Bill Text: IL SB3771 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to grants for exonerated persons. Provides that a grant applicant need not be a resident of this State at the time of enrollment. Provides that, beginning no later than the 2025-2026 academic year, if an exonerated person has been found by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to qualify for a grant and the exonerated person has not yet exhausted the benefits for which the exonerated person is eligible, the exonerated person may designate one or more dependents to use any unexpended portion of the benefits for which the exonerated person is eligible, up to the total benefit for which the exonerated person is eligible. Provides that the combined benefit used by the exonerated person and any designated dependents may not exceed the total benefit for which the exonerated person is eligible. Provides that if funding is insufficient to serve all applicants, the Commission may prioritize applicants who have been exonerated over applicants who are dependents of exonerated individuals. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. In provisions concerning a petition for a certificate of innocence, provides that the clerk of the circuit court shall provide to a person whose records were expunged and sealed information about grants for exonerated persons and their dependents under the Higher Education Student Assistance Act and the address of the Internet website of the Commission, where additional information about the grants may be obtained.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-1046 [SB3771 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SB3771-Chaptered.html
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| Public Act 103-1046 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is | ||||
amended by changing Section 62 as follows:
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(110 ILCS 947/62) | ||||
Sec. 62. Grants for exonerated persons and their | ||||
dependents. | ||||
(a) In this Section: | ||||
"Dependent" means any spouse, natural child, legally | ||||
adopted child, or child in the legal custody of an individual. | ||||
"Exonerated person" means an individual who has received a | ||||
pardon from the Governor of the State of Illinois stating that | ||||
such a pardon is issued on the grounds of innocence of the | ||||
crime for which he or she was imprisoned or an individual who | ||||
has received a certificate of innocence from a circuit court | ||||
pursuant to Section 2-702 of the Code of Civil Procedure. | ||||
"Satisfactory academic progress" means the qualified | ||||
applicant's maintenance of minimum standards of academic | ||||
performance, consistent with requirements for maintaining | ||||
federal financial aid eligibility, as determined by the | ||||
institution of higher learning. | ||||
(b) Subject to a separate appropriation for this purpose, | ||||
the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider | ||
applications for grant assistance under this Section. | ||
Recipients of grants issued by the Commission in accordance | ||
with this Section must be exonerated persons or, as provided | ||
in subsection (c-5) of this Section, their dependents. | ||
Provided that the recipient is maintaining satisfactory | ||
academic progress and subject to subsection (c-5) of this | ||
Section, the funds from the grant may be used to pay up to 8 | ||
semesters or 12 quarters of full payment of tuition and | ||
mandatory fees at any public university or public community | ||
college located in this State for either full or part-time | ||
study. This benefit may be used for undergraduate or graduate | ||
study. Beginning with grants awarded for the 2025-2026 | ||
academic year, a grant under this Section may also be used at | ||
any private, not-for-profit college or university in this | ||
State that is approved to participate in the Monetary Award | ||
Program under Section 35 of this Act. A recipient attending | ||
such a private, not-for-profit college or university shall | ||
receive payment of tuition and mandatory fees in an amount not | ||
to exceed the maximum grant payable to a student enrolled in | ||
the most expensive comparable program of study at a public | ||
college or university in this State. | ||
In addition, an exonerated person or, as provided in | ||
subsection (c-5) of this Section, a dependent who has not yet | ||
received a high school diploma or a State of Illinois High | ||
School Diploma and completes a high school equivalency | ||
preparation course through an Illinois Community College | ||
Board-approved provider may use grant funds to pay costs | ||
associated with obtaining a State of Illinois High School | ||
Diploma, including payment of the cost of the high school | ||
equivalency test and up to one retest on each test module, and | ||
any additional fees that may be required in order to obtain a | ||
State of Illinois High School Diploma or an official | ||
transcript of test scores after successful completion of the | ||
high school equivalency test. | ||
(c) An applicant for a grant under this Section need not | ||
demonstrate financial need to qualify for the benefits and | ||
need not be a resident of this State at the time of enrollment. | ||
(c-5) Beginning no later than the 2025-2026 academic year, | ||
if an exonerated person has been found by the Commission to | ||
qualify for a grant under this Section and the exonerated | ||
person has not yet exhausted the benefit for which the | ||
exonerated person is eligible under subsection (b), the | ||
exonerated person may designate one or more dependents to use | ||
any unexpended portion of the benefit for which the exonerated | ||
person is eligible, up to the total benefit for which the | ||
exonerated person is eligible under subsection (b). The | ||
combined benefit used by the exonerated person and any | ||
designated dependents may not exceed the total benefit for | ||
which the exonerated person is eligible under subsection (b). | ||
If funding is insufficient to serve all applicants, the | ||
Commission may prioritize applicants who have been exonerated | ||
over applicants who are dependents of exonerated persons. | ||
(d) The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to | ||
implement and administer this Section. | ||
(Source: P.A. 102-1100, eff. 1-1-23.)
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Section 10. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by | ||
changing Section 2-702 as follows:
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