Sen. Dan Kotowski
Filed: 4/13/2015
 
 

 

 

 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 223




2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 223 by replacing 
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:

 
4    "Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is 
5amended  by adding Section 62 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/62 new)
7    Sec. 62. Grants for exonerated persons. 
8    (a) In this Section:
9    "Exonerated person" means an individual who has received a 
10pardon from the Governor stating that such a pardon is issued 
11on the grounds of innocence of the crime for which he or she 
12was imprisoned or an individual who has received a certificate 
13of innocence from a circuit court pursuant to Section 2-702 of 
14the Code of Civil Procedure.
15    "Satisfactory academic progress" means the qualified 
16applicant's maintenance of minimum grade levels at the 
 
 
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1institution of higher learning.
2    (b) The Commission shall, each year, receive and consider 
3applications for grant assistance under this Section. 
4Recipients of grants issued by the Commission in accordance 
5with this Section must be exonerated persons. Recipients need 
6not be Illinois residents at the time of enrollment in order to 
7be eligible for a grant. Recipients are entitled to either 
8payment for the course of study needed for them to obtain a 
9high school equivalency certificate or 8 semesters or 12 
10quarters of full payment of tuition and mandatory fees at the 
11rate established by the Commission for public and  private 
12institutions, provided that the recipients are maintaining 
13satisfactory academic progress. The funds from the grant may be 
14used for obtaining a high school equivalency certificate or 
15pursuing undergraduate or graduate study. The benefits of this 
16Section shall be administered by and paid out of funds 
17available to the Commission and shall accrue to the bona fide 
18applicant for a grant without the requirement of demonstrating 
19financial need to qualify for the benefits. The Commission may 
20adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer this 
21Section.".