clock hours, as
3 defined by an approved institution.
4     (20) (19) "Student in good standing" means a student
5 maintaining a cumulative grade point average equivalent to at
6 least the academic grade of a "C".
7     (21) (20) "Total and permanent disability" means a physical
8 or mental impairment, disease, or loss of a permanent nature
9 that prevents nursing employment with or without reasonable
10 accommodation. Proof of disability shall be a declaration from
11 the social security administration, Illinois Industrial
12 Commission, Department of Defense, or an insurer authorized to
13 transact business in Illinois who is providing disability
14 insurance coverage to a contractor.
15     (22) (21) "Tuition" means the established charges of an
16 institution of higher learning for instruction at that
17 institution.
18     (23) "Nurse educator" means a person who is currently
19 licensed as a registered nurse by the Department of
20 Professional Regulation under the Nursing and Advanced
21 Practice Nursing Act, who has a graduate degree in nursing, and
22 who is employed by an approved academic institution to educate
23 registered nursing students, licensed practical nursing
24 students, and registered nurses pursuing graduate degrees.
25 (Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)
 
26     (110 ILCS 975/5)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2755)
27     Sec. 5. Nursing education undergraduate scholarships.
28 Beginning with the fall term of the 2004-2005 2002-2003
29 academic year, the Department, in accordance with rules and
30 regulations promulgated by it for this program, shall provide
31 scholarships to individuals selected from among those
32 applicants who qualify for consideration by showing:
33         (1) that he or she has been a resident of this State
34     for at least one year prior to application, and is a
35     citizen or a lawful permanent resident alien of the United

 

 

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1     States;
2         (2) that he or she is enrolled in or accepted for
3     admission to an associate degree in nursing program,
4     hospital-based diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate
5     degree in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing
6     program, or practical nursing program at an approved
7     institution; and
8         (3) that he or she agrees to meet the nursing
9     employment obligation.
10     If in any year the number of qualified applicants exceeds
11 the number of scholarships to be awarded, the Department shall
12 give priority in awarding scholarships:
13             (A) To to students in the greatest financial need,
14         as shown on a standardized financial needs assessment
15         form used by an approved institution who will pursue
16         their education on a full-time or closest to full-time
17         basis and who already have a certificate in practical
18         nursing, a diploma in nursing, or an associate degree
19         in nursing and are pursuing a higher degree.
20             (B) To registered nurses pursuing a graduate
21         degree in nursing to pursue employment in an approved
22         institution that educates licensed practical nurses
23         and that educates registered nurses in undergraduate
24         and graduate nursing programs.
25     Unless otherwise indicated, scholarships shall be awarded
26 to recipients at approved institutions for a period of up to 2
27 years if the recipient is enrolled in an associate degree in
28 nursing program, up to 3 years if the recipient is enrolled in
29 a hospital-based diploma in nursing program, up to 4 years if
30 the recipient is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree in nursing
31 program, up to 5 years if the recipient is enrolled in a
32 graduate degree in nursing program, and up to one year if the
33 recipient is enrolled in a certificate in practical nursing
34 program. At least 40% 50% of the scholarships awarded shall be
35 for recipients who are pursuing baccalaureate degrees in
36 nursing, 30% 40% of the scholarships awarded shall be for

 

 

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1 recipients who are pursuing associate degrees in nursing or a
2 diploma in nursing, and 10% of the scholarships awarded shall
3 be for recipients who are pursuing a certificate in practical
4 nursing, and 20% of the scholarships awarded shall be for
5 recipients who are pursuing a graduate degree in nursing.
6 (Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)
 
7     (110 ILCS 975/6)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2756)
8     Sec. 6. Nursing requirements for scholarship recipients.
9 Within 12 months after graduation from an associate degree in
10 nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program,
11 baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in
12 nursing program, or certificate in practical nursing program,
13 any recipient who accepted a scholarship under Section 5 shall
14 begin meeting the required nursing employment obligation. In
15 order to defer his or her continuous employment obligation, a
16 recipient must request the deferment in writing from the
17 Department. A recipient shall notify program staff within 30
18 days if he or she spends up to 4 years in military service
19 before or after graduation. A recipient shall notify program
20 staff within 30 days if he or she is enrolled in an academic
21 program leading to a graduate degree in nursing. If a recipient
22 receives funding through the Nursing Education Scholarship
23 Program for a higher degree, the nursing employment obligation
24 shall be deferred until he or she is no longer enrolled or has
25 graduated. The recipient must begin meeting the required
26 nursing employment obligations no later than 6 months after the
27 end of the deferments.
28     Any person who fails to fulfill the nursing employment
29 obligation shall pay to the Department an amount equal to the
30 amount of scholarship funds received per year for each
31 unfulfilled year of the nursing employment obligation,
32 together with interest at 7% per year on the unpaid balance.
33 Payment must begin within 6 months following the date of the
34 occurrence initiating the repayment. All repayments must be
35 completed within 6 years from the date of the occurrence

 

 

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1 initiating the repayment. However, this obligation may be
2 deferred and re-evaluated every 6 months when the failure to
3 fulfill the nursing employment obligation results from
4 involuntarily leaving the profession due to a decrease in the
5 number of nurses employed in the State or when the failure to
6 fulfill the nursing employment obligation results from total
7 and permanent disability. The repayment obligation shall be
8 excused if the failure to fulfill the nursing employment
9 obligation results from the death or adjudication as
10 incompetent of the person holding the scholarship. No claim for
11 repayment may be filed against the estate of such a decedent or
12 incompetent.
13     Each person applying for such a scholarship shall be
14 provided with a copy of this Section at the time of application
15 for the benefits of such scholarship.
16 (Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)
 
17     (110 ILCS 975/7)  (from Ch. 144, par. 2757)
18     Sec. 7. Amount of scholarships. To determine a scholarship
19 amount, the Department shall consider tuition and fee charges
20 at community colleges and universities statewide and projected
21 living expenses. Using information provided annually by the
22 Illinois Student Assistance Commission, 75% of the weighted
23 tuition and fees charged by community colleges in Illinois
24 shall be added to the uniform living allowance reported in the
25 weighted Monetary Award Program (MAP) budget to determine the
26 full-time scholarship amount for students pursuing an
27 associate degree or diploma in nursing at an Illinois community
28 college. Scholarship amounts for students pursuing associate,
29 or baccalaureate, or graduate degrees in nursing at a college
30 or university shall include 75% of the weighted tuition and
31 fees charged by public universities in Illinois plus the
32 uniform living allowance reported in the weighted MAP budget.
33 Scholarship amounts for students in practical nursing programs
34 shall include 75% of the average of tuition charges at all
35 practical nursing programs plus the uniform living allowance

 

 

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1 reported in the weighted MAP budget. The Department may provide
2 that scholarships shall be on a quarterly or semi-annual basis
3 and shall be contingent upon the student's diligently pursuing
4 nursing studies and being a student in good standing.
5 Scholarship awards may be provided to part-time students; the
6 amount shall be determined by applying the proportion
7 represented by the part-time enrollment to full-time
8 enrollment ratio to the average per-term scholarship amount for
9 a student in the same nursing degree category.
10 (Source: P.A. 92-43, eff. 1-1-02.)