Sen. William R. Haine

Filed: 4/2/2014

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2846

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2846, AS AMENDED,
3by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
4following:
 
5    "Section 5. The Private College Act is amended by adding
6Section 1.5 as follows:
 
7    (110 ILCS 1005/1.5 new)
8    Sec. 1.5. Exemption from Act; nonprofit religious
9institution.
10    (a) A nonprofit institution owned, controlled, and
11operated and maintained by a bona fide church, religious
12denomination, or religious organization comprised of
13multi-denominational members of the same well-recognized
14religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious
15corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation Act, is
16exempt from this Act if (i) the education is limited to

 

 

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1instruction in the principles of that church, religious
2denomination, or religious organization or to courses offered
3for the purpose of training the adherents of that church,
4religious denomination, or religious organization in the care
5of the sick in accordance with its religious tenets; (ii) the
6diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of that
7education and the meritorious recognition upon which any
8honorary degree is conferred is limited to the principles of
9that church, religious denomination, or religious
10organization; and (iii) the institution's handbook for
11students includes the following statement: "This religious
12degree is not approved by the Illinois Board of Higher
13Education.".
14    (b) Institutions exempt under this Section shall offer
15degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and practices of the
16church, religious denomination, or religious organization. The
17enactment of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly
18expresses the legislative intent that this State must not
19involve itself in the content of degree programs awarded by any
20institution exempt under this Section, as long as the
21institution awards degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and
22practices of the church, religious denomination, or religious
23organization.
24    (c) Institutions exempt under this Section may not award
25degrees in any area other than religion. Any degree or diploma
26granted in any area of study under this Section shall contain

 

 

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1on its face, under the written description of the title of the
2degree being conferred, the statement, "Not Approved by the
3Illinois Board of Higher Education". The enactment of this
4amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly is intended to
5prevent any entity claiming to be a nonprofit institution
6owned, controlled, and operated and maintained by a bona fide
7church, religious denomination, or religious organization
8comprised of multi-denominational members of the same
9well-recognized religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit
10religious corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation
11Act, from marketing and granting degrees or diplomas that are
12represented as being linked to their church, religious
13denomination, or religious organization, but which, in
14reality, are degrees in secular areas of study.
15    (d) An institution exempt under this Section shall annually
16file with the Board evidence to demonstrate its status as a
17nonprofit religious corporation under the Religious
18Corporation Act.
 
19    Section 10. The Academic Degree Act is amended by changing
20Section 11 as follows:
 
21    (110 ILCS 1010/11)  (from Ch. 144, par. 241)
22    Sec. 11. Exemptions.
23    (a) This Act shall not apply to any school or educational
24institution regulated or approved under the Nurse Practice Act.

 

 

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1    (b) This Act shall not apply to any of the following:
2        (1) (a) in-training programs by corporations or other
3    business organizations for the training of their
4    personnel;
5        (2) (b) education or other improvement programs by
6    business, trade and similar organizations and associations
7    for the benefit of their members only; or
8        (3) (c) apprentice or other training programs by labor
9    unions.
10    (c) A nonprofit institution owned, controlled, and
11operated and maintained by a bona fide church, religious
12denomination, or religious organization comprised of
13multi-denominational members of the same well-recognized
14religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious
15corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation Act, is
16exempt from this Act if (i) the education is limited to
17instruction in the principles of that church, religious
18denomination, or religious organization or to courses offered
19for the purpose of training the adherents of that church,
20religious denomination, or religious organization in the care
21of the sick in accordance with its religious tenets; (ii) the
22diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of that
23education and the meritorious recognition upon which any
24honorary degree is conferred is limited to the principles of
25that church, religious denomination, or religious
26organization; and (iii) the institution's handbook for

 

 

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

 

 

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1Act, from marketing and granting degrees or diplomas that are
2represented as being linked to their church, religious
3denomination, or religious organization, but which, in
4reality, are degrees in secular areas of study.
5    An institution exempt under this subsection (c) shall
6annually file with the Board evidence to demonstrate its status
7as a nonprofit religious corporation under the Religious
8Corporation Act.
9(Source: P.A. 95-639, eff. 10-5-07.)
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
112014.".