SB2229 EngrossedLRB098 09293 RPM 39433 b

1    AN ACT concerning higher education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by changing Section 45 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/45)
7    Sec. 45. Illinois National Guard and Naval Militia grant
8program.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10    "State controlled university or community college" means
11those institutions under the administration of the Chicago
12State University Board of Trustees, the Eastern Illinois
13University Board of Trustees, the Governors State University
14Board of Trustees, the Illinois State University Board of
15Trustees, the Northeastern Illinois University Board of
16Trustees, the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees,
17the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees, Southern
18Illinois University Board of Trustees, University of Illinois
19Board of Trustees, or the Illinois Community College Board.
20    "Tuition and fees" shall not include expenses for any
21sectarian or denominational instruction, the construction or
22maintenance of sectarian or denominational facilities, or any
23other sectarian or denominational purposes or activity.

 

 

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1    "Fees" means matriculation, graduation, activity, term, or
2incidental fees. Exemption shall not be granted from any other
3fees, including book rental, service, laboratory, supply, and
4union building fees, hospital and medical insurance fees, and
5any fees established for the operation and maintenance of
6buildings, the income of which is pledged to the payment of
7interest and principal on bonds issued by the governing board
8of any university or community college.
9    (b) Any person who has served at least one year in the
10Illinois National Guard or the Illinois Naval Militia and who
11possesses all necessary entrance requirements shall, upon
12application and proper proof, be awarded a grant to the
13State-controlled university or community college of his or her
14choice, consisting of exemption from tuition and fees for not
15more than the equivalent of 4 years of full-time enrollment,
16including summer terms, in relation to his or her course of
17study at that State controlled university or community college
18while he or she is a member of the Illinois National Guard or
19the Illinois Naval Militia. Beginning with the 2013-2014
20academic year, any person who has served over 10 years in the
21Illinois National Guard shall be awarded an additional grant to
22the State-controlled university or community college of his or
23her choice, consisting of an exemption from tuition and fees
24for not more than the equivalent of an additional 2 years of
25full-time enrollment, including summer terms. Except as
26otherwise provided in this Section, if the recipient of any

 

 

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1grant awarded under this Section ceases to be a member of the
2Illinois National Guard or the Illinois Naval Militia while
3enrolled in a course of study under that grant, the grant shall
4be terminated as of the date membership in the Illinois
5National Guard or the Illinois Naval Militia ended, and the
6recipient shall be permitted to complete the school term in
7which he or she is then enrolled only upon payment of tuition
8and other fees allocable to the part of the term then
9remaining. If the recipient of a grant awarded under this
10Section ceases to be a member of the Illinois National Guard or
11the Illinois Naval Militia while enrolled in a course of study
12under that grant but (i) has served in the Illinois National
13Guard or the Illinois Naval Militia for at least 5 years and
14(ii) has served a cumulative total of at least 6 months of
15active duty, then that recipient shall continue to be eligible
16for a grant for one year after membership in the Illinois
17National Guard or the Illinois Naval Militia ended, provided
18that the recipient has not already received the exemption from
19tuition and fees for the equivalent of 4 years of full-time
20enrollment, including summer terms, under this Section. If the
21recipient of the grant fails to complete his or her military
22service obligations or requirements for satisfactory
23participation, the Department of Military Affairs shall
24require the recipient to repay the amount of the grant
25received, prorated according to the fraction of the service
26obligation not completed, and, if applicable, reasonable

 

 

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1collection fees. The Department of Military Affairs may adopt
2rules relating to its collection activities for repayment of
3the grant under this Section. Unsatisfactory participation
4shall be defined by rules adopted by the Department of Military
5Affairs. Repayments shall be deposited in the National Guard
6and Naval Militia Grant Fund. The National Guard and Naval
7Militia Grant Fund is created as a special fund in the State
8treasury. All money in the National Guard and Naval Militia
9Grant Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the
10Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the purposes of this
11Section.
12    A grant awarded under this Section shall be considered an
13entitlement which the State-controlled university or community
14college in which the holder is enrolled shall honor without any
15condition other than the holder's maintenance of minimum grade
16levels and a satisfactory student loan repayment record
17pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 20 of this Act.
18    (c) Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes,
19the Commission may reimburse the State-controlled university
20or community college for grants authorized by this Section.
21(Source: P.A. 93-838, eff. 7-30-04; 93-856, eff. 8-3-04;
2294-583, eff. 8-15-05; 94-1020, eff. 7-11-06.)
 
23    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
24becoming law.