Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB3551 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3551 Introduced , by Rep. Michael Crawford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education provided by a qualified institution of higher learning, including a not-for-profit postsecondary institution that offers classes exclusively online and meets other criteria, for adults over the age of 25 pursuing careers in fields facing workforce shortages, as determined by the Commission. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall receive and consider applications for grant assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a grant if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that all grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Provides that the Commission shall determine the grant amount for each student, which amount must not exceed $5,000. Sets forth provisions concerning conditions on the grant amount, grant applications, the distribution of grant funds, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2025. LRB104 11479 LNS 21568 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3551 Introduced , by Rep. Michael Crawford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education provided by a qualified institution of higher learning, including a not-for-profit postsecondary institution that offers classes exclusively online and meets other criteria, for adults over the age of 25 pursuing careers in fields facing workforce shortages, as determined by the Commission. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall receive and consider applications for grant assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a grant if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that all grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Provides that the Commission shall determine the grant amount for each student, which amount must not exceed $5,000. Sets forth provisions concerning conditions on the grant amount, grant applications, the distribution of grant funds, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2025. LRB104 11479 LNS 21568 b LRB104 11479 LNS 21568 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3551 Introduced , by Rep. Michael Crawford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	110 ILCS 947/65.135 new 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new
4	4	110 ILCS 947/65.135 new
5	5	Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education provided by a qualified institution of higher learning, including a not-for-profit postsecondary institution that offers classes exclusively online and meets other criteria, for adults over the age of 25 pursuing careers in fields facing workforce shortages, as determined by the Commission. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall receive and consider applications for grant assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a grant if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that all grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Provides that the Commission shall determine the grant amount for each student, which amount must not exceed $5,000. Sets forth provisions concerning conditions on the grant amount, grant applications, the distribution of grant funds, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2025.
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9	9	HB3551LRB104 11479 LNS 21568 b HB3551 LRB104 11479 LNS 21568 b
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11	11	1 AN ACT concerning education.
12	12	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
13	13	3 represented in the General Assembly:
14	14	4 Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
15	15	5 amended by adding Section 65.135 as follows:
16	16	6 (110 ILCS 947/65.135 new)
17	17	7 Sec. 65.135. Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant
18	18	8 Program.
19	19	9 (a) In this Section:
20	20	10 "Qualified institution" means either a qualified
21	21	11 institution as defined in Section 10 of this Act or a
22	22	12 not-for-profit postsecondary institution that is accredited by
23	23	13 a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Board of
24	24	14 Higher Education or the United States Department of Education
25	25	15 and that meets all of the following criteria:
26	26	16 (1) The institution was originally chartered and is
27	27	17 currently operating as a not-for-profit entity.
28	28	18 (2) The institution offers classes exclusively online.
29	29	19 (3) The institution's 3-year federal student loan
30	30	20 cohort default rate, as published by the United States
31	31	21 Department of Education, does not exceed 10%.
32	32	22 (4) The institution has at least 100,000 enrolled
33	33	23 full-time students.
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37	37	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3551 Introduced , by Rep. Michael Crawford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
38	38	110 ILCS 947/65.135 new 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new
39	39	110 ILCS 947/65.135 new
40	40	Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education provided by a qualified institution of higher learning, including a not-for-profit postsecondary institution that offers classes exclusively online and meets other criteria, for adults over the age of 25 pursuing careers in fields facing workforce shortages, as determined by the Commission. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall receive and consider applications for grant assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a grant if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that all grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Provides that the Commission shall determine the grant amount for each student, which amount must not exceed $5,000. Sets forth provisions concerning conditions on the grant amount, grant applications, the distribution of grant funds, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2025.
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68	68	1 (5) The institution's 3-year average cost of tuition
69	69	2 and mandatory fees is less than the 3-year average cost of
70	70	3 tuition and mandatory fees at public universities in this
71	71	4 State, based on data published by the United States
72	72	5 Department of Education.
73	73	6 (6) The institution participates in the Federal Pell
74	74	7 Grant Program and in at least 2 of the following federal
75	75	8 student aid programs:
76	76	9 (A) The Federal Work-Study Program.
77	77	10 (B) The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan
78	78	11 Program.
79	79	12 (C) The Federal Supplemental Educational
80	80	13 Opportunity Grant Program.
81	81	14 "Tuition and mandatory fees" means the customary charge
82	82	15 for instruction and the additional fixed fees charged for
83	83	16 specified purposes that are required generally of nongrant
84	84	17 students for each academic period for which a grant recipient
85	85	18 enrolls. The Commission may adopt rules concerning the
86	86	19 computation of tuition and mandatory fees for the purposes of
87	87	20 this definition.
88	88	21 (b) The Commission shall establish the Adult Learner
89	89	22 Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to
90	90	23 online postsecondary education for adults over the age of 25
91	91	24 pursuing careers in fields facing workforce shortages, as
92	92	25 determined by the Commission.
93	93	26 (c) Beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, subject to
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104	104	1 appropriation, the Commission shall receive and consider
105	105	2 applications for grant assistance under this Section. An
106	106	3 applicant is eligible for a grant under this Section if the
107	107	4 Commission finds that the applicant meets all of the following
108	108	5 qualifications:
109	109	6 (1) The applicant is over the age of 25.
110	110	7 (2) The applicant is pursuing a fully online degree or
111	111	8 certificate in a field with a demonstrated workforce
112	112	9 shortage, as determined by the Commission.
113	113	10 (3) The applicant is a resident of this State and a
114	114	11 permanent resident of the United States.
115	115	12 (4) The applicant is enrolled or accepted for
116	116	13 enrollment at a qualified institution.
117	117	14 (5) The applicant has completed the Free Application
118	118	15 for Federal Student Aid.
119	119	16 (6) The applicant can identify the specific
120	120	17 certificate, credential, or degree that he or she is
121	121	18 seeking to obtain.
122	122	19 (7) The applicant, in the absence of grant assistance,
123	123	20 will be deterred by financial considerations from
124	124	21 completing an educational program at the qualified
125	125	22 institution of the applicant's choice.
126	126	23 (8) The applicant has not already received a
127	127	24 baccalaureate degree.
128	128	25 (d) All grants under this Section are applicable only to
129	129	26 tuition and mandatory fees. The Commission shall determine the
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140	140	1 grant amount for each student, which amount must not exceed
141	141	2 $5,000. The total amount of a grant awarded by the Commission
142	142	3 under this Section to an individual in any given fiscal year,
143	143	4 when added to other financial assistance awarded to that
144	144	5 individual for that fiscal year, may not exceed the cost of
145	145	6 attendance at the qualified institution at which the
146	146	7 individual is enrolled.
147	147	8 (e) All applications for grants to be awarded under this
148	148	9 Section shall be made to the Commission in a form as set forth
149	149	10 by the Commission. The form of application and the information
150	150	11 required to be set forth in the application shall be
151	151	12 determined by the Commission. The Commission shall require
152	152	13 eligible applicants to submit with their applications such
153	153	14 supporting documents, including financial documents, as the
154	154	15 Commission deems necessary.
155	155	16 (f) All grant funds distributed in accordance with this
156	156	17 Section shall be paid to the qualified institution on behalf
157	157	18 of the recipient. Grants are applicable toward 2 semesters or
158	158	19 equivalent academic terms of enrollment within an academic
159	159	20 year. Up to 3% of the appropriation for this program may be
160	160	21 used by the Commission for the costs of administering the
161	161	22 program. The Commission may establish a methodology for the
162	162	23 distribution of grants, prioritizing all of the following:
163	163	24 (1) Students who demonstrate the most financial need.
164	164	25 (2) First-generation students.
165	165	26 (3) Minority students.
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176	176	1 (4) Students residing in rural areas.
177	177	2 (g) The Commission shall adopt all necessary and proper
178	178	3 rules not inconsistent with this Section for its effective
179	179	4 implementation.
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