Public Act 102-0622
 
SB0662 EnrolledLRB102 13536 CMG 18883 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
amended by adding Section 65.110 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 947/65.110 new)
    Sec. 65.110. School Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment
Program.
    (a) To encourage Illinois students to work, and to
continue to work, as a school social worker in public school
districts in this State, the Commission shall, each year,
receive and consider applications for loan repayment
assistance under this Section. This program shall be known as
the School Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. The
Commission shall administer the program and shall adopt all
necessary and proper rules to effectively implement the
program.
    (b) Beginning July 1, 2022, subject to a separate
appropriation made for such purposes, the Commission shall
award a grant, up to a maximum of $6,500, to each qualified
applicant. The Commission may encourage the recipient of a
grant under this Section to use the grant award for repayment
of the recipient's educational loan. If an appropriation for
this program for a given fiscal year is insufficient to
provide grants to all qualified applicants, the Commission
shall allocate the appropriation in accordance with this
subsection. If funds are insufficient to provide all qualified
applicants with a grant as authorized by this Section, the
Commission shall allocate the available grant funds for that
fiscal year to qualified applicants who submit a complete
application on or before a date specified by the Commission,
based on the following order of priority:
        (1) first, to new, qualified applicants who are
    members of a racial minority as defined in subsection (e);
    and
        (2) second, to other new, qualified applicants in
    accordance with this Section.
    (c) A person is a qualified applicant under this Section
if he or she meets all of the following qualifications:
        (1) The person is a United States citizen or eligible
    noncitizen.
        (2) The person is a resident of this State.
        (3) The person is a borrower with an outstanding
    balance due on an educational loan related to obtaining a
    degree in social work.
        (4) The person has been employed as a school social
    worker by a public elementary school or secondary school
    in this State for at least 12 consecutive months.
        (5) The person is currently employed as a school
    social worker by a public elementary school or secondary
    school in this State.
    (d) An applicant shall submit an application, in a form
determined by the Commission, for grant assistance under this
Section to the Commission. An applicant is required to submit,
with the application, supporting documentation as the
Commission may deem necessary.
    (e) Racial minorities are underrepresented as school
social workers in elementary and secondary schools in
Illinois, and the General Assembly finds that it is in the
interest of this State to provide them priority consideration
for programs that encourage their participation in this field
and thereby foster a profession that is more reflective of the
diversity of Illinois students and parents they will serve. A
more reflective workforce in school social work allows
improved outcomes for students and a better utilization of
services. Therefore, the Commission shall give priority to
those applicants who are members of a racial minority. In this
subsection (e), "racial minority" means a person who is a
citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident
alien of the United States and who is:
        (1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black
    racial groups in Africa);
        (2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese
    culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America,
    or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race);
        (3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of
    the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the
    Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or
        (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having
    origins in any of the original peoples of North America).
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2022.