SB 3138

Abstract

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In a provision requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to award post-secondary education scholarships and fee waivers to eligible students, removes a provision that conditions the renewal of awarded scholarships and fee waivers on students continuing to work toward graduation. Instead provides that while students shall not be required to maintain a specified minimum grade point average to continue to receive scholarships and fee waivers, students must be making satisfactory progress toward completing their degree at a community college, university, or college. Requires the Department to adopt rules identifying the criteria for "satisfactory progress toward completing a degree" (rather than the criteria for "continuing to work toward graduation"). Removes a provision requiring a community college or public university that an applicant attends to waive any tuition and fee amounts that exceed the amounts paid to the applicant under the State's Monetary Award Program. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In a provision providing that post-secondary education scholarships and fee waivers awarded to eligible students by the Department of Children and Family Services shall be available to students for at least 5 years, provides that such scholarships shall be available so long as the eligible students are continuing to work toward graduation and completion of a certificate or degree program (rather than so long as the eligible students are continuing to work toward graduation). Removes a provision requiring a community college or public university that a scholarship applicant attends to waive any tuition and fee amounts that exceed the amounts paid to the applicant under the federal Pell Grant Program. Provides that tuition and fee waivers shall be available to a student for at least the first 5 years the student is enrolled in a community college, university, or college maintained by the State of Illinois so long as the student continues to work toward graduation and completion of a certificate or degree program (rather than makes satisfactory progress toward completing the student's degree). Effective immediately.