Sen. Dan Kotowski

Filed: 4/15/2015

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 223

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 223 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by adding Section 62 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/62 new)
7    Sec. 62. Grants for exonerated persons.
8    (a) In this Section:
9    "Exonerated person" means an individual who has received a
10pardon from the Governor stating that such a pardon is issued
11on the grounds of innocence of the crime for which he or she
12was imprisoned or an individual who has received a certificate
13of innocence from a circuit court pursuant to Section 2-702 of
14the Code of Civil Procedure.
15    "Satisfactory academic progress" means the qualified
16applicant's maintenance of minimum grade levels at the

 

 

09900SB0223sam002- 2 -LRB099 03160 NHT 33976 a

1institution of higher learning.
2    (b) Subject to a separate appropriation for this purpose,
3the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider
4applications for grant assistance under this Section.
5Recipients of grants issued by the Commission in accordance
6with this Section must be exonerated persons. Recipients need
7not be Illinois residents at the time of enrollment in order to
8be eligible for a grant. Recipients are entitled to either
9payment for the course of study needed for them to obtain a
10high school equivalency certificate or 8 semesters or 12
11quarters of full payment of tuition and mandatory fees at the
12rate established by the Commission for public and private
13institutions, provided that the recipients are maintaining
14satisfactory academic progress. The funds from the grant may be
15used for obtaining a high school equivalency certificate or
16pursuing undergraduate or graduate study. The benefits of this
17Section shall be administered by and paid out of funds
18available to the Commission and shall accrue to the bona fide
19applicant for a grant without the requirement of demonstrating
20financial need to qualify for the benefits. The Commission may
21adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer this
22Section.".