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Illinois Senate Bill SB1353

Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1353 Compare Versions

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11 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1353 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2110 ILCS 947/40 Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change. Effective July 1, 2025. LRB104 08251 LNS 18301 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1353 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2110 ILCS 947/40 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2 110 ILCS 947/40 Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change. Effective July 1, 2025. LRB104 08251 LNS 18301 b LRB104 08251 LNS 18301 b A BILL FOR
22 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1353 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
33 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2110 ILCS 947/40 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2 110 ILCS 947/40
44 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2
55 110 ILCS 947/40
66 Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change. Effective July 1, 2025.
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1212 1 AN ACT concerning education.
1313 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
1414 3 represented in the General Assembly:
1515 4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
1616 5 30-14.2 as follows:
1717 6 (105 ILCS 5/30-14.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2)
1818 7 Sec. 30-14.2. Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans'
1919 8 Dependents scholarship.
2020 9 (a) Any spouse, natural child, legally adopted child under
2121 10 the age of 18 at the time of adoption, minor child younger than
2222 11 18 who is under a court-ordered guardianship for at least 2
2323 12 continuous years prior to application, or step-child under the
2424 13 age of 18 at the time of marriage of an eligible veteran or
2525 14 serviceperson who possesses all necessary entrance
2626 15 requirements shall, upon application and proper proof, be
2727 16 awarded a MIA/POW Scholarship consisting of the equivalent of
2828 17 4 calendar years of full-time enrollment including summer
2929 18 terms, to the state supported Illinois institution of higher
3030 19 learning of his choice, subject to the restrictions listed
3131 20 below.
3232 21 "Eligible veteran or serviceperson" means any veteran or
3333 22 serviceperson, including an Illinois National Guard member who
3434 23 is on active duty or is active on a training assignment, who
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3838 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1353 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3939 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2110 ILCS 947/40 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2 110 ILCS 947/40
4040 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2
4141 110 ILCS 947/40
4242 Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change. Effective July 1, 2025.
4343 LRB104 08251 LNS 18301 b LRB104 08251 LNS 18301 b
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7171 1 has been declared by the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S.
7272 2 Department of Veterans Affairs to be a prisoner of war or
7373 3 missing in action, or has died as the result of a
7474 4 service-connected disability or has become a person with a
7575 5 permanent disability from service-connected causes with 100%
7676 6 disability and who (i) at the time of entering service was an
7777 7 Illinois resident, or (ii) was an Illinois resident within 6
7878 8 months after entering such service, or (iii) is a resident of
7979 9 Illinois at the time of application for the Scholarship and,
8080 10 at some point after entering such service, was a resident of
8181 11 Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years.
8282 12 Full-time enrollment means 12 or more semester hours of
8383 13 courses per semester, or 12 or more quarter hours of courses
8484 14 per quarter, or the equivalent thereof per term. Scholarships
8585 15 utilized by dependents enrolled in less than full-time study
8686 16 shall be computed in the proportion which the number of hours
8787 17 so carried bears to full-time enrollment.
8888 18 Scholarships awarded under this Section may be used by a
8989 19 spouse or child without regard to his or her age. The holder of
9090 20 a Scholarship awarded under this Section shall be subject to
9191 21 all examinations and academic standards, including the
9292 22 maintenance of minimum grade levels, that are applicable
9393 23 generally to other enrolled students at the Illinois
9494 24 institution of higher learning where the Scholarship is being
9595 25 used. If the surviving spouse remarries or if there is a
9696 26 divorce between the veteran or serviceperson and his or her
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107107 1 spouse while the dependent is pursuing his or her course of
108108 2 study, Scholarship benefits will be terminated at the end of
109109 3 the term for which he or she is presently enrolled. Such
110110 4 dependents shall also be entitled, upon proper proof and
111111 5 application, to enroll in any extension course offered by a
112112 6 State supported Illinois institution of higher learning
113113 7 without payment of tuition and approved fees.
114114 8 The holder of a MIA/POW Scholarship authorized under this
115115 9 Section shall not be required to pay any tuition or mandatory
116116 10 fees while attending a State-controlled university or public
117117 11 community college in this State for a period equivalent to 4
118118 12 years of enrollment, including summer terms.
119119 13 Any dependent who has been or shall be awarded a MIA/POW
120120 14 Scholarship shall be reimbursed by the appropriate institution
121121 15 of higher learning for any fees which he or she has paid and
122122 16 for which exemption is granted under this Section if
123123 17 application for reimbursement is made within 2 months
124124 18 following the end of the school term for which the fees were
125125 19 paid.
126126 20 (b) In lieu of the benefit provided in subsection (a), any
127127 21 spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or step-child of
128128 22 an eligible veteran or serviceperson, which spouse or child
129129 23 has a physical, mental or developmental disability, shall be
130130 24 entitled to receive, upon application and proper proof, a
131131 25 benefit to be used for the purpose of defraying the cost of the
132132 26 attendance or treatment of such spouse or child at one or more
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143143 1 appropriate therapeutic, rehabilitative or educational
144144 2 facilities. The application and proof may be made by the
145145 3 parent or legal guardian of the spouse or child on his or her
146146 4 behalf.
147147 5 The total benefit provided to any beneficiary under this
148148 6 subsection shall not exceed the cost equivalent of 4 calendar
149149 7 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms, at the
150150 8 University of Illinois. Whenever practicable in the opinion of
151151 9 the Department of Veterans' Affairs, payment of benefits under
152152 10 this subsection shall be made directly to the facility, the
153153 11 cost of attendance or treatment at which is being defrayed, as
154154 12 such costs accrue.
155155 13 (c) The benefits of this Section shall be administered by
156156 14 and paid for out of funds made available to the Illinois
157157 15 Department of Veterans' Affairs. The amounts that become due
158158 16 to any state supported Illinois institution of higher learning
159159 17 shall be payable by the Comptroller to such institution on
160160 18 vouchers approved by the Illinois Department of Veterans'
161161 19 Affairs. The amounts that become due under subsection (b) of
162162 20 this Section shall be payable by warrant upon vouchers issued
163163 21 by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs and approved
164164 22 by the Comptroller. The Illinois Department of Veterans'
165165 23 Affairs shall determine the eligibility of the persons who
166166 24 make application for the benefits provided for in this
167167 25 Section.
168168 26 (d) A person is not eligible to receive any benefits under
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179179 1 this Section if he or she is receiving grant assistance under
180180 2 Section 40 of the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.
181181 3 (Source: P.A. 101-334, eff. 8-9-19; 102-855, eff. 5-13-22.)
182182 4 Section 10. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
183183 5 amended by changing Section 40 as follows:
184184 6 (110 ILCS 947/40)
185185 7 Sec. 40. Illinois Veteran grant program.
186186 8 (a) As used in this Section:
187187 9 "Qualified applicant" means a person who served in the
188188 10 Armed Forces of the United States, a Reserve component of the
189189 11 Armed Forces, or the Illinois National Guard, excluding
190190 12 members of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and those
191191 13 whose only service has been attendance at a service academy,
192192 14 and who meets all of the qualifications of either paragraphs
193193 15 (1) through (4) or paragraphs (2), (3), and (5):
194194 16 (1) At the time of entering federal active duty
195195 17 service the person was one of the following:
196196 18 (A) An Illinois resident.
197197 19 (B) An Illinois resident within 6 months of
198198 20 entering such service.
199199 21 (C) Enrolled at a State-controlled university or
200200 22 public community college in this State.
201201 23 (2) The person meets one of the following
202202 24 requirements:
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213213 1 (A) He or she served at least one year of federal
214214 2 active duty.
215215 3 (B) He or she served less than one year of federal
216216 4 active duty and received an honorable discharge for
217217 5 medical reasons directly connected with such service.
218218 6 (C) He or she served less than one year of federal
219219 7 active duty and was discharged prior to August 11,
220220 8 1967.
221221 9 (D) He or she served less than one year of federal
222222 10 active duty in a foreign country during a time of
223223 11 hostilities in that foreign country.
224224 12 (3) The person received an honorable discharge after
225225 13 leaving federal active duty service.
226226 14 (4) The person returned to this State within 6 months
227227 15 after leaving federal active duty service, or, if married
228228 16 to a person in continued military service stationed
229229 17 outside this State, returned to this State within 6 months
230230 18 after his or her spouse left service or was stationed
231231 19 within this State.
232232 20 (5) The person does not meet the requirements of
233233 21 paragraph (1), but (i) is a resident of Illinois at the
234234 22 time of application to the Commission and (ii) at some
235235 23 point after leaving federal active duty service, was a
236236 24 resident of Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years.
237237 25 "Qualified dependent" means any spouse or natural born or
238238 26 legally adopted child of a veteran of the United States Armed
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249249 1 Forces who meets all of the following qualifications:
250250 2 (1) Has earned a high school diploma or high school
251251 3 equivalency certificate or is at least 18 years of age
252252 4 and, for a natural born or legally adopted child of a
253253 5 veteran, less than 26 years of age, unless granted an
254254 6 extension by the Commission due to a qualifying illness or
255255 7 debilitating condition.
256256 8 (2) Meets the cumulative grade point average
257257 9 requirements of the postsecondary institution.
258258 10 (3) Is a resident of Illinois for the term in which the
259259 11 grant under subsection (i) is transferred.
260260 12 "Time of hostilities" means any action by the Armed Forces
261261 13 of the United States that is recognized by the issuance of a
262262 14 Presidential proclamation or a Presidential executive order
263263 15 and in which the Armed Forces expeditionary medal or other
264264 16 campaign service medals are awarded according to Presidential
265265 17 executive order.
266266 18 (b) A person who otherwise qualifies under the definition
267267 19 of "qualified applicant" under subsection (a) of this Section
268268 20 but has not left federal active duty service and has served at
269269 21 least one year of federal active duty or has served for less
270270 22 than one year of federal active duty in a foreign country
271271 23 during a time of hostilities in that foreign country and who
272272 24 can provide documentation demonstrating an honorable service
273273 25 record is eligible to receive assistance under this Section.
274274 26 (c) A grant recipient qualified applicant is not required
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285285 1 to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a
286286 2 State-controlled university or public community college in
287287 3 this State for a period that is based on the length of the
288288 4 qualified applicant's federal active duty service, as verified
289289 5 on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214,
290290 6 calculated as follows:
291291 7 (1) 72 credit hours (or 60% of the maximum payable
292292 8 benefit) for 12 or more months but less than 18 months of
293293 9 active duty service;
294294 10 (2) 84 credit hours (or 70% of the maximum payable
295295 11 benefit) for 18 or more months but less than 24 months of
296296 12 active duty service;
297297 13 (3) 96 credit hours (or 80% of the maximum payable
298298 14 benefit) for 24 or more months but less than 30 months of
299299 15 service;
300300 16 (4) 108 credit hours (or 90% of the maximum payable
301301 17 benefit) for 30 or more months but less than 36 months of
302302 18 service; or
303303 19 (5) 120 credit hours (or 100% of the maximum payable
304304 20 benefit) for 36 or more months of service equivalent to 4
305305 21 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms.
306306 22 A qualified applicant who has previously received benefits
307307 23 under this Section for a non-mandatory fee shall continue to
308308 24 receive benefits covering such fees while he or she is
309309 25 enrolled in a continuous program of study. The qualified
310310 26 applicant shall no longer receive a grant covering
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321321 1 non-mandatory fees if he or she fails to enroll during an
322322 2 academic term, unless he or she is serving federal active duty
323323 3 service.
324324 4 (d) A person qualified applicant who has been or is to be
325325 5 awarded assistance under this Section shall receive that
326326 6 assistance if the person qualified applicant notifies his or
327327 7 her postsecondary institution of that fact by the end of the
328328 8 school term for which assistance is requested.
329329 9 (e) Assistance under this Section is considered an
330330 10 entitlement that the State-controlled college or public
331331 11 community college in which the person qualified applicant is
332332 12 enrolled shall honor without any condition other than the
333333 13 person's qualified applicant's maintenance of minimum grade
334334 14 levels and a satisfactory student loan repayment record
335335 15 pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 20 of this Act.
336336 16 (f) The Commission shall administer the grant program
337337 17 established by this Section and shall make all necessary and
338338 18 proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for its
339339 19 effective implementation.
340340 20 (g) All applications for assistance under this Section
341341 21 must be made to the Commission on forms that the Commission
342342 22 shall provide. The Commission shall determine the form of
343343 23 application and the information required to be set forth in
344344 24 the application, and the Commission shall require qualified
345345 25 applicants to submit with their applications any supporting
346346 26 documents that the Commission deems necessary. Upon request,
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357357 1 the Department of Veterans' Affairs shall assist the
358358 2 Commission in determining the eligibility of applicants for
359359 3 assistance under this Section.
360360 4 (h) Assistance under this Section is available as long as
361361 5 the federal government provides educational benefits to
362362 6 veterans. Assistance must not be paid under this Section after
363363 7 6 months following the termination of educational benefits to
364364 8 veterans by the federal government, except for persons who
365365 9 already have begun their education with assistance under this
366366 10 Section. If the federal government terminates educational
367367 11 benefits to veterans and at a later time resumes those
368368 12 benefits, assistance under this Section shall resume.
369369 13 (i) Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, a grant
370370 14 awarded under this Section may be transferred to a qualified
371371 15 dependent if the qualified dependent's spouse or parent meets
372372 16 all of the following qualifications:
373373 17 (1) He or she is a qualified applicant under
374374 18 subsection (a) or (b).
375375 19 (2) He or she has served at least 6 years of federal
376376 20 active duty service and at least 2 years of Reserve or
377377 21 Individual Ready Reserve service.
378378 22 (3) He or she has no federal veterans' educational
379379 23 benefits or no federal veterans' educational benefits
380380 24 dedicated only to the payment of tuition and fees, such as
381381 25 Chapter 31 or 33 benefits, for an enrolled term or
382382 26 semester that exceed the value of a grant under this
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393393 1 Section.
394394 2 (4) He or she is a resident of Illinois during the term
395395 3 of the qualified dependent's enrollment unless the veteran
396396 4 has been recalled to active duty outside the State or has
397397 5 rejoined the military and is outside the State pursuant to
398398 6 military orders. However, a veteran who has a
399399 7 service-connected disability rating, as determined by the
400400 8 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, of 90% to 100% or is
401401 9 unemployable based on a total disability, as determined by
402402 10 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is not required
403403 11 to maintain Illinois residency while his or her qualified
404404 12 dependent receives benefits under this subsection.
405405 13 A qualified dependent of a person who was killed in the
406406 14 line of duty, was a prisoner of war, was missing in action, had
407407 15 a service-connected disability rating, as determined by the
408408 16 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, of 90% to 100%, was
409409 17 unemployable based on a total disability, as determined by the
410410 18 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or died as a result of
411411 19 injury or illness directly related to his or her military
412412 20 service is eligible for a grant transfer of no less than 120
413413 21 credit hours under this subsection if the spouse or parent
414414 22 would have otherwise met the qualifications under this
415415 23 subsection. A dependent who is a natural born or legally
416416 24 adopted child of a veteran may still qualify for a grant under
417417 25 this subsection if he or she marries or if his or her parents
418418 26 divorce.
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429429 1 Benefits under this Section may not be used simultaneously
430430 2 by both the veteran and his or her qualified dependent. A
431431 3 veteran may revoke or otherwise change the transfer of his or
432432 4 her benefits to a qualified dependent under this subsection at
433433 5 any time but may not transfer his or her benefits to the same
434434 6 qualified dependent again once those benefits have been
435435 7 revoked for that qualified dependent. Benefits under this
436436 8 Section may not be transferred to a qualified dependent if he
437437 9 or she is receiving grant assistance under Section 30-14.2 of
438438 10 the School Code.
439439 11 A veteran may transfer benefits under this subsection to
440440 12 multiple qualified dependents; however, the total number of
441441 13 credit hours of assistance transferred may not exceed 120
442442 14 credit hours, and a veteran may transfer benefits to only one
443443 15 qualified dependent at a time.
444444 16 (Source: P.A. 101-334, eff. 8-9-19; 102-800, eff. 5-13-22.)
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