SB2846 EngrossedLRB098 14548 NHT 49320 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 from Act; nonprofit religious
8institution.
9    (a) A nonprofit institution owned, controlled, and
10operated and maintained by a bona fide church, religious
11denomination, or religious organization comprised of
12multi-denominational members of the same well-recognized
13religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious
14corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation Act, is
15exempt from this Act if (i) the education is limited to
16instruction in the principles of that church, religious
17denomination, or religious organization or to courses offered
18for the purpose of training the adherents of that church,
19religious denomination, or religious organization in the care
20of the sick in accordance with its religious tenets; (ii) the
21diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of that
22education and the meritorious recognition upon which any
23honorary degree is conferred is limited to the principles of

 

 

SB2846 Engrossed- 2 -LRB098 14548 NHT 49320 b

1that church, religious denomination, or religious
2organization; and (iii) the institution's handbook for
3students includes the following statement: "This religious
4degree is not approved by the Illinois Board of Higher
5Education.".
6    (b) Institutions exempt under this Section shall offer
7degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and practices of the
8church, religious denomination, or religious organization. The
9enactment of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly
10expresses the legislative intent that this State must not
11involve itself in the content of degree programs awarded by any
12institution exempt under this Section, as long as the
13institution awards degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and
14practices of the church, religious denomination, or religious
15organization.
16    (c) Institutions exempt under this Section may not award
17degrees in any area other than religion. Any degree or diploma
18granted in any area of study under this Section shall contain
19on its face, under the written description of the title of the
20degree being conferred, the statement, "Not Approved by the
21Illinois Board of Higher Education". The enactment of this
22amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly is intended to
23prevent any entity claiming to be a nonprofit institution
24owned, controlled, and operated and maintained by a bona fide
25church, religious denomination, or religious organization
26comprised of multi-denominational members of the same

 

 

SB2846 Engrossed- 3 -LRB098 14548 NHT 49320 b

1well-recognized religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit
2religious corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation
3Act, from marketing and granting degrees or diplomas that are
4represented as being linked to their church, religious
5denomination, or religious organization, but which, in
6reality, are degrees in secular areas of study.
7    (d) An institution exempt under this Section shall annually
8file with the Board evidence to demonstrate its status as a
9nonprofit religious corporation under the Religious
10Corporation Act.
 
11    Section 10. The Academic Degree Act is amended by changing
12Section 11 as follows:
 
13    (110 ILCS 1010/11)  (from Ch. 144, par. 241)
14    Sec. 11. Exemptions.
15    (a) This Act shall not apply to any school or educational
16institution regulated or approved under the Nurse Practice Act.
17    (b) This Act shall not apply to any of the following:
18        (1) (a) in-training programs by corporations or other
19    business organizations for the training of their
20    personnel;
21        (2) (b) education or other improvement programs by
22    business, trade and similar organizations and associations
23    for the benefit of their members only; or
24        (3) (c) apprentice or other training programs by labor

 

 

SB2846 Engrossed- 4 -LRB098 14548 NHT 49320 b

1    unions.
2    (c) A nonprofit institution owned, controlled, and
3operated and maintained by a bona fide church, religious
4denomination, or religious organization comprised of
5multi-denominational members of the same well-recognized
6religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious
7corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation Act, is
8exempt from this Act if (i) the education is limited to
9instruction in the principles of that church, religious
10denomination, or religious organization or to courses offered
11for the purpose of training the adherents of that church,
12religious denomination, or religious organization in the care
13of the sick in accordance with its religious tenets; (ii) the
14diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of that
15education and the meritorious recognition upon which any
16honorary degree is conferred is limited to the principles of
17that church, religious denomination, or religious
18organization; and (iii) the institution's handbook for
19students includes the following statement: "This religious
20degree is not approved by the Illinois Board of Higher
21Education.".
22    Institutions exempt under this subsection (c) shall offer
23degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and practices of the
24church, religious denomination, or religious organization. The
25enactment of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly
26expresses the legislative intent that this State must not

 

 

SB2846 Engrossed- 5 -LRB098 14548 NHT 49320 b

1involve itself in the content of degree programs awarded by any
2institution exempt under this subsection (c), as long as the
3institution awards degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and
4practices of the church, religious denomination, or religious
5organization.
6    Institutions exempt under this subsection (c) may not award
7degrees in any area other than religion. Any degree or diploma
8granted in any area of study under this subsection (c) shall
9contain on its face, under the written description of the title
10of the degree being conferred, the statement, "Not Approved by
11the Illinois Board of Higher Education". The enactment of this
12amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly is intended to
13prevent any entity claiming to be a nonprofit institution
14owned, controlled, and operated and maintained by a bona fide
15church, religious denomination, or religious organization
16comprised of multi-denominational members of the same
17well-recognized religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit
18religious corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation
19Act, from marketing and granting degrees or diplomas that are
20represented as being linked to their church, religious
21denomination, or religious organization, but which, in
22reality, are degrees in secular areas of study.
23    An institution exempt under this subsection (c) shall
24annually file with the Board evidence to demonstrate its status
25as a nonprofit religious corporation under the Religious
26Corporation Act.

 

 

SB2846 Engrossed- 6 -LRB098 14548 NHT 49320 b

1(Source: P.A. 95-639, eff. 10-5-07.)
 
2    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
32014.