103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3881 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new110 ILCS 205/9.44 new Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall require all public institutions which have a Benefits Navigator to operate a Benefits Navigation Center. Provides that the Benefits Navigator may train and supervise students in case management, and may develop a peer-to-peer student navigator network to staff the Benefits Navigation Center. Sets forth requirements for the Benefits Navigation Centers, services to be provided by the Benefits Navigation Centers, costs, and data collection. Provides that the requirement to operate a Benefits Navigation Center are repealed August 1, 2028. Establishes the Student Navigator Advisory Board. Provides that the Advisory Board shall research, review, and recommend best practices to the individual benefits navigation centers. Provides for the membership and support of the Advisory Board. Provides the that the Advisory Board shall host a statewide consortium of the Benefits Navigators. Provides that the Advisory Board shall issue a report after the Benefits Navigation Center requirements are repealed. Provides that the provisions establishing the Advisory Board are repealed on September 1, 2028. Effective August 1, 2023. LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3881 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new110 ILCS 205/9.44 new 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new 110 ILCS 205/9.44 new Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall require all public institutions which have a Benefits Navigator to operate a Benefits Navigation Center. Provides that the Benefits Navigator may train and supervise students in case management, and may develop a peer-to-peer student navigator network to staff the Benefits Navigation Center. Sets forth requirements for the Benefits Navigation Centers, services to be provided by the Benefits Navigation Centers, costs, and data collection. Provides that the requirement to operate a Benefits Navigation Center are repealed August 1, 2028. Establishes the Student Navigator Advisory Board. Provides that the Advisory Board shall research, review, and recommend best practices to the individual benefits navigation centers. Provides for the membership and support of the Advisory Board. Provides the that the Advisory Board shall host a statewide consortium of the Benefits Navigators. Provides that the Advisory Board shall issue a report after the Benefits Navigation Center requirements are repealed. Provides that the provisions establishing the Advisory Board are repealed on September 1, 2028. Effective August 1, 2023. LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3881 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new110 ILCS 205/9.44 new 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new 110 ILCS 205/9.44 new 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new 110 ILCS 205/9.44 new Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall require all public institutions which have a Benefits Navigator to operate a Benefits Navigation Center. Provides that the Benefits Navigator may train and supervise students in case management, and may develop a peer-to-peer student navigator network to staff the Benefits Navigation Center. Sets forth requirements for the Benefits Navigation Centers, services to be provided by the Benefits Navigation Centers, costs, and data collection. Provides that the requirement to operate a Benefits Navigation Center are repealed August 1, 2028. Establishes the Student Navigator Advisory Board. Provides that the Advisory Board shall research, review, and recommend best practices to the individual benefits navigation centers. Provides for the membership and support of the Advisory Board. Provides the that the Advisory Board shall host a statewide consortium of the Benefits Navigators. Provides that the Advisory Board shall issue a report after the Benefits Navigation Center requirements are repealed. Provides that the provisions establishing the Advisory Board are repealed on September 1, 2028. Effective August 1, 2023. LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b A BILL FOR HB3881LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 AN ACT concerning education. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by 5 adding Sections 9.43 and 9.44 as follows: 6 (110 ILCS 205/9.43 new) 7 Sec. 9.43. Benefits Navigator Center. 8 (a) The Board of Higher Education shall require all public 9 institutions which have a Benefits Navigator to operate a 10 Benefits Navigation Center. The Benefits Navigator may train 11 and supervise students in case management, and may develop a 12 peer-to-peer student navigator network to staff the benefits 13 navigation center. Student navigators may be paid by 14 institutional funds from student affairs or institutional 15 foundation grants, or from funds from the federal work study's 16 community service jobs program. 17 (b) The Benefits Navigation Center shall be in a visible 18 and easily accessible location on campus. Benefits navigation 19 services may be rendered through the use of virtual 20 appointments. The Benefits Navigation Center must have 21 flexible hours that cater to its student population, and have 22 its hours and services posted in prominent locations on the 23 university's Internet website, and on the Internet webpages 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3881 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new110 ILCS 205/9.44 new 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new 110 ILCS 205/9.44 new 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new 110 ILCS 205/9.44 new Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall require all public institutions which have a Benefits Navigator to operate a Benefits Navigation Center. Provides that the Benefits Navigator may train and supervise students in case management, and may develop a peer-to-peer student navigator network to staff the Benefits Navigation Center. Sets forth requirements for the Benefits Navigation Centers, services to be provided by the Benefits Navigation Centers, costs, and data collection. Provides that the requirement to operate a Benefits Navigation Center are repealed August 1, 2028. Establishes the Student Navigator Advisory Board. Provides that the Advisory Board shall research, review, and recommend best practices to the individual benefits navigation centers. Provides for the membership and support of the Advisory Board. Provides the that the Advisory Board shall host a statewide consortium of the Benefits Navigators. Provides that the Advisory Board shall issue a report after the Benefits Navigation Center requirements are repealed. Provides that the provisions establishing the Advisory Board are repealed on September 1, 2028. Effective August 1, 2023. LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b A BILL FOR 110 ILCS 205/9.43 new 110 ILCS 205/9.44 new LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881- 2 -LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 2 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 2 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 for other departments, including, but not limited to, 2 advising, counseling, health and wellness, and student 3 affairs. The Benefits Navigation Center shall develop an 4 intake form for receiving case management services. The 5 benefits navigation center shall also: 6 (1) identify the student populations unique to the 7 institution most at risk of basic needs insecurity; 8 (2) have thorough knowledge of basic needs insecurity 9 among college students; 10 (3) possess knowledge of State and federal policies 11 for student eligibility for government benefits or 12 assistance programs; 13 (4) aid and train students and young adults in 14 completing applications for school and government benefits 15 and appeal decisions; 16 (5) possess knowledge of their university's existing 17 basic needs programming, including, but not limited to, 18 basic needs resource centers, food pantries, emergency 19 housing, clothing closets, substance abuse recovery 20 programs, food recovery programs, child care programs, 21 transportation assistance, counseling services, and 22 institutional and departmental emergency funds; 23 (6) develop relationships with key university 24 stakeholders and related programs or organizations, 25 including, but not limited to, student affairs, financial 26 aid, counseling and psychological services, health and HB3881 - 2 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881- 3 -LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 3 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 3 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 wellness services, advising, Greek life, residential life, 2 dining services, career services, academic departments or 3 faculty members, transportation services, and student 4 conduct officers; 5 (7) possess specialized culturally appropriate 6 training in case management, helping skills, 7 trauma-informed and strength-based practices, public 8 benefits research, cultural competence, and 9 non-traditional students; 10 (8) possess specialized skills in targeted marketing, 11 communication, and outreach to the entire campus 12 community; 13 (9) provide individualized personal one-on-one ongoing 14 assistance and emotional support to students; and 15 (10) identify and develop relationships with 16 culturally appropriate community organizations, mutual aid 17 organizations, and social service agencies that students 18 may be referred to. A Benefits Navigator shall identify 19 community partners who specialize in the following areas: 20 (A) affordable or free child care; 21 (B) transportation; 22 (C) clothing; 23 (D) personal care and hygiene items; 24 (E) homelessness or housing insecurity; 25 (F) food insecurity; 26 (G) affordable inclusive health care; HB3881 - 3 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881- 4 -LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 4 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 4 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 (H) sexual violence; 2 (I) substance abuse and addiction; 3 (J) trauma-informed affordable or free mental 4 health services; and 5 (K) reproductive health care, including affordable 6 or free HIV/AIDS testing, access to PrEP and PEP, 7 affordable or free sexually transmitted infection 8 testing, affordable or free access to pregnancy tests, 9 and resources pertaining to all options regarding 10 pregnancy. 11 (c) Accommodations shall be made for students who do not 12 have English proficiency or who have disabilities. 13 (d) Benefits navigation services must remain free to all 14 students seeking to utilize these services, and may not be 15 funded by any student fees created on or before the effective 16 date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly. 17 (e) Benefits navigators may be a licensed social worker. 18 (f) Benefits navigation centers shall collect data on: 19 (1) student demographics; 20 (2) presenting concerns or type of student needs, per 21 student; 22 (3) prior service and benefits utilization, per 23 student; 24 (4) types of referrals made, per student; 25 (5) types of services received, per student; 26 (6) new benefit amounts, where applicable, per HB3881 - 4 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881- 5 -LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 5 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 5 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 student; 2 (7) number of navigator-student meetings and 3 interactions per student; and 4 (8) student satisfaction with the student navigator 5 network, the Benefits Navigator, and the benefits 6 navigation center, at each institution, per student. 7 This data shall be reported to the Student Navigator 8 Advisory Board and the Board of Higher Education. All 9 interactions between students and Benefits Navigators must be 10 kept confidential unless a student poses a direct harm to 11 themselves or others 12 (g) This Section is repealed on August 1, 2028. 13 14 (110 ILCS 205/9.44 new) 15 Sec. 9.44. Student Navigator Advisory Board. 16 (a) A Student Navigator Advisory Board shall be 17 established with the explicit goal of researching, reviewing, 18 and recommending best practices to the individual benefits 19 navigation centers established under Section 9.42. The Board 20 of Higher Education shall provide staff and support to the 21 Advisory Board. The Advisory Board shall meet a minimum of 4 22 times per year. The Advisory Board shall have emergency 23 rulemaking authority. 24 (b) The Advisory Board shall be reflective of the cultural 25 diversity of students who come from marginalized communities HB3881 - 5 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881- 6 -LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 6 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 6 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 and who are particularly vulnerable to basic needs insecurity, 2 including race and ethnicity, immigrants, first generation 3 student, gender and gender expression, sexual orientation, 4 experience in the foster care system, first language, and 5 low-income background. 6 The Advisory Board shall be composed of: 7 (1) a member appointed by the Governor; 8 (2) a member appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; 9 (3) a member appointed by the Speaker of the House of 10 Representatives; 11 (4) a member appointed by the Minority Leader of the 12 House of Representatives; 13 (5) a member appointed by the President of the Senate; 14 (6) a member appointed by the Minority Leader of the 15 Senate; 16 (7) a member appointed by the Director of the Board of 17 Higher Education; 18 (8) a member appointed by the Director of the Illinois 19 Student Assistance Commission; 20 (9) a member appointed by the Director of the Illinois 21 Community College Board; 22 (10) a student member who is seeking a degree from a 23 4-year public institution in the State, and has had 24 experience with basic needs insecurity, appointed by the 25 Director of the Board of Higher Education; 26 (11) a student member who is seeking a degree from a HB3881 - 6 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881- 7 -LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 7 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 7 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 2-year public institution in the State, and has had 2 experience with basic needs insecurity, appointed by the 3 Director of the Board of Higher Education; 4 (12) a member of a national student and youth led 5 nonprofit organization with regional presence whose 6 mission statement is to make higher education free and 7 help all young people participate in democracy, appointed 8 by the Director of the Board of Higher Education; and 9 (13) a member of a national nonprofit advocate 10 organization with regional presence whose mission 11 statement is to amplify the voices of young adults in the 12 political process and expand economic opportunity 13 appointed, by the Director of the Board of Higher 14 Education. 15 (c) The Advisory Board shall, at its first meeting, 16 appoint an individual to serve as the Chair of the Advisory 17 Board. The Chair may call the Advisory Board to meet. 18 (d) The meetings of the Advisory Board may meet virtually. 19 (e) The Advisory Board shall be responsible for hosting a 20 statewide consortium of Benefits Navigators. The consortium 21 shall include those responsible for the Benefits Navigation 22 Center of each individual public university and community 23 college. The goal of the consortium is to share resources and 24 best practices found to be effective. The consortium must meet 25 at least once every academic semester. 26 (f) The Advisory Board shall select an experienced HB3881 - 7 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881- 8 -LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 8 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b HB3881 - 8 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b 1 evaluator to assess program effectiveness. Impact surveys 2 shall be conducted twice during the first year, and annually 3 thereafter, and a final evaluation shall be conducted at the 4 end of the fifth and final year. 5 (g) The Advisory Board shall: 6 (1) oversee the creation, administration, and analysis 7 of program evaluation surveys twice in the first year, and 8 annually thereafter; 9 (2) write reports after each evaluation which describe 10 program activities and challenges and analyze the survey 11 data, and make recommendations every 6 months, resulting 12 in semiannual reports; and 13 (3) provide a final written program evaluation report, 14 including recommendations, no later than 4 weeks after the 15 program has concluded. 16 (h) This Section is repealed on September 1, 2028. 17 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect August 18 1, 2023. HB3881 - 8 - LRB103 29870 RJT 56279 b