Public Act 102-1100
SB3792 EnrolledLRB102 25808 CMG 35148 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended
by changing Sections 8 and 35.10 as follows:
(20 ILCS 505/8) (from Ch. 23, par. 5008)
Sec. 8. Scholarships and fee waivers; tuition waiver.
(a) Each year the Department shall select a minimum of 53
students (at least 4 of whom shall be children of veterans) to
receive scholarships and fee waivers which will enable them to
attend and complete their post-secondary education at a
community college, university, or college. Youth shall be
selected from among the youth for whom the Department has
court-ordered legal responsibility, youth who aged out of care
at age 18 or older, or youth formerly under care who have been
adopted or who have been placed in private guardianship.
Recipients must have earned a high school diploma from an
accredited institution or a State of Illinois High School
Diploma high school equivalency certificate or diploma or have
met the State criteria for high school graduation before the
start of the school year for which they are applying for the
scholarship and waiver. Scholarships and fee waivers shall be
available to students for at least 5 years, provided they are
continuing to work toward graduation. Unused scholarship
dollars and fee waivers shall be reallocated to new
recipients. No later than January 1, 2015, the Department
shall promulgate rules identifying the criteria for
"continuing to work toward graduation" and for reallocating
unused scholarships and fee waivers. Selection shall be made
on the basis of several factors, including, but not limited
to, scholastic record, aptitude, and general interest in
higher education. The selection committee shall include at
least 2 individuals formerly under the care of the Department
who have completed their post-secondary education. In
accordance with this Act, tuition scholarships and fee waivers
shall be available to such students at any university or
college maintained by the State of Illinois. The Department
shall provide maintenance and school expenses, except tuition
and fees, during the academic years to supplement the
students' earnings or other resources so long as they
consistently maintain scholastic records which are acceptable
to their schools and to the Department. Students may attend
other colleges and universities, if scholarships are awarded
them, and receive the same benefits for maintenance and other
expenses as those students attending any Illinois State
community college, university, or college under this Section.
Beginning with recipients receiving scholarships and waivers
in August 2014, the Department shall collect data and report
annually to the General Assembly on measures of success,
including (i) the number of youth applying for and receiving
scholarships or waivers, (ii) the percentage of scholarship or
waiver recipients who complete their college or university
degree within 5 years, (iii) the average length of time it
takes for scholarship or waiver recipients to complete their
college or university degree, (iv) the reasons that
scholarship or waiver recipients are discharged or fail to
complete their college or university degree, (v) when
available, youths' outcomes 5 years and 10 years after being
awarded the scholarships or waivers, and (vi) budget
allocations for maintenance and school expenses incurred by
the Department.
(b) Youth shall receive a tuition and fee waiver to assist
them in attending and completing their post-secondary
education at any community college, university, or college
maintained by the State of Illinois if they are youth for whom
the Department has court-ordered legal responsibility, youth
who aged out of care at age 18 or older, or youth formerly
under care who have been adopted and were the subject of an
adoption assistance agreement or who have been placed in
private guardianship and were the subject of a subsidized
guardianship agreement.
To receive a waiver under this subsection, an applicant
must:
(1) have earned a high school diploma from an
accredited institution or a State of Illinois High School
Diploma high school equivalency certificate or have met
the State criteria for high school graduation before the
start of the school year for which the applicant is
applying for the waiver;
(2) enroll in a qualifying post-secondary education
before the applicant reaches the age of 26; and
(3) apply for federal and State grant assistance by
completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
The community college or public university that an
applicant attends must waive any tuition and fee amounts that
exceed the amounts paid to the applicant under the federal
Pell Grant Program or the State's Monetary Award Program.
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 makes satisfactory
progress toward completing his or her degree. The age
requirement and 5-year cap on tuition and fee waivers under
this subsection shall be waived and eligibility for tuition
and fee waivers shall be extended for any applicant or student
who the Department determines was unable to enroll in a
qualifying post-secondary school or complete an academic term
because the applicant or student: (i) was called into active
duty with the United States Armed Forces; (ii) was deployed
for service in the United States Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps; or (iii) volunteered in the Peace Corps or
the AmeriCorps. The Department shall extend eligibility for a
qualifying applicant or student by the total number of months
or years during which the applicant or student served on
active duty with the United States Armed Forces, was deployed
for service in the United States Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps, or volunteered in the Peace Corps or the
AmeriCorps. The number of months an applicant or student
served on active duty with the United States Armed Forces
shall be rounded up to the next higher year to determine the
maximum length of time to extend eligibility for the applicant
or student.
The Department may provide the student with a stipend to
cover maintenance and school expenses, except tuition and
fees, during the academic years to supplement the student's
earnings or other resources so long as the student
consistently maintains scholastic records which are acceptable
to the student's school and to the Department.
The Department shall develop outreach programs to ensure
that youths who qualify for the tuition and fee waivers under
this subsection who are high school students in grades 9
through 12 or who are enrolled in a high school equivalency
testing program are aware of the availability of the tuition
and fee waivers.
(c) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall provide
eligible youth an apprenticeship stipend to cover those costs
associated with entering and sustaining through completion an
apprenticeship, including, but not limited to fees, tuition
for classes, work clothes, rain gear, boots, and
occupation-specific tools. The following youth may be eligible
for the apprenticeship stipend provided under this subsection:
youth for whom the Department has court-ordered legal
responsibility; youth who aged out of care at age 18 or older;
or youth formerly under care who have been adopted and were the
subject of an adoption assistance agreement or who have been
placed in private guardianship and were the subject of a
subsidized guardianship agreement.
To receive a stipend under this subsection, an applicant
must:
(1) be enrolled in an apprenticeship training program
approved or recognized by the Illinois Department of
Employment Security or an apprenticeship program approved
by the United States Department of Labor;
(2) not be a recipient of a scholarship or fee waiver
under subsection (a) or (b); and
(3) be under the age of 26 before enrolling in a
qualified apprenticeship program.
Apprenticeship stipends shall be available to an eligible
youth for a maximum of 5 years after the youth enrolls in a
qualifying apprenticeship program so long as the youth makes
satisfactory progress toward completing his or her
apprenticeship. The age requirement and 5-year cap on the
apprenticeship stipend provided under this subsection shall be
extended for any applicant who the Department determines was
unable to enroll in a qualifying apprenticeship program
because the applicant: (i) was called into active duty with
the United States Armed Forces; (ii) was deployed for service
in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps;
or (iii) volunteered in the Peace Corps or the AmeriCorps. The
Department shall extend eligibility for a qualifying applicant
by the total number of months or years during which the
applicant served on active duty with the United States Armed
Forces, was deployed for service in the United States Public
Health Service Commissioned Corps, or volunteered in the Peace
Corps or the AmeriCorps. The number of months an applicant
served on active duty with the United States Armed Forces
shall be rounded up to the next higher year to determine the
maximum length of time to extend eligibility for the
applicant.
The Department shall develop outreach programs to ensure
that youths who qualify for the apprenticeship stipends under
this subsection who are high school students in grades 9
through 12 or who are enrolled in a high school equivalency
testing program are aware of the availability of the
apprenticeship stipend.
(Source: P.A. 100-1045, eff. 1-1-19; 101-558, eff. 1-1-20.)
(20 ILCS 505/35.10)
Sec. 35.10. Documents necessary for adult living. The
Department shall assist a youth in care in identifying and
obtaining documents necessary to function as an independent
adult prior to the closure of the youth's case to terminate
wardship as provided in Section 2-31 of the Juvenile Court Act
of 1987. These necessary documents shall include, but not be
limited to, any of the following:
(1) State identification card or driver's license.
(2) Social Security card.
(3) Medical records, including, but not limited to,
health passport, dental records, immunization records,
name and contact information for all current medical,
dental, and mental health providers, and a signed
certification that the Department provided the youth with
education on executing a healthcare power of attorney.
(4) Medicaid card or other health eligibility
documentation.
(5) Certified copy of birth certificate.
(6) Any applicable religious documents.
(7) Voter registration card.
(8) Immigration, citizenship, or naturalization
documentation, if applicable.
(9) Death certificates of parents, if applicable.
(10) Life book or compilation of personal history and
photographs.
(11) List of known relatives with relationships,
addresses, telephone numbers, and other contact
information, with the permission of the involved relative.
(12) Resume.
(13) Educational records, including list of schools
attended, and transcript, high school diploma, or State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate.
(14) List of placements while in care.
(15) List of community resources with referral
information, including the Midwest Adoption Center for
search and reunion services for former youth in care,
whether or not they were adopted, and the Illinois Chapter
of Foster Care Alumni of America.
(16) All documents necessary to complete a Free
Application for Federal Student Aid form, if applicable,
or an application for State financial aid.
If a court determines that a youth in care no longer requires
wardship of the court and orders the wardship terminated and
all proceedings under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987
respecting the youth in care finally closed and discharged,
the Department shall ensure that the youth in care receives a
copy of the court's order.
(Source: P.A. 102-70, eff. 1-1-22.)
Section 10. The Illinois Youthbuild Act is amended by
changing Section 25 as follows:
(20 ILCS 1315/25)
Sec. 25. Eligible participants. Eligible participants are
youth 16 to 24 years old who are economically disadvantaged as
defined in United States Code, Title 29, Section 1503, and who
are part of one of the following groups:
(a) Persons who are not attending any school and have
not received a secondary school diploma or its equivalent.
(b) Persons currently enrolled in a traditional or
alternative school setting or a high school equivalency
testing program and who are in danger of dropping out of
school.
(c) A member of a low-income family, a youth in foster
care (including a youth aging-out of foster care), a youth
offender, a youth with a disability, a child of
incarcerated parents, or a migrant youth.
Not more than 25% of the participants in the program may be
individuals who do not meet the requirements of subsections
(a) or (b), but who are deficient in basic skills despite
having attained a secondary school diploma, State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency certificate, or
other State-recognized equivalent, or who have been referred
by a local secondary school for participation in a Youthbuild
program leading to the attainment of a secondary school
diploma.
(Source: P.A. 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
Section 15. The Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities Administrative Act is amended by changing Section
15.4 as follows:
(20 ILCS 1705/15.4)
Sec. 15.4. Authorization for nursing delegation to permit
direct care staff to administer medications.
(a) This Section applies to (i) all residential programs
for persons with a developmental disability in settings of 16
persons or fewer that are funded or licensed by the Department
of Human Services and that distribute or administer
medications, (ii) all intermediate care facilities for persons
with developmental disabilities with 16 beds or fewer that are
licensed by the Department of Public Health, and (iii) all day
programs certified to serve persons with developmental
disabilities by the Department of Human Services. The
Department of Human Services shall develop a training program
for authorized direct care staff to administer medications
under the supervision and monitoring of a registered
professional nurse. The training program for authorized direct
care staff shall include educational and oversight components
for staff who work in day programs that are similar to those
for staff who work in residential programs. This training
program shall be developed in consultation with professional
associations representing (i) physicians licensed to practice
medicine in all its branches, (ii) registered professional
nurses, and (iii) pharmacists.
(b) For the purposes of this Section:
"Authorized direct care staff" means non-licensed persons
who have successfully completed a medication administration
training program approved by the Department of Human Services
and conducted by a nurse-trainer. This authorization is
specific to an individual receiving service in a specific
agency and does not transfer to another agency.
"Medications" means oral and topical medications, insulin
in an injectable form, oxygen, epinephrine auto-injectors, and
vaginal and rectal creams and suppositories. "Oral" includes
inhalants and medications administered through enteral tubes,
utilizing aseptic technique. "Topical" includes eye, ear, and
nasal medications. Any controlled substances must be packaged
specifically for an identified individual.
"Insulin in an injectable form" means a subcutaneous
injection via an insulin pen pre-filled by the manufacturer.
Authorized direct care staff may administer insulin, as
ordered by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or
physician assistant, if: (i) the staff has successfully
completed a Department-approved advanced training program
specific to insulin administration developed in consultation
with professional associations listed in subsection (a) of
this Section, and (ii) the staff consults with the registered
nurse, prior to administration, of any insulin dose that is
determined based on a blood glucose test result. The
authorized direct care staff shall not: (i) calculate the
insulin dosage needed when the dose is dependent upon a blood
glucose test result, or (ii) administer insulin to individuals
who require blood glucose monitoring greater than 3 times
daily, unless directed to do so by the registered nurse.
"Nurse-trainer training program" means a standardized,
competency-based medication administration train-the-trainer
program provided by the Department of Human Services and
conducted by a Department of Human Services master
nurse-trainer for the purpose of training nurse-trainers to
train persons employed or under contract to provide direct
care or treatment to individuals receiving services to
administer medications and provide self-administration of
medication training to individuals under the supervision and
monitoring of the nurse-trainer. The program incorporates
adult learning styles, teaching strategies, classroom
management, and a curriculum overview, including the ethical
and legal aspects of supervising those administering
medications.
"Self-administration of medications" means an individual
administers his or her own medications. To be considered
capable to self-administer their own medication, individuals
must, at a minimum, be able to identify their medication by
size, shape, or color, know when they should take the
medication, and know the amount of medication to be taken each
time.
"Training program" means a standardized medication
administration training program approved by the Department of
Human Services and conducted by a registered professional
nurse for the purpose of training persons employed or under
contract to provide direct care or treatment to individuals
receiving services to administer medications and provide
self-administration of medication training to individuals
under the delegation and supervision of a nurse-trainer. The
program incorporates adult learning styles, teaching
strategies, classroom management, curriculum overview,
including ethical-legal aspects, and standardized
competency-based evaluations on administration of medications
and self-administration of medication training programs.
(c) Training and authorization of non-licensed direct care
staff by nurse-trainers must meet the requirements of this
subsection.
(1) Prior to training non-licensed direct care staff
to administer medication, the nurse-trainer shall perform
the following for each individual to whom medication will
be administered by non-licensed direct care staff:
(A) An assessment of the individual's health
history and physical and mental status.
(B) An evaluation of the medications prescribed.
(2) Non-licensed authorized direct care staff shall
meet the following criteria:
(A) Be 18 years of age or older.
(B) Have completed high school or have a State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate.
(C) Have demonstrated functional literacy.
(D) Have satisfactorily completed the Health and
Safety component of a Department of Human Services
authorized direct care staff training program.
(E) Have successfully completed the training
program, pass the written portion of the comprehensive
exam, and score 100% on the competency-based
assessment specific to the individual and his or her
medications.
(F) Have received additional competency-based
assessment by the nurse-trainer as deemed necessary by
the nurse-trainer whenever a change of medication
occurs or a new individual that requires medication
administration enters the program.
(3) Authorized direct care staff shall be re-evaluated
by a nurse-trainer at least annually or more frequently at
the discretion of the registered professional nurse. Any
necessary retraining shall be to the extent that is
necessary to ensure competency of the authorized direct
care staff to administer medication.
(4) Authorization of direct care staff to administer
medication shall be revoked if, in the opinion of the
registered professional nurse, the authorized direct care
staff is no longer competent to administer medication.
(5) The registered professional nurse shall assess an
individual's health status at least annually or more
frequently at the discretion of the registered
professional nurse.
(d) Medication self-administration shall meet the
following requirements:
(1) As part of the normalization process, in order for
each individual to attain the highest possible level of
independent functioning, all individuals shall be
permitted to participate in their total health care
program. This program shall include, but not be limited
to, individual training in preventive health and
self-medication procedures.
(A) Every program shall adopt written policies and
procedures for assisting individuals in obtaining
preventative health and self-medication skills in
consultation with a registered professional nurse,
advanced practice registered nurse, physician
assistant, or physician licensed to practice medicine
in all its branches.
(B) Individuals shall be evaluated to determine
their ability to self-medicate by the nurse-trainer
through the use of the Department's required,
standardized screening and assessment instruments.
(C) When the results of the screening and
assessment indicate an individual not to be capable to
self-administer his or her own medications, programs
shall be developed in consultation with the Community
Support Team or Interdisciplinary Team to provide
individuals with self-medication administration.
(2) Each individual shall be presumed to be competent
to self-administer medications if:
(A) authorized by an order of a physician licensed
to practice medicine in all its branches, an advanced
practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant;
and
(B) approved to self-administer medication by the
individual's Community Support Team or
Interdisciplinary Team, which includes a registered
professional nurse or an advanced practice registered
nurse.
(e) Quality Assurance.
(1) A registered professional nurse, advanced practice
registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, physician
licensed to practice medicine in all its branches,
physician assistant, or pharmacist shall review the
following for all individuals:
(A) Medication orders.
(B) Medication labels, including medications
listed on the medication administration record for
persons who are not self-medicating to ensure the
labels match the orders issued by the physician
licensed to practice medicine in all its branches,
advanced practice registered nurse, or physician
assistant.
(C) Medication administration records for persons
who are not self-medicating to ensure that the records
are completed appropriately for:
(i) medication administered as prescribed;
(ii) refusal by the individual; and
(iii) full signatures provided for all
initials used.
(2) Reviews shall occur at least quarterly, but may be
done more frequently at the discretion of the registered
professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse.
(3) A quality assurance review of medication errors
and data collection for the purpose of monitoring and
recommending corrective action shall be conducted within 7
days and included in the required annual review.
(f) Programs using authorized direct care staff to
administer medications are responsible for documenting and
maintaining records on the training that is completed.
(g) The absence of this training program constitutes a
threat to the public interest, safety, and welfare and
necessitates emergency rulemaking by the Departments of Human
Services and Public Health under Section 5-45 of the Illinois
Administrative Procedure Act.
(h) Direct care staff who fail to qualify for delegated
authority to administer medications pursuant to the provisions
of this Section shall be given additional education and
testing to meet criteria for delegation authority to
administer medications. Any direct care staff person who fails
to qualify as an authorized direct care staff after initial
training and testing must within 3 months be given another
opportunity for retraining and retesting. A direct care staff
person who fails to meet criteria for delegated authority to
administer medication, including, but not limited to, failure
of the written test on 2 occasions shall be given
consideration for shift transfer or reassignment, if possible.
No employee shall be terminated for failure to qualify during
the 3-month time period following initial testing. Refusal to
complete training and testing required by this Section may be
grounds for immediate dismissal.
(i) No authorized direct care staff person delegated to
administer medication shall be subject to suspension or
discharge for errors resulting from the staff person's acts or
omissions when performing the functions unless the staff
person's actions or omissions constitute willful and wanton
conduct. Nothing in this subsection is intended to supersede
paragraph (4) of subsection (c).
(j) A registered professional nurse, advanced practice
registered nurse, physician licensed to practice medicine in
all its branches, or physician assistant shall be on duty or on
call at all times in any program covered by this Section.
(k) The employer shall be responsible for maintaining
liability insurance for any program covered by this Section.
(l) Any direct care staff person who qualifies as
authorized direct care staff pursuant to this Section shall be
granted consideration for a one-time additional salary
differential. The Department shall determine and provide the
necessary funding for the differential in the base. This
subsection (l) is inoperative on and after June 30, 2000.
(Source: P.A. 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15;
99-581, eff. 1-1-17; 100-50, eff. 1-1-18; 100-513, eff.
1-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)
Section 20. The School Code is amended by changing
Sections 3-15.12, 13-40, and 26-2 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/3-15.12) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-15.12)
Sec. 3-15.12. High school equivalency. The regional
superintendent of schools and the Illinois Community College
Board shall make available for qualified individuals residing
within the region a High School Equivalency Testing Program
and alternative methods of credentialing, as identified under
this Section. For that purpose the regional superintendent
alone or with other regional superintendents may establish and
supervise a testing center or centers to administer the secure
forms for high school equivalency testing to qualified
persons. Such centers shall be under the supervision of the
regional superintendent in whose region such centers are
located, subject to the approval of the Executive Director of
the Illinois Community College Board. The Illinois Community
College Board shall also establish criteria and make available
alternative methods of credentialing throughout the State.
An individual is eligible to apply to the regional
superintendent of schools for the region in which he or she
resides if he or she is: (a) a person who is 17 years of age or
older, has maintained residence in the State of Illinois, and
is not a high school graduate; (b) a person who is successfully
completing an alternative education program under Section
2-3.81, Article 13A, or Article 13B; or (c) a person who is
enrolled in a youth education program sponsored by the
Illinois National Guard. For purposes of this Section,
residence is that abode which the applicant considers his or
her home. Applicants may provide as sufficient proof of such
residence and as an acceptable form of identification a
driver's license, valid passport, military ID, or other form
of government-issued national or foreign identification that
shows the applicant's name, address, date of birth, signature,
and photograph or other acceptable identification as may be
allowed by law or as regulated by the Illinois Community
College Board. Such regional superintendent shall determine if
the applicant meets statutory and regulatory state standards.
If qualified the applicant shall at the time of such
application pay a fee established by the Illinois Community
College Board, which fee shall be paid into a special fund
under the control and supervision of the regional
superintendent. Such moneys received by the regional
superintendent shall be used, first, for the expenses incurred
in administering and scoring the examination, and next for
other educational programs that are developed and designed by
the regional superintendent of schools to assist those who
successfully complete high school equivalency testing or meet
the criteria for alternative methods of credentialing in
furthering their academic development or their ability to
secure and retain gainful employment, including programs for
the competitive award based on test scores of college or adult
education scholarship grants or similar educational
incentives. Any excess moneys shall be paid into the institute
fund.
Any applicant who has achieved the minimum passing
standards as established by the Illinois Community College
Board shall be notified in writing by the regional
superintendent and shall be issued a State of Illinois High
School Diploma high school equivalency certificate on the
forms provided by the Illinois Community College Board. The
regional superintendent shall then certify to the Illinois
Community College Board the score of the applicant and such
other and additional information that may be required by the
Illinois Community College Board. The moneys received
therefrom shall be used in the same manner as provided for in
this Section.
The Illinois Community College Board shall establish
alternative methods of credentialing for the issuance of a
State of Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certification. In addition to high school equivalency testing,
the following alternative methods of receiving a State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
credential shall be made available to qualified individuals on
or after January 1, 2018:
(A) High School Equivalency based on High School
Credit. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or
her high school transcripts evaluated to determine what
the candidate needs to meet criteria as established by the
Illinois Community College Board.
(B) High School Equivalency based on Post-Secondary
Credit. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or
her post-secondary transcripts evaluated to determine what
the candidate needs to meet criteria established by the
Illinois Community College Board.
(C) High School Equivalency based on a Foreign
Diploma. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or
her foreign high school or post-secondary transcripts
evaluated to determine what the candidate needs to meet
criteria established by the Illinois Community College
Board.
(D) High School Equivalency based on Completion of a
Competency-Based Program as approved by the Illinois
Community College Board. The Illinois Community College
Board shall establish guidelines for competency-based high
school equivalency programs.
Any applicant who has attained the age of 17 years and
maintained residence in the State of Illinois and is not a high
school graduate, any person who has enrolled in a youth
education program sponsored by the Illinois National Guard, or
any person who has successfully completed an alternative
education program under Section 2-3.81, Article 13A, or
Article 13B is eligible to apply for a State of Illinois High
School Diploma high school equivalency certificate (if he or
she meets the requirements prescribed by the Illinois
Community College Board) upon showing evidence that he or she
has completed, successfully, high school equivalency testing,
administered by the United States Armed Forces Institute,
official high school equivalency testing centers established
in other states, Veterans' Administration Hospitals, or the
office of the State Superintendent of Education for the
Illinois State Penitentiary System and the Department of
Corrections. Such applicant shall apply to the regional
superintendent of the region wherein he or she has maintained
residence, and, upon payment of a fee established by the
Illinois Community College Board, the regional superintendent
shall issue a State of Illinois High School Diploma high
school equivalency certificate and immediately thereafter
certify to the Illinois Community College Board the score of
the applicant and such other and additional information as may
be required by the Illinois Community College Board.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, any
applicant who has been out of school for at least one year may
request the regional superintendent of schools to administer
restricted high school equivalency testing upon written
request of: the director of a program who certifies to the
Chief Examiner of an official high school equivalency testing
center that the applicant has completed a program of
instruction provided by such agencies as the Job Corps, the
Postal Service Academy, or an apprenticeship training program;
an employer or program director for purposes of entry into
apprenticeship programs; another state's department of
education in order to meet regulations established by that
department of education; or a post high school educational
institution for purposes of admission, the Department of
Financial and Professional Regulation for licensing purposes,
or the Armed Forces for induction purposes. The regional
superintendent shall administer such testing, and the
applicant shall be notified in writing that he or she is
eligible to receive a State of Illinois High School Diploma
high school equivalency certificate upon reaching age 17,
provided he or she meets the standards established by the
Illinois Community College Board.
Any test administered under this Section to an applicant
who does not speak and understand English may at the
discretion of the administering agency be given and answered
in any language in which the test is printed. The regional
superintendent of schools may waive any fees required by this
Section in case of hardship. The regional superintendent of
schools and the Illinois Community College Board shall waive
any fees required by this Section for an applicant who meets
all of the following criteria:
(1) The applicant qualifies as a homeless person,
child, or youth as defined in the Education for Homeless
Children Act.
(2) The applicant has not attained 25 years of age as
of the date of the scheduled test.
(3) The applicant can verify his or her status as a
homeless person, child, or youth. A homeless services
provider that is qualified to verify an individual's
housing status, as determined by the Illinois Community
College Board, and that has knowledge of the applicant's
housing status may verify the applicant's status for
purposes of this subdivision (3).
(4) The applicant has completed a high school
equivalency preparation course through an Illinois
Community College Board-approved provider.
(5) The applicant is taking the test at a testing
center operated by a regional superintendent of schools or
the Cook County High School Equivalency Office.
In counties of over 3,000,000 population, a State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate shall contain the signatures of the Executive
Director of the Illinois Community College Board and the
superintendent, president, or other chief executive officer of
the institution where high school equivalency testing
instruction occurred and any other signatures authorized by
the Illinois Community College Board.
The regional superintendent of schools shall furnish the
Illinois Community College Board with any information that the
Illinois Community College Board requests with regard to
testing and diplomas certificates under this Section.
A State of Illinois High School Diploma is a recognized
high school equivalency certificate for purposes of
reciprocity with other states. A high school equivalency
certificate from another state is equivalent to a State of
Illinois High School Diploma.
(Source: P.A. 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-742, eff. 1-1-17;
100-130, eff. 1-1-18.)
(105 ILCS 5/13-40) (from Ch. 122, par. 13-40)
Sec. 13-40. To increase the effectiveness of the
Department of Juvenile Justice and thereby to better serve the
interests of the people of Illinois the following bill is
presented.
Its purpose is to enhance the quality and scope of
education for inmates and wards within the Department of
Juvenile Justice so that they will be better motivated and
better equipped to restore themselves to constructive and law
abiding lives in the community. The specific measure sought is
the creation of a school district within the Department so
that its educational programs can meet the needs of persons
committed and so the resources of public education at the
state and federal levels are best used, all of the same being
contemplated within the provisions of the Illinois State
Constitution of 1970 which provides that "A fundamental goal
of the People of the State is the educational development of
all persons to the limits of their capacities." Therefore, on
July 1, 2006, the Department of Corrections school district
shall be transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice. It
shall be responsible for the education of youth within the
Department of Juvenile Justice and inmates age 21 or under
within the Department of Corrections who have not yet earned a
high school diploma or a State of Illinois High School Diploma
high school equivalency certificate, and the district may
establish primary, secondary, vocational, adult, special, and
advanced educational schools as provided in this Act. The
Department of Corrections retains authority as provided for in
subsection (d) of Section 3-6-2 of the Unified Code of
Corrections. The Board of Education for this district shall
with the aid and advice of professional educational personnel
of the Department of Juvenile Justice and the State Board of
Education determine the needs and type of schools and the
curriculum for each school within the school district and may
proceed to establish the same through existing means within
present and future appropriations, federal and state school
funds, vocational rehabilitation grants and funds and all
other funds, gifts and grants, private or public, including
federal funds, but not exclusive to the said sources but
inclusive of all funds which might be available for school
purposes.
(Source: P.A. 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
(105 ILCS 5/26-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2)
Sec. 26-2. Enrolled pupils not of compulsory school age.
(a) For school years before the 2014-2015 school year, any
person having custody or control of a child who is below the
age of 7 years or is 17 years of age or above and who is
enrolled in any of grades kindergarten through 12 in the
public school shall cause him to attend the public school in
the district wherein he resides when it is in session during
the regular school term, unless he is excused under paragraph
2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of Section 26-1. Beginning with the 2014-2015
school year, any person having custody or control of a child
who is below the age of 6 years or is 17 years of age or above
and who is enrolled in any of grades kindergarten through 12 in
the public school shall cause the child to attend the public
school in the district wherein he or she resides when it is in
session during the regular school term, unless the child is
excused under paragraph 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of Section 26-1 of
this Code.
(b) A school district shall deny reenrollment in its
secondary schools to any child 19 years of age or above who has
dropped out of school and who could not, because of age and
lack of credits, attend classes during the normal school year
and graduate before his or her twenty-first birthday. A
district may, however, enroll the child in a graduation
incentives program under Section 26-16 of this Code or an
alternative learning opportunities program established under
Article 13B. No child shall be denied reenrollment for the
above reasons unless the school district first offers the
child due process as required in cases of expulsion under
Section 10-22.6. If a child is denied reenrollment after being
provided with due process, the school district must provide
counseling to that child and must direct that child to
alternative educational programs, including adult education
programs, that lead to graduation or receipt of a State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate.
(c) A school or school district may deny enrollment to a
student 17 years of age or older for one semester for failure
to meet minimum attendance standards if all of the following
conditions are met:
(1) The student was absent without valid cause for 20%
or more of the attendance days in the semester immediately
prior to the current semester.
(2) The student and the student's parent or guardian
are given written notice warning that the student is
subject to denial from enrollment for one semester unless
the student is absent without valid cause less than 20% of
the attendance days in the current semester.
(3) The student's parent or guardian is provided with
the right to appeal the notice, as determined by the State
Board of Education in accordance with due process.
(4) The student is provided with attendance
remediation services, including without limitation
assessment, counseling, and support services.
(5) The student is absent without valid cause for 20%
or more of the attendance days in the current semester.
A school or school district may not deny enrollment to a
student (or reenrollment to a dropout) who is at least 17 years
of age or older but below 19 years for more than one
consecutive semester for failure to meet attendance standards.
(d) No child may be denied reenrollment under this Section
in violation of the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(e) In this subsection (e), "reenrolled student" means a
dropout who has reenrolled full-time in a public school. Each
school district shall identify, track, and report on the
educational progress and outcomes of reenrolled students as a
subset of the district's required reporting on all
enrollments. A reenrolled student who again drops out must not
be counted again against a district's dropout rate performance
measure. The State Board of Education shall set performance
standards for programs serving reenrolled students.
(f) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
necessary to implement the changes to this Section made by
Public Act 93-803.
(Source: P.A. 100-825, eff. 8-13-18.)
Section 25. The Public University Uniform Admission Pilot
Program Act is amended by changing Section 25 as follows:
(110 ILCS 118/25)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2027)
Sec. 25. Graduates of nonaccredited private schools.
(a) As used in this Section, "nonaccredited secondary
education" means a course of study at the secondary school
level in a nonaccredited private school setting.
(b) Because the State of Illinois considers successful
completion of a nonaccredited secondary education to be
equivalent to graduation from a public high school, an
institution, in complying with this Act and for all other
purposes, must treat an applicant for admission to the
institution as an undergraduate student who presents evidence
that he or she has successfully completed a nonaccredited
secondary education according to the same general standards,
including specific standardized testing score requirements, as
other applicants for undergraduate admission who have
graduated from a public high school.
(c) An institution may not require an applicant for
admission to the institution as an undergraduate student who
presents evidence that he or she has successfully completed a
nonaccredited secondary education to:
(1) obtain or submit evidence that the person has
obtained a general educational development certificate,
State of Illinois High School Diploma certificate of high
school equivalency, or other credentials equivalent to a
public high school degree; or
(2) take an examination or comply with any other
application or admission requirement not generally
applicable to other applicants for undergraduate admission
to the institution.
(d) In complying with this Act or otherwise, when an
institution in its undergraduate admission review process
sorts or is required to sort applicants by high school
graduating class rank, the institution shall place any
applicant who presents evidence that the applicant has
successfully completed a nonaccredited secondary education
that does not include a high school graduating class ranking
at the average high school graduating class rank of
undergraduate applicants to the institution who have
equivalent standardized testing scores as the applicant.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, with
respect to admission into the institution or any program
within the institution, with respect to scholarship programs,
and with respect to other terms and conditions, and in
complying with this Act, an institution may not treat an
applicant who has successfully completed a nonaccredited
secondary education that does not include a high school
graduating class ranking differently than an applicant who
graduated from an accredited public school.
(Source: P.A. 101-448, eff. 1-1-20.)
Section 30. The Public Community College Act is amended by
changing Section 2-22 as follows:
(110 ILCS 805/2-22)
Sec. 2-22. High school equivalency testing certificates.
On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th
General Assembly, all powers and duties of the State Board of
Education and State Superintendent of Education with regard to
high school equivalency testing certificates under the School
Code shall be transferred to the Illinois Community College
Board. Within a reasonable period of time after that date, all
assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, pending
business, and unexpended appropriations of the State Board of
Education with regard to high school equivalency testing
certificates shall be transferred to the Illinois Community
College Board. The Illinois Community College Board may adopt
any rules necessary to carry out its responsibilities under
the School Code with regard to high school equivalency testing
certificates and to carry into efficient and uniform effect
the provisions for the issuance of State of Illinois High
School Diplomas high school equivalency certificates in this
State. All rules, standards, and procedures adopted by the
State Board of Education under the School Code with regard to
high school equivalency testing certificates shall continue in
effect as the rules, standards, and procedures of the Illinois
Community College Board, until they are modified by the
Illinois Community College Board.
(Source: P.A. 94-108, eff. 7-1-05.)
Section 35. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
amended by changing Sections 50, 52, and 62 as follows:
(110 ILCS 947/50)
Sec. 50. Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
program.
(a) As used in this Section:
"Eligible applicant" means a minority student who has
graduated from high school or has received a State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate and has maintained a cumulative grade point
average of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and who by
reason thereof is entitled to apply for scholarships to be
awarded under this Section.
"Minority student" means a student who is any of the
following:
(1) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person
having origins in any of the original peoples of North
and South America, including Central America, and who
maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment).
(2) Asian (a person having origins in any of the
original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or
the Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited
to, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and
Vietnam).
(3) Black or African American (a person having
origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa).
(4) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban,
Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or
other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race).
(5) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a
person having origins in any of the original peoples
of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands).
"Qualified bilingual minority applicant" means a
qualified student who demonstrates proficiency in a
language other than English by (i) receiving a State Seal
of Biliteracy from the State Board of Education or (ii)
receiving a passing score on an educator licensure target
language proficiency test.
"Qualified student" means a person (i) who is a
resident of this State and a citizen or permanent resident
of the United States; (ii) who is a minority student, as
defined in this Section; (iii) who, as an eligible
applicant, has made a timely application for a minority
teaching scholarship under this Section; (iv) who is
enrolled on at least a half-time basis at a qualified
Illinois institution of higher learning; (v) who is
enrolled in a course of study leading to teacher
licensure, including alternative teacher licensure, or, if
the student is already licensed to teach, in a course of
study leading to an additional teaching endorsement or a
master's degree in an academic field in which he or she is
teaching or plans to teach or who has received one or more
College and Career Pathway Endorsements pursuant to
Section 80 of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness
Act and commits to enrolling in a course of study leading
to teacher licensure, including alternative teacher
licensure; (vi) who maintains a grade point average of no
less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; and (vii) who continues to
advance satisfactorily toward the attainment of a degree.
(b) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois
minority students to pursue teaching careers at the preschool
or elementary or secondary school level and to address and
alleviate the teacher shortage crisis in this State described
under the provisions of the Transitions in Education Act, each
qualified student shall be awarded a minority teacher
scholarship to any qualified Illinois institution of higher
learning. However, preference may be given to qualified
applicants enrolled at or above the junior level.
(c) Each minority teacher scholarship awarded under this
Section shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and
fees and room and board costs of the qualified Illinois
institution of higher learning at which the recipient is
enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000; except that in the
case of a recipient who does not reside on-campus at the
institution at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the
scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee
expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of
$5,000. However, if at least $2,850,000 is appropriated in a
given fiscal year for the Minority Teachers of Illinois
scholarship program, then, in each fiscal year thereafter,
each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be in an
amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room and
board costs of the qualified Illinois institution of higher
learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual
maximum of $7,500; except that in the case of a recipient who
does not reside on-campus at the institution at which he or she
is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship shall be sufficient
to pay tuition and fee expenses and a commuter allowance, up to
an annual maximum of $7,500.
(d) The total amount of minority teacher scholarship
assistance awarded by the Commission under this Section to an
individual in any given fiscal year, when added to other
financial assistance awarded to that individual for that year,
shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the institution at
which the student is enrolled. If the amount of minority
teacher scholarship to be awarded to a qualified student as
provided in subsection (c) of this Section exceeds the cost of
attendance at the institution at which the student is
enrolled, the minority teacher scholarship shall be reduced by
an amount equal to the amount by which the combined financial
assistance available to the student exceeds the cost of
attendance.
(e) The maximum number of academic terms for which a
qualified student can receive minority teacher scholarship
assistance shall be 8 semesters or 12 quarters.
(f) In any academic year for which an eligible applicant
under this Section accepts financial assistance through the
Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program, as authorized by
Section 551 et seq. of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the
applicant shall not be eligible for scholarship assistance
awarded under this Section.
(g) All applications for minority teacher scholarships to
be awarded under this Section shall be made to the Commission
on forms which the Commission shall provide for eligible
applicants. The form of applications and the information
required to be set forth therein shall be determined by the
Commission, and the Commission shall require eligible
applicants to submit with their applications such supporting
documents or recommendations as the Commission deems
necessary.
(h) Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes,
payment of any minority teacher scholarship awarded under this
Section shall be determined by the Commission. All scholarship
funds distributed in accordance with this subsection shall be
paid to the institution and used only for payment of the
tuition and fee and room and board expenses incurred by the
student in connection with his or her attendance at a
qualified Illinois institution of higher learning. Any
minority teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall
be applicable to 2 semesters or 3 quarters of enrollment. If a
qualified student withdraws from enrollment prior to
completion of the first semester or quarter for which the
minority teacher scholarship is applicable, the school shall
refund to the Commission the full amount of the minority
teacher scholarship.
(i) The Commission shall administer the minority teacher
scholarship aid program established by this Section and shall
make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with this
Section for its effective implementation.
(j) When an appropriation to the Commission for a given
fiscal year is insufficient to provide scholarships to all
qualified students, the Commission shall allocate the
appropriation in accordance with this subsection. If funds are
insufficient to provide all qualified students with a
scholarship as authorized by this Section, the Commission
shall allocate the available scholarship funds for that fiscal
year to qualified students who submit a complete application
form on or before a date specified by the Commission based on
the following order of priority:
(1) To students who received a scholarship under this
Section in the prior academic year and who remain eligible
for a minority teacher scholarship under this Section.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (k), to
students who demonstrate financial need, as determined by
the Commission.
(k) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subsection (j), at
least 35% of the funds appropriated for scholarships awarded
under this Section in each fiscal year shall be reserved for
qualified male minority applicants, with priority being given
to qualified Black male applicants beginning with fiscal year
2023. If the Commission does not receive enough applications
from qualified male minorities on or before January 1 of each
fiscal year to award 35% of the funds appropriated for these
scholarships to qualified male minority applicants, then the
Commission may award a portion of the reserved funds to
qualified female minority applicants in accordance with
subsection (j).
Beginning with fiscal year 2023, if at least $2,850,000
but less than $4,200,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal
year for scholarships awarded under this Section, then at
least 10% of the funds appropriated shall be reserved for
qualified bilingual minority applicants, with priority being
given to qualified bilingual minority applicants who are
enrolled in an educator preparation program with a
concentration in bilingual, bicultural education. Beginning
with fiscal year 2023, if at least $4,200,000 is appropriated
in a given fiscal year for the Minority Teachers of Illinois
scholarship program, then at least 30% of the funds
appropriated shall be reserved for qualified bilingual
minority applicants, with priority being given to qualified
bilingual minority applicants who are enrolled in an educator
preparation program with a concentration in bilingual,
bicultural education. Beginning with fiscal year 2023, if at
least $2,850,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal year for
scholarships awarded under this Section but the Commission
does not receive enough applications from qualified bilingual
minority applicants on or before January 1 of that fiscal year
to award at least 10% of the funds appropriated to qualified
bilingual minority applicants, then the Commission may, in its
discretion, award a portion of the reserved funds to other
qualified students in accordance with subsection (j).
(l) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any
academic year, each recipient of a minority teacher
scholarship awarded under this Section shall be required by
the Commission to sign an agreement under which the recipient
pledges that, within the one-year period following the
termination of the program for which the recipient was awarded
a minority teacher scholarship, the recipient (i) shall begin
teaching for a period of not less than one year for each year
of scholarship assistance he or she was awarded under this
Section; (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a
nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool,
elementary school, or secondary school at which no less than
30% of the enrolled students are minority students in the year
during which the recipient begins teaching at the school or
may instead, if the recipient received a scholarship as a
qualified bilingual minority applicant, fulfill this teaching
obligation in a program in transitional bilingual education
pursuant to Article 14C of the School Code or in a school in
which 20 or more English learner students in the same language
classification are enrolled; and (iii) shall, upon request by
the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he
or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching
agreement provided for in this subsection.
(m) If a recipient of a minority teacher scholarship
awarded under this Section fails to fulfill the teaching
obligation set forth in subsection (l) of this Section, the
Commission shall require the recipient to repay the amount of
the scholarships received, prorated according to the fraction
of the teaching obligation not completed, at a rate of
interest equal to 5%, and, if applicable, reasonable
collection fees. The Commission is authorized to establish
rules relating to its collection activities for repayment of
scholarships under this Section. All repayments collected
under this Section shall be forwarded to the State Comptroller
for deposit into the State's General Revenue Fund.
(n) A recipient of minority teacher scholarship shall not
be considered in violation of the agreement entered into
pursuant to subsection (l) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a
full time basis as a graduate student in a course of study
related to the field of teaching at a qualified Illinois
institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving, not in excess
of 3 years, as a member of the armed services of the United
States; (iii) is a person with a temporary total disability
for a period of time not to exceed 3 years as established by
sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) is seeking and
unable to find full time employment as a teacher at an Illinois
public, private, or parochial preschool or elementary or
secondary school that satisfies the criteria set forth in
subsection (l) of this Section and is able to provide evidence
of that fact; (v) becomes a person with a permanent total
disability as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified
physician; (vi) is taking additional courses, on at least a
half-time basis, needed to obtain licensure as a teacher in
Illinois; or (vii) is fulfilling teaching requirements
associated with other programs administered by the Commission
and cannot concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a
period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation.
(o) Scholarship recipients under this Section who withdraw
from a program of teacher education but remain enrolled in
school to continue their postsecondary studies in another
academic discipline shall not be required to commence
repayment of their Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
so long as they remain enrolled in school on a full-time basis
or if they can document for the Commission special
circumstances that warrant extension of repayment.
(p) If the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
program does not expend at least 90% of the amount
appropriated for the program in a given fiscal year for 3
consecutive fiscal years and the Commission does not receive
enough applications from the groups identified in subsection
(k) on or before January 1 in each of those fiscal years to
meet the percentage reserved for those groups under subsection
(k), then up to 3% of amount appropriated for the program for
each of next 3 fiscal years shall be allocated to increasing
awareness of the program and for the recruitment of Black male
applicants. The Commission shall make a recommendation to the
General Assembly by January 1 of the year immediately
following the end of that third fiscal year regarding whether
the amount allocated to increasing awareness and recruitment
should continue.
(q) Each qualified Illinois institution of higher learning
that receives funds from the Minority Teachers of Illinois
scholarship program shall host an annual information session
at the institution about the program for teacher candidates of
color in accordance with rules adopted by the Commission.
Additionally, the institution shall ensure that each
scholarship recipient enrolled at the institution meets with
an academic advisor at least once per academic year to
facilitate on-time completion of the recipient's educator
preparation program.
(r) The changes made to this Section by Public Act 101-654
this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly will first
take effect with awards made for the 2022-2023 academic year.
(Source: P.A. 101-654, eff. 3-8-21; 102-465, eff. 1-1-22;
revised 9-28-21.)
(110 ILCS 947/52)
Sec. 52. Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program; Golden
Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching.
(a) In this Section, "Foundation" means the Golden Apple
Foundation for Excellence in Teaching, a registered 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit corporation.
(a-2) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois
students, especially minority students, to pursue teaching
careers, especially in teacher shortage disciplines (which
shall be defined to include early childhood education) or at
hard-to-staff schools (as defined by the Commission in
consultation with the State Board of Education), to provide
those students with the crucial mentoring, guidance, and
in-service support that will significantly increase the
likelihood that they will complete their full teaching
commitments and elect to continue teaching in targeted
disciplines and hard-to-staff schools, and to ensure that
students in this State will continue to have access to a pool
of highly-qualified teachers, each qualified student shall be
awarded a Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program
scholarship to any Illinois institution of higher learning.
The Commission shall administer the Golden Apple Scholars of
Illinois Program, which shall be managed by the Foundation
pursuant to the terms of a grant agreement meeting the
requirements of Section 4 of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery
Act.
(a-3) For purposes of this Section, a qualified student
shall be a student who meets the following qualifications:
(1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or
eligible noncitizen of the United States;
(2) is a high school graduate or a person who has
received a State of Illinois High School Diploma high
school equivalency certificate;
(3) is enrolled or accepted, on at least a half-time
basis, at an institution of higher learning;
(4) is pursuing a postsecondary course of study
leading to initial certification or pursuing additional
course work needed to gain State Board of Education
approval to teach, including alternative teacher
licensure; and
(5) is a participant in programs managed by and is
approved to receive a scholarship from the Foundation.
(a-5) (Blank).
(b) (Blank).
(b-5) Funds designated for the Golden Apple Scholars of
Illinois Program shall be used by the Commission for the
payment of scholarship assistance under this Section or for
the award of grant funds, subject to the Illinois Grant Funds
Recovery Act, to the Foundation. Subject to appropriation,
awards of grant funds to the Foundation shall be made on an
annual basis and following an application for grant funds by
the Foundation.
(b-10) Each year, the Foundation shall include in its
application to the Commission for grant funds an estimate of
the amount of scholarship assistance to be provided to
qualified students during the grant period. Any amount of
appropriated funds exceeding the estimated amount of
scholarship assistance may be awarded by the Commission to the
Foundation for management expenses expected to be incurred by
the Foundation in providing the mentoring, guidance, and
in-service supports that will increase the likelihood that
qualified students will complete their teaching commitments
and elect to continue teaching in hard-to-staff schools. If
the estimate of the amount of scholarship assistance described
in the Foundation's application is less than the actual amount
required for the award of scholarship assistance to qualified
students, the Foundation shall be responsible for using
awarded grant funds to ensure all qualified students receive
scholarship assistance under this Section.
(b-15) All grant funds not expended or legally obligated
within the time specified in a grant agreement between the
Foundation and the Commission shall be returned to the
Commission within 45 days. Any funds legally obligated by the
end of a grant agreement shall be liquidated within 45 days or
otherwise returned to the Commission within 90 days after the
end of the grant agreement that resulted in the award of grant
funds.
(c) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be
in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room
and board costs of the Illinois institution of higher learning
at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of
$5,000; except that in the case of a recipient who does not
reside on-campus at the institution of higher learning at
which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship
shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee expenses and a
commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000. All
scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this Section
shall be paid to the institution on behalf of recipients.
(d) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded by
the Commission under this Section to an individual in any
given fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance
awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed the
cost of attendance at the institution of higher learning at
which the student is enrolled. In any academic year for which a
qualified student under this Section accepts financial
assistance through any other teacher scholarship program
administered by the Commission, a qualified student shall not
be eligible for scholarship assistance awarded under this
Section.
(e) A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters or 12
quarters of scholarship assistance under this Section.
Scholarship funds are applicable toward 2 semesters or 3
quarters of enrollment each academic year.
(f) All applications for scholarship assistance to be
awarded under this Section shall be made to the Foundation in a
form determined by the Foundation. Each year, the Foundation
shall notify the Commission of the individuals awarded
scholarship assistance under this Section. Each year, at least
30% of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program
scholarships shall be awarded to students residing in counties
having a population of less than 500,000.
(g) (Blank).
(h) The Commission shall administer the payment of
scholarship assistance provided through the Golden Apple
Scholars of Illinois Program and shall make all necessary and
proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for the
effective implementation of this Section.
(i) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any
academic year, each recipient of a scholarship awarded under
this Section shall be required by the Foundation to sign an
agreement under which the recipient pledges that, within the
2-year period following the termination of the academic
program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the
recipient: (i) shall begin teaching for a period of not less
than 5 years, (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a
nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or
an Illinois public elementary or secondary school that
qualifies for teacher loan cancellation under Section
465(a)(2)(A) of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1087ee(a)(2)(A)) or other Illinois schools deemed
eligible for fulfilling the teaching commitment as designated
by the Foundation, and (iii) shall, upon request of the
Foundation, provide the Foundation with evidence that he or
she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching
agreement provided for in this subsection. Upon request, the
Foundation shall provide evidence of teacher fulfillment to
the Commission.
(j) If a recipient of a scholarship awarded under this
Section fails to fulfill the teaching obligation set forth in
subsection (i) of this Section, the Commission shall require
the recipient to repay the amount of the scholarships
received, prorated according to the fraction of the teaching
obligation not completed, plus interest at a rate of 5% and if
applicable, reasonable collection fees. Payments received by
the Commission under this subsection (j) shall be remitted to
the State Comptroller for deposit into the General Revenue
Fund, except that that portion of a recipient's repayment that
equals the amount in expenses that the Commission has
reasonably incurred in attempting collection from that
recipient shall be remitted to the State Comptroller for
deposit into the Commission's Accounts Receivable Fund.
(k) A recipient of a scholarship awarded by the Foundation
under this Section shall not be considered to have failed to
fulfill the teaching obligations of the agreement entered into
pursuant to subsection (i) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a
full-time basis as a graduate student in a course of study
related to the field of teaching at an institution of higher
learning; (ii) is serving as a member of the armed services of
the United States; (iii) is a person with a temporary total
disability, as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified
physician; (iv) is seeking and unable to find full-time
employment as a teacher at a school that satisfies the
criteria set forth in subsection (i) and is able to provide
evidence of that fact; (v) is taking additional courses, on at
least a half-time basis, needed to obtain certification as a
teacher in Illinois; (vi) is fulfilling teaching requirements
associated with other programs administered by the Commission
and cannot concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a
period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation;
or (vii) is participating in a program established under
Executive Order 10924 of the President of the United States or
the federal National Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12501 et seq.). Any such extension of the period during which
the teaching requirement must be fulfilled shall be subject to
limitations of duration as established by the Commission.
(l) A recipient who fails to fulfill the teaching
obligations of the agreement entered into pursuant to
subsection (i) of this Section shall repay the amount of
scholarship assistance awarded to them under this Section
within 10 years.
(m) Annually, at a time determined by the Commission in
consultation with the Foundation, the Foundation shall submit
a report to assist the Commission in monitoring the
Foundation's performance of grant activities. The report shall
describe the following:
(1) the Foundation's anticipated expenditures for the
next fiscal year;
(2) the number of qualified students receiving
scholarship assistance at each institution of higher
learning where a qualified student was enrolled under this
Section during the previous fiscal year;
(3) the total monetary value of scholarship funds paid
to each institution of higher learning at which a
qualified student was enrolled during the previous fiscal
year;
(4) the number of scholarship recipients who completed
a baccalaureate degree during the previous fiscal year;
(5) the number of scholarship recipients who fulfilled
their teaching obligation during the previous fiscal year;
(6) the number of scholarship recipients who failed to
fulfill their teaching obligation during the previous
fiscal year;
(7) the number of scholarship recipients granted an
extension described in subsection (k) of this Section
during the previous fiscal year;
(8) the number of scholarship recipients required to
repay scholarship assistance in accordance with subsection
(j) of this Section during the previous fiscal year;
(9) the number of scholarship recipients who
successfully repaid scholarship assistance in full during
the previous fiscal year;
(10) the number of scholarship recipients who
defaulted on their obligation to repay scholarship
assistance during the previous fiscal year;
(11) the amount of scholarship assistance subject to
collection in accordance with subsection (j) of this
Section at the end of the previous fiscal year;
(12) the amount of collected funds to be remitted to
the Comptroller in accordance with subsection (j) of this
Section at the end of the previous fiscal year; and
(13) other information that the Commission may
reasonably request.
(n) Nothing in this Section shall affect the rights of the
Commission to collect moneys owed to it by recipients of
scholarship assistance through the Illinois Future Teacher
Corps Program, repealed by this amendatory Act of the 98th
General Assembly.
(o) The Auditor General shall prepare an annual audit of
the operations and finances of the Golden Apple Scholars of
Illinois Program. This audit shall be provided to the
Governor, General Assembly, and the Commission.
(p) The suspension of grant making authority found in
Section 4.2 of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act shall not
apply to grants made pursuant to this Section.
(Source: P.A. 98-533, eff. 8-23-13; 98-718, eff. 1-1-15;
99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
(110 ILCS 947/62)
Sec. 62. Grants for exonerated persons.
(a) In this Section:
"Exonerated person" means an individual who has received a
pardon from the Governor of the State of Illinois stating that
such a pardon is issued on the grounds of innocence of the
crime for which he or she was imprisoned or an individual who
has received a certificate of innocence from a circuit court
pursuant to Section 2-702 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
"Satisfactory academic progress" means the qualified
applicant's maintenance of minimum standards of academic
performance, consistent with requirements for maintaining
federal financial aid eligibility, as determined by the
institution of higher learning.
(b) Subject to a separate appropriation for this purpose,
the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider
applications for grant assistance under this Section.
Recipients of grants issued by the Commission in accordance
with this Section must be exonerated persons. Provided that
the recipient is maintaining satisfactory academic progress,
the funds from the grant may be used to pay up to 8 semesters
or 12 quarters of full payment of tuition and mandatory fees at
any public university or public community college located in
this State for either full or part-time study. This benefit
may be used for undergraduate or graduate study.
In addition, an exonerated person who has not yet received
a high school diploma or a State of Illinois High School
Diploma high school equivalency certificate and completes a
high school equivalency preparation course through an Illinois
Community College Board-approved provider may use grant funds
to pay costs associated with obtaining a State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency certificate,
including payment of the cost of the high school equivalency
test and up to one retest on each test module, and any
additional fees that may be required in order to obtain a State
of Illinois High School Diploma an Illinois High School
Equivalency Certificate or an official transcript of test
scores after successful completion of the high school
equivalency test.
(c) An applicant for a grant under this Section need not
demonstrate financial need to qualify for the benefits.
(d) The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to
implement and administer this Section.
(Source: P.A. 99-199, eff. 1-1-16.)
Section 40. The Illinois Insurance Code is amended by
changing Section 500-50 as follows:
(215 ILCS 5/500-50)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)
Sec. 500-50. Insurance producers; examination statistics.
(a) The use of examinations for the purpose of determining
qualifications of persons to be licensed as insurance
producers has a direct and far-reaching effect on persons
seeking those licenses, on insurance companies, and on the
public. It is in the public interest and it will further the
public welfare to insure that examinations for licensing do
not have the effect of unlawfully discriminating against
applicants for licensing as insurance producers on the basis
of race, color, national origin, or sex.
(b) As used in this Section, the following words have the
meanings given in this subsection.
Examination. "Examination" means the examination in each
line of insurance administered pursuant to Section 500-30.
Examinee. "Examinee" means a person who takes an
examination.
Part. "Part" means a portion of an examination for which a
score is calculated.
Operational item. "Operational item" means a test question
considered in determining an examinee's score.
Test form. "Test form" means the test booklet or
instrument used for a part of an examination.
Pretest item. "Pretest item" means a prospective test
question that is included in a test form in order to assess its
performance, but is not considered in determining an
examinee's score.
Minority group or examinees. "Minority group" or "minority
examinees" means examinees who are American Indian or Alaska
Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino,
or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
Correct-answer rate. "Correct-answer rate" for an item
means the number of examinees who provided the correct answer
on an item divided by the number of examinees who answered the
item.
Correlation. "Correlation" means a statistical measure of
the relationship between performance on an item and
performance on a part of the examination.
(c) The Director shall ask each examinee to self-report on
a voluntary basis on the answer sheet, application form, or by
other appropriate means, the following information:
(1) race or ethnicity (American Indian or Alaska
Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or
Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or
White);
(2) education (8th grade or less; less than 12th
grade; high school diploma or State of Illinois High
School Diploma high school equivalency certificate; some
college, but no 4-year degree; or 4-year degree or more);
and
(3) gender (male or female).
The Director must advise all examinees that they are not
required to provide this information, that they will not be
penalized for not doing so, and that the Director will use the
information provided exclusively for research and statistical
purposes and to improve the quality and fairness of the
examinations.
(d) No later than May 1 of each year, the Director must
prepare, publicly announce, and publish an Examination Report
of summary statistical information relating to each
examination administered during the preceding calendar year.
Each Examination Report shall show with respect to each
examination:
(1) For all examinees combined and separately by race
or ethnicity, by educational level, by gender, by
educational level within race or ethnicity, by education
level within gender, and by race or ethnicity within
gender:
(A) number of examinees;
(B) percentage and number of examinees who passed
each part;
(C) percentage and number of examinees who passed
all parts;
(D) mean scaled scores on each part; and
(E) standard deviation of scaled scores on each
part.
(2) For male examinees, female examinees, Black or
African American examinees, white examinees, American
Indian or Alaska Native examinees, Asian examinees,
Hispanic or Latino examinees, and Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander, respectively, with a high school diploma
or State of Illinois High School Diploma high school
equivalency certificate, the distribution of scaled scores
on each part.
No later than May 1 of each year, the Director must prepare
and make available on request an Item Report of summary
statistical information relating to each operational item on
each test form administered during the preceding calendar
year. The Item Report shall show, for each operational item,
for all examinees combined and separately for Black or African
American examinees, white examinees, American Indian or Alaska
Native examinees, Asian examinees, Hispanic or Latino
examinees, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, the
correct-answer rates and correlations.
The Director is not required to report separate
statistical information for any group or subgroup comprising
fewer than 50 examinees.
(e) The Director must obtain a regular analysis of the
data collected under this Section, and any other relevant
information, for purposes of the development of new test
forms. The analysis shall continue the implementation of the
item selection methodology as recommended in the Final Report
of the Illinois Insurance Producer's Licensing Examination
Advisory Committee dated November 19, 1991, and filed with the
Department unless some other methodology is determined by the
Director to be as effective in minimizing differences between
white and minority examinee pass-fail rates.
(f) The Director has the discretion to set cutoff scores
for the examinations, provided that scaled scores on test
forms administered after July 1, 1993, shall be made
comparable to scaled scores on test forms administered in 1991
by use of professionally acceptable methods so as to minimize
changes in passing rates related to the presence or absence of
or changes in equating or scaling equations or methods or
content outlines. Each calendar year, the scaled cutoff score
for each part of each examination shall fluctuate by no more
than the standard error of measurement from the scaled cutoff
score employed during the preceding year.
(g) No later than May 1, 2003 and no later than May 1 of
every fourth year thereafter, the Director must release to the
public and make generally available one representative test
form and set of answer keys for each part of each examination.
(h) The Director must maintain, for a period of 3 years
after they are prepared or used, all registration forms, test
forms, answer sheets, operational items and pretest items,
item analyses, and other statistical analyses relating to the
examinations. All personal identifying information regarding
examinees and the content of test items must be maintained
confidentially as necessary for purposes of protecting the
personal privacy of examinees and the maintenance of test
security.
(i) In administering the examinations, the Director must
make such accommodations for examinees with disabilities as
are reasonably warranted by the particular disability
involved, including the provision of additional time if
necessary to complete an examination or special assistance in
taking an examination.
(j) For the purposes of this Section:
(1) "American Indian or Alaska Native" means a person
having origins in any of the original peoples of North and
South America, including Central America, and who
maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
(2) "Asian" means a person having origins in any of
the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or
the Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited to,
Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan,
the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
(3) "Black or African American" means a person having
origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
(4) "Hispanic or Latino" means a person of Cuban,
Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other
Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
(5) "Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander" means
a person having origins in any of the original peoples of
Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
(6) "White" means a person having origins in any of
the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North
Africa.
(Source: P.A. 102-465, eff. 1-1-22.)
Section 45. The Nurse Practice Act is amended by changing
Section 80-40 as follows:
(225 ILCS 65/80-40)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
Sec. 80-40. Licensure by examination. An applicant for
licensure by examination to practice as a licensed medication
aide must:
(1) submit a completed written application on forms
provided by the Department and fees as established by the
Department;
(2) be age 18 or older;
(3) have a high school diploma or a State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency certificate;
(4) demonstrate the ability to speak, read, and write
the English language, as determined by rule;
(5) demonstrate competency in math, as determined by
rule;
(6) be currently certified in good standing as a
certified nursing assistant and provide proof of 2,000
hours of practice as a certified nursing assistant within
3 years before application for licensure;
(7) submit to the criminal history records check
required under Section 50-35 of this Act;
(8) have not engaged in conduct or behavior determined
to be grounds for discipline under this Act;
(9) be currently certified to perform cardiopulmonary
resuscitation by the American Heart Association or
American Red Cross;
(10) have successfully completed a course of study
approved by the Department as defined by rule; to be
approved, the program must include a minimum of 60 hours
of classroom-based medication aide education, a minimum of
10 hours of simulation laboratory study, and a minimum of
30 hours of registered nurse-supervised clinical practicum
with progressive responsibility of patient medication
assistance;
(11) have successfully completed the Medication Aide
Certification Examination or other examination authorized
by the Department; and
(12) submit proof of employment by a qualifying
facility.
(Source: P.A. 98-990, eff. 8-18-14; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15.)
Section 50. The Pharmacy Practice Act is amended by
changing Section 9 as follows:
(225 ILCS 85/9) (from Ch. 111, par. 4129)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2023)
Sec. 9. Licensure as registered pharmacy technician.
(a) Any person shall be entitled to licensure as a
registered pharmacy technician who is of the age of 16 or over,
has not engaged in conduct or behavior determined to be
grounds for discipline under this Act, is attending or has
graduated from an accredited high school or comparable school
or educational institution or received a State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency certificate, and
has filed a written or electronic application for licensure on
a form to be prescribed and furnished by the Department for
that purpose. The Department shall issue a license as a
registered pharmacy technician to any applicant who has
qualified as aforesaid, and such license shall be the sole
authority required to assist licensed pharmacists in the
practice of pharmacy, under the supervision of a licensed
pharmacist. A registered pharmacy technician may be delegated
to perform any task within the practice of pharmacy if
specifically trained for that task, except for patient
counseling, drug regimen review, or clinical conflict
resolution.
(b) Beginning on January 1, 2017, within 2 years after
initial licensure as a registered pharmacy technician, the
licensee must meet the requirements described in Section 9.5
of this Act and become licensed as a registered certified
pharmacy technician. If the licensee has not yet attained the
age of 18, then upon the next renewal as a registered pharmacy
technician, the licensee must meet the requirements described
in Section 9.5 of this Act and become licensed as a registered
certified pharmacy technician. This requirement does not apply
to pharmacy technicians registered prior to January 1, 2008.
(c) Any person registered as a pharmacy technician who is
also enrolled in a first professional degree program in
pharmacy in a school or college of pharmacy or a department of
pharmacy of a university approved by the Department or has
graduated from such a program within the last 18 months, shall
be considered a "student pharmacist" and entitled to use the
title "student pharmacist". A student pharmacist must meet all
of the requirements for licensure as a registered pharmacy
technician set forth in this Section excluding the requirement
of certification prior to the second license renewal and pay
the required registered pharmacy technician license fees. A
student pharmacist may, under the supervision of a pharmacist,
assist in the practice of pharmacy and perform any and all
functions delegated to him or her by the pharmacist.
(d) Any person seeking licensure as a pharmacist who has
graduated from a pharmacy program outside the United States
must register as a pharmacy technician and shall be considered
a "student pharmacist" and be entitled to use the title
"student pharmacist" while completing the 1,200 clinical hours
of training approved by the Board of Pharmacy described and
for no more than 18 months after completion of these hours.
These individuals are not required to become registered
certified pharmacy technicians while completing their Board
approved clinical training, but must become licensed as a
pharmacist or become licensed as a registered certified
pharmacy technician before the second pharmacy technician
license renewal following completion of the Board approved
clinical training.
(e) The Department shall not renew the registered pharmacy
technician license of any person who has been licensed as a
registered pharmacy technician with the designation "student
pharmacist" who: (1) has dropped out of or been expelled from
an ACPE accredited college of pharmacy; (2) has failed to
complete his or her 1,200 hours of Board approved clinical
training within 24 months; or (3) has failed the pharmacist
licensure examination 3 times. The Department shall require
these individuals to meet the requirements of and become
licensed as a registered certified pharmacy technician.
(f) The Department may take any action set forth in
Section 30 of this Act with regard to a license pursuant to
this Section.
(g) Any person who is enrolled in a non-traditional
Pharm.D. program at an ACPE accredited college of pharmacy and
is licensed as a registered pharmacist under the laws of
another United States jurisdiction shall be permitted to
engage in the program of practice experience required in the
academic program by virtue of such license. Such person shall
be exempt from the requirement of licensure as a registered
pharmacy technician or registered certified pharmacy
technician while engaged in the program of practice experience
required in the academic program.
An applicant for licensure as a registered pharmacy
technician may assist a pharmacist in the practice of pharmacy
for a period of up to 60 days prior to the issuance of a
license if the applicant has submitted the required fee and an
application for licensure to the Department. The applicant
shall keep a copy of the submitted application on the premises
where the applicant is assisting in the practice of pharmacy.
The Department shall forward confirmation of receipt of the
application with start and expiration dates of practice
pending licensure.
(Source: P.A. 100-497, eff. 9-8-17; 101-621, eff. 1-1-20.)
Section 55. The Structural Pest Control Act is amended by
changing Section 5 as follows:
(225 ILCS 235/5) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 2205)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2029)
Sec. 5. Certification requirements. No individual shall
apply any general use or restricted pesticide while engaged in
commercial structural pest control in this State unless the
individual is engaged in or has completed the training
requirements prescribed by the Department and is certified, or
supervised by someone who is certified, by the Department in
accordance with this Section.
No individual shall apply any restricted pesticide while
engaged in non-commercial structural pest control in this
State unless the individual is engaged in or has completed the
training requirements prescribed by the Department and is
certified or supervised by someone who is certified in
accordance with this Section. In addition, any individual at
any non-commercial structural pest control location using
general use pesticides shall comply with the labeling
requirements of the pesticides used at that location.
Each commercial structural pest control location shall be
required to employ at least one certified technician at each
location. In addition, each non-commercial structural pest
control location utilizing restricted pesticides shall be
required to employ at least one certified technician at each
location. Individuals who are not certified technicians may
work under the supervision of a certified technician employed
at the commercial or non-commercial location who shall be
responsible for their pest control activities. Any technician
providing supervision for the use of restricted pesticides
must be certified in the sub-category for which he is
providing supervision.
A. Any individual engaging in commercial structural pest
control and utilizing general use pesticides must:
1. be at least 18 years of age;
2. hold a high school diploma or State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency certificate;
and
3. have filed an original application, paid the fee
required for examination, and have passed the General
Standards examination.
B. Any individual engaging in commercial or non-commercial
structural pest control and supervising the use of restricted
pesticides in any one of the sub-categories in Section 7 of
this Act must:
1. be at least 18 years of age;
2. hold a high school diploma or a State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency certificate;
and
3. have:
a. six months of practical experience in
structural pest control; or
b. successfully completed a minimum of 16 semester
hours, or their equivalent, in entomology or related
fields from a recognized college or university; or
c. successfully completed a pest control course,
approved by the Department, from a recognized
educational institution or other entity.
Each applicant shall have filed an original application
and paid the fee required for examination. Every applicant who
successfully passes the General Standards examination and at
least one sub-category examination shall be certified in each
sub-category which he has successfully passed.
A certified technician who wishes to be certified in
sub-categories for which he has not been previously certified
may apply for any sub-category examination provided he meets
the requirements set forth in this Section, files an original
application, and pays the fee for examination.
An applicant who fails to pass the General Standards
examination or any sub-category examination may reapply for
that examination, provided that he files an application and
pays the fee required for an original examination.
Re-examination applications shall be on forms prescribed by
the Department.
(Source: P.A. 100-716, eff. 8-3-18.)
Section 60. The Community Association Manager Licensing
and Disciplinary Act is amended by changing Section 40 as
follows:
(225 ILCS 427/40)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)
Sec. 40. Qualifications for licensure as a community
association manager.
(a) No person shall be qualified for licensure as a
community association manager under this Act unless the person
has applied in writing on the prescribed forms and has paid the
required, nonrefundable fees and has met all of the following
qualifications:
(1) Is at least 18 years of age.
(1.5) Successfully completed a 4-year course of study
in a high school, secondary school, or an equivalent
course of study approved by the state in which the school
is located, or possess a State of Illinois High School
Diploma high school equivalency certificate, which shall
be verified under oath by the applicant.
(2) Provided satisfactory evidence of having completed
at least 20 classroom hours in community association
management courses approved by the Board.
(3) Passed an examination authorized by the
Department.
(4) Has not committed an act or acts, in this or any
other jurisdiction, that would be a violation of this Act.
(5) Is of good moral character. In determining moral
character under this Section, the Department may take into
consideration whether the applicant has engaged in conduct
or activities that would constitute grounds for discipline
under this Act. Good moral character is a continuing
requirement of licensure. Conviction of crimes may be used
in determining moral character, but shall not constitute
an absolute bar to licensure.
(6) Has not been declared by any court of competent
jurisdiction to be incompetent by reason of mental or
physical defect or disease, unless subsequently declared
by a court to be competent.
(7) Complies with any additional qualifications for
licensure as determined by rule of the Department.
(b) (Blank).
(c) (Blank).
(d) Applicants have 3 years from the date of application
to complete the application process. If the process has not
been completed within the 3 years, the application shall be
denied, the fee shall be forfeited, and the applicant must
reapply and meet the requirements in effect at the time of
re-application.
(e) The Department shall not require applicants to report
the following information and shall not consider the following
criminal history records in connection with an application for
licensure:
(1) juvenile adjudications of delinquent minors as
defined in Section 5-105 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987
subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 5-130 of
that Act;
(2) law enforcement records, court records, and
conviction records of an individual who was 17 years old
at the time of the offense and before January 1, 2014,
unless the nature of the offense required the individual
to be tried as an adult;
(3) records of arrest not followed by a charge or
conviction;
(4) records of arrest in which the charges were
dismissed unless related to the practice of the
profession; however, applicants shall not be asked to
report any arrests, and an arrest not followed by a
conviction shall not be the basis of a denial and may be
used only to assess an applicant's rehabilitation;
(5) convictions overturned by a higher court; or
(6) convictions or arrests that have been sealed or
expunged.
(f) An applicant or licensee shall report to the
Department, in a manner prescribed by the Department, and
within 30 days after the occurrence if during the term of
licensure: (i) any conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo
contendere to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under
false pretenses, larceny, extortion, conspiracy to defraud, or
any similar offense or offenses or any conviction of a felony
involving moral turpitude; (ii) the entry of an administrative
sanction by a government agency in this State or any other
jurisdiction that has as an essential element dishonesty or
fraud or involves larceny, embezzlement, or obtaining money,
property, or credit by false pretenses; or (iii) any
conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a crime
that subjects the licensee to compliance with the requirements
of the Sex Offender Registration Act.
(Source: P.A. 102-20, eff. 1-1-22.)
Section 65. The Home Inspector License Act is amended by
changing Section 5-10 as follows:
(225 ILCS 441/5-10)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)
Sec. 5-10. Application for home inspector license.
(a) Every natural person who desires to obtain a home
inspector license shall:
(1) apply to the Department in a manner prescribed by
the Department and accompanied by the required fee; all
applications shall contain the information that, in the
judgment of the Department, enables the Department to pass
on the qualifications of the applicant for a license to
practice as a home inspector as set by rule;
(2) be at least 18 years of age;
(3) successfully complete a 4-year course of study in
a high school or secondary school or an equivalent course
of study approved by the state in which the school is
located, or possess a State of Illinois High School
Diploma high school equivalency certificate, which shall
be verified under oath by the applicant;
(4) personally take and pass a written examination and
a field examination authorized by the Department; and
(5) prior to taking the examination, provide evidence
to the Department that the applicant has successfully
completed the prerequisite classroom hours of instruction
in home inspection, as established by rule.
(b) The Department shall not require applicants to report
the following information and shall not consider the following
criminal history records in connection with an application for
licensure or registration:
(1) juvenile adjudications of delinquent minors as
defined in Section 5-105 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987
subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 5-130 of
that Act;
(2) law enforcement records, court records, and
conviction records of an individual who was 17 years old
at the time of the offense and before January 1, 2014,
unless the nature of the offense required the individual
to be tried as an adult;
(3) records of arrest not followed by a charge or
conviction;
(4) records of arrest where the charges were dismissed
unless related to the practice of the profession; however,
applicants shall not be asked to report any arrests, and
an arrest not followed by a conviction shall not be the
basis of denial and may be used only to assess an
applicant's rehabilitation;
(5) convictions overturned by a higher court; or
(6) convictions or arrests that have been sealed or
expunged.
(c) An applicant or licensee shall report to the
Department, in a manner prescribed by the Department, upon
application and within 30 days after the occurrence, if during
the term of licensure, (i) any conviction of or plea of guilty
or nolo contendere to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money
under false pretenses, larceny, extortion, conspiracy to
defraud, or any similar offense or offenses or any conviction
of a felony involving moral turpitude, (ii) the entry of an
administrative sanction by a government agency in this State
or any other jurisdiction that has as an essential element
dishonesty or fraud or involves larceny, embezzlement, or
obtaining money, property, or credit by false pretenses, or
(iii) a crime that subjects the licensee to compliance with
the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration Act.
(d) Applicants have 3 years after the date of the
application to complete the application process. If the
process has not been completed within 3 years, the application
shall be denied, the fee forfeited, and the applicant must
reapply and meet the requirements in effect at the time of
reapplication.
(Source: P.A. 102-20, eff. 1-1-22.)
Section 70. The Real Estate License Act of 2000 is amended
by changing Sections 5-10, 5-27, and 5-28 as follows:
(225 ILCS 454/5-10)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2030)
Sec. 5-10. Requirements for license as a residential
leasing agent; continuing education.
(a) Every applicant for licensure as a residential leasing
agent must meet the following qualifications:
(1) be at least 18 years of age;
(2) be of good moral character;
(3) successfully complete a 4-year course of study in
a high school or secondary school or an equivalent course
of study approved by the state in which the school is
located, or possess a State of Illinois High School
Diploma high school equivalency certificate, which shall
be verified under oath by the applicant;
(4) personally take and pass a written examination
authorized by the Department sufficient to demonstrate the
applicant's knowledge of the provisions of this Act
relating to residential leasing agents and the applicant's
competence to engage in the activities of a licensed
residential leasing agent;
(5) provide satisfactory evidence of having completed
15 hours of instruction in an approved course of study
relating to the leasing of residential real property. The
Board may recommend to the Department the number of hours
each topic of study shall require. The course of study
shall, among other topics, cover the provisions of this
Act applicable to residential leasing agents; fair housing
and human rights issues relating to residential leasing;
advertising and marketing issues; leases, applications,
and credit and criminal background reports; owner-tenant
relationships and owner-tenant laws; the handling of
funds; and environmental issues relating to residential
real property;
(6) complete any other requirements as set forth by
rule; and
(7) present a valid application for issuance of an
initial license accompanied by fees specified by rule.
(b) No applicant shall engage in any of the activities
covered by this Act without a valid license and until a valid
sponsorship has been registered with the Department.
(c) Successfully completed course work, completed pursuant
to the requirements of this Section, may be applied to the
course work requirements to obtain a managing broker's or
broker's license as provided by rule. The Board may recommend
to the Department and the Department may adopt requirements
for approved courses, course content, and the approval of
courses, instructors, and education providers, as well as
education provider and instructor fees. The Department may
establish continuing education requirements for residential
licensed leasing agents, by rule, consistent with the language
and intent of this Act, with the advice of the Board.
(d) The continuing education requirement for residential
leasing agents shall consist of a single core curriculum to be
prescribed by the Department as recommended by the Board.
Leasing agents shall be required to complete no less than 8
hours of continuing education in the core curriculum for each
2-year renewal period. The curriculum shall, at a minimum,
consist of a single course or courses on the subjects of fair
housing and human rights issues related to residential
leasing, advertising and marketing issues, leases,
applications, credit reports, and criminal history, the
handling of funds, owner-tenant relationships and owner-tenant
laws, and environmental issues relating to residential real
estate.
(Source: P.A. 100-188, eff. 1-1-18; 101-357, eff. 8-9-19.)
(225 ILCS 454/5-27)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2030)
Sec. 5-27. Requirements for licensure as a broker.
(a) Every applicant for licensure as a broker must meet
the following qualifications:
(1) Be at least 18 years of age;
(2) Be of good moral character;
(3) Successfully complete a 4-year course of study in
a high school or secondary school approved by the state in
which the school is located, or possess a State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate, which shall be verified under oath by the
applicant;
(4) (Blank);
(5) Provide satisfactory evidence of having completed
75 hours of instruction in real estate courses approved by
the Department, 15 hours of which must consist of
situational and case studies presented in the classroom or
by live, interactive webinar or online distance education
courses;
(6) Personally take and pass a written examination
authorized by the Department;
(7) Present a valid application for issuance of a
license accompanied by the fees specified by rule.
(b) The requirements specified in items (3) and (5) of
subsection (a) of this Section do not apply to applicants who
are currently admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of
Illinois and are currently in active standing.
(c) No applicant shall engage in any of the activities
covered by this Act until a valid sponsorship has been
registered with the Department.
(d) All licenses should be readily available to the public
at the licensee's place of business.
(e) An individual holding an active license as a managing
broker may, upon written request to the Department,
permanently and irrevocably place his or her managing broker
license on inactive status and shall be issued a broker's
license in exchange. Any individual obtaining a broker's
license under this subsection (e) shall be considered as
having obtained a broker's license by education and passing
the required test and shall be treated as such in determining
compliance with this Act.
(Source: P.A. 100-188, eff. 1-1-18; 101-357, eff. 8-9-19.)
(225 ILCS 454/5-28)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2030)
Sec. 5-28. Requirements for licensure as a managing
broker.
(a) Every applicant for licensure as a managing broker
must meet the following qualifications:
(1) be at least 20 years of age;
(2) be of good moral character;
(3) have been licensed at least 2 consecutive years
out of the preceding 3 years as a broker;
(4) successfully complete a 4-year course of study in
high school or secondary school approved by the state in
which the school is located, or a State of Illinois High
School Diploma high school equivalency certificate, which
shall be verified under oath by the applicant;
(5) provide satisfactory evidence of having completed
at least 165 hours, 120 of which shall be those hours
required pre-licensure and post-licensure to obtain a
broker's license, and 45 additional hours completed within
the year immediately preceding the filing of an
application for a managing broker's license, which hours
shall focus on brokerage administration and management and
residential leasing agent management and include at least
15 hours in the classroom or by live, interactive webinar
or online distance education courses;
(6) personally take and pass a written examination
authorized by the Department; and
(7) submit a valid application for issuance of a
license accompanied by the fees specified by rule.
(b) The requirements specified in item (5) of subsection
(a) of this Section do not apply to applicants who are
currently admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of
Illinois and are currently in active standing.
(Source: P.A. 100-188, eff. 1-1-18; 101-357, eff. 8-9-19.)
Section 75. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
changing Sections 4-1.9 and 9A-8 as follows:
(305 ILCS 5/4-1.9) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-1.9)
Sec. 4-1.9. Participation in Educational and Vocational
Training Programs.
(a) A parent or parents and a child age 16 or over not in
regular attendance in school, as defined in Section 4-1.1 as
that Section existed on August 26, 1969 (the effective date of
Public Act 76-1047), for whom education and training is
suitable, must participate in the educational and vocational
training programs provided pursuant to Article IXA.
(b) A parent who is less than 20 years of age and who has
not received a high school diploma or State of Illinois High
School Diploma high school equivalency certificate is required
to be enrolled in school or in an educational program that is
expected to result in the receipt of a high school diploma or
State of Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate, except 18 and 19 year old parents may be assigned
to work activities or training if it is determined based on an
individualized assessment that secondary school is
inappropriate.
(Source: P.A. 89-6, eff. 3-6-95; 90-17, eff. 7-1-97.)
(305 ILCS 5/9A-8) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-8)
Sec. 9A-8. Operation of program.
(a) At the time of application or redetermination of
eligibility under Article IV, as determined by rule, the
Illinois Department shall provide information in writing and
orally regarding the education, training and employment
program to all applicants and recipients. The information
required shall be established by rule and shall include, but
need not be limited to:
(1) education (including literacy training),
employment and training opportunities available, the
criteria for approval of those opportunities, and the
right to request changes in the personal responsibility
and services plan to include those opportunities;
(1.1) a complete list of all activities that are
approvable activities, and the circumstances under which
they are approvable, including work activities, substance
use disorder or mental health treatment, activities to
escape and prevent domestic violence, caring for a
medically impaired family member, and any other approvable
activities, together with the right to and procedures for
amending the responsibility and services plan to include
these activities;
(1.2) the rules concerning the lifetime limit on
eligibility, including the current status of the applicant
or recipient in terms of the months of remaining
eligibility, the criteria under which a month will not
count towards the lifetime limit, and the criteria under
which a recipient may receive benefits beyond the end of
the lifetime limit;
(2) supportive services including child care and the
rules regarding eligibility for and access to the child
care assistance program, transportation, initial expenses
of employment, job retention, books and fees, and any
other supportive services;
(3) the obligation of the Department to provide
supportive services;
(4) the rights and responsibilities of participants,
including exemption, sanction, reconciliation, and good
cause criteria and procedures, termination for
non-cooperation and reinstatement rules and procedures,
and appeal and grievance procedures; and
(5) the types and locations of child care services.
(b) The Illinois Department shall notify the recipient in
writing of the opportunity to volunteer to participate in the
program.
(c) (Blank).
(d) As part of the personal plan for achieving employment
and self-sufficiency, the Department shall conduct an
individualized assessment of the participant's employability.
No participant may be assigned to any component of the
education, training and employment activity prior to such
assessment. The plan shall include collection of information
on the individual's background, proficiencies, skills
deficiencies, education level, work history, employment goals,
interests, aptitudes, and employment preferences, as well as
factors affecting employability or ability to meet
participation requirements (e.g., health, physical or mental
limitations, child care, family circumstances, domestic
violence, sexual violence, substance use disorders, and
special needs of any child of the individual). As part of the
plan, individuals and Department staff shall work together to
identify any supportive service needs required to enable the
client to participate and meet the objectives of his or her
employability plan. The assessment may be conducted through
various methods such as interviews, testing, counseling, and
self-assessment instruments. In the assessment process, the
Department shall offer to include standard literacy testing
and a determination of English language proficiency and shall
provide it for those who accept the offer. Based on the
assessment, the individual will be assigned to the appropriate
activity. The decision will be based on a determination of the
individual's level of preparation for employment as defined by
rule.
(e) Recipients determined to be exempt may volunteer to
participate pursuant to Section 9A-4 and must be assessed.
(f) As part of the personal plan for achieving employment
and self-sufficiency under Section 4-1, an employability plan
for recipients shall be developed in consultation with the
participant. The Department shall have final responsibility
for approving the employability plan. The employability plan
shall:
(1) contain an employment goal of the participant;
(2) describe the services to be provided by the
Department, including child care and other support
services;
(3) describe the activities, such as component
assignment, that will be undertaken by the participant to
achieve the employment goal. The Department shall treat
participation in high school and high school equivalency
programs as a core activity and count participation in
high school and high school equivalency programs toward
the first 20 hours per week of participation. The
Department shall approve participation in high school or
high school equivalency programs upon written or oral
request of the participant if he or she has not already
earned a high school diploma or a State of Illinois High
School Diploma high school equivalency certificate.
However, participation in high school or high school
equivalency programs may be delayed as part of an
applicant's or recipient's personal plan for achieving
employment and self-sufficiency if it is determined that
the benefit from participating in another activity, such
as, but not limited to, treatment for a substance use
disorder or an English proficiency program, would be
greater to the applicant or recipient than participation
in high school or a high school equivalency program. The
availability of high school and high school equivalency
programs may also delay enrollment in those programs. The
Department shall treat such activities as a core activity
as long as satisfactory progress is made, as determined by
the high school or high school equivalency program. Proof
of satisfactory progress shall be provided by the
participant or the school at the end of each academic
term; and
(4) describe any other needs of the family that might
be met by the Department.
(g) The employability plan shall take into account:
(1) available program resources;
(2) the participant's support service needs;
(3) the participant's skills level and aptitudes;
(4) local employment opportunities; and
(5) the preferences of the participant.
(h) A reassessment shall be conducted to assess a
participant's progress and to review the employability plan on
the following occasions:
(1) upon completion of an activity and before
assignment to an activity;
(2) upon the request of the participant;
(3) if the individual is not cooperating with the
requirements of the program; and
(4) if the individual has failed to make satisfactory
progress in an education or training program.
Based on the reassessment, the Department may revise the
employability plan of the participant.
(Source: P.A. 99-746, eff. 1-1-17; 100-759, eff. 1-1-19.)
Section 80. The Firearm Concealed Carry Act is amended by
changing Section 80 as follows:
(430 ILCS 66/80)
Sec. 80. Certified firearms instructors.
(a) Within 60 days of the effective date of this Act, the
Illinois State Police shall begin approval of certified
firearms instructors and enter certified firearms instructors
into an online registry on the Illinois State Police's
website.
(b) A person who is not a certified firearms instructor
shall not teach applicant training courses or advertise or
otherwise represent courses they teach as qualifying their
students to meet the requirements to receive a license under
this Act. Each violation of this subsection is a business
offense with a fine of at least $1,000 per violation.
(c) A person seeking to become a certified firearms
instructor shall:
(1) be at least 21 years of age;
(2) be a legal resident of the United States; and
(3) meet the requirements of Section 25 of this Act,
except for the Illinois residency requirement in item
(xiv) of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Section 4 of
the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act; and any
additional uniformly applied requirements established by
the Illinois State Police.
(d) A person seeking to become a certified firearms
instructor, in addition to the requirements of subsection (c)
of this Section, shall:
(1) possess a high school diploma or State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency certificate;
and
(2) have at least one of the following valid firearms
instructor certifications:
(A) certification from a law enforcement agency;
(B) certification from a firearm instructor course
offered by a State or federal governmental agency;
(C) certification from a firearm instructor
qualification course offered by the Illinois Law
Enforcement Training Standards Board; or
(D) certification from an entity approved by the
Illinois State Police that offers firearm instructor
education and training in the use and safety of
firearms.
(e) A person may have his or her firearms instructor
certification denied or revoked if he or she does not meet the
requirements to obtain a license under this Act, provides
false or misleading information to the Illinois State Police,
or has had a prior instructor certification revoked or denied
by the Illinois State Police.
(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)
Section 85. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
changing Sections 6-107 and 6-408.5 as follows:
(625 ILCS 5/6-107) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-107)
Sec. 6-107. Graduated license.
(a) The purpose of the Graduated Licensing Program is to
develop safe and mature driving habits in young, inexperienced
drivers and reduce or prevent motor vehicle accidents,
fatalities, and injuries by:
(1) providing for an increase in the time of practice
period before granting permission to obtain a driver's
license;
(2) strengthening driver licensing and testing
standards for persons under the age of 21 years;
(3) sanctioning driving privileges of drivers under
age 21 who have committed serious traffic violations or
other specified offenses; and
(4) setting stricter standards to promote the public's
health and safety.
(b) The application of any person under the age of 18
years, and not legally emancipated, for a drivers license or
permit to operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of this
State, shall be accompanied by the written consent of either
parent of the applicant; otherwise by the guardian having
custody of the applicant, or in the event there is no parent or
guardian, then by another responsible adult. The written
consent must accompany any application for a driver's license
under this subsection (b), regardless of whether or not the
required written consent also accompanied the person's
previous application for an instruction permit.
No graduated driver's license shall be issued to any
applicant under 18 years of age, unless the applicant is at
least 16 years of age and has:
(1) Held a valid instruction permit for a minimum of 9
months.
(2) Passed an approved driver education course and
submits proof of having passed the course as may be
required.
(3) Certification by the parent, legal guardian, or
responsible adult that the applicant has had a minimum of
50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice time, at least 10
hours of which have been at night, and is sufficiently
prepared and able to safely operate a motor vehicle.
(b-1) No graduated driver's license shall be issued to any
applicant who is under 18 years of age and not legally
emancipated, unless the applicant has graduated from a
secondary school of this State or any other state, is enrolled
in a course leading to a State of Illinois High School Diploma
high school equivalency certificate, has obtained a State of
Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate, is enrolled in an elementary or secondary school
or college or university of this State or any other state and
is not a chronic or habitual truant as provided in Section
26-2a of the School Code, or is receiving home instruction and
submits proof of meeting any of those requirements at the time
of application.
An applicant under 18 years of age who provides proof
acceptable to the Secretary that the applicant has resumed
regular school attendance or home instruction or that his or
her application was denied in error shall be eligible to
receive a graduated license if other requirements are met. The
Secretary shall adopt rules for implementing this subsection
(b-1).
(c) No graduated driver's license or permit shall be
issued to any applicant under 18 years of age who has committed
the offense of operating a motor vehicle without a valid
license or permit in violation of Section 6-101 of this Code or
a similar out of state offense and no graduated driver's
license or permit shall be issued to any applicant under 18
years of age who has committed an offense that would otherwise
result in a mandatory revocation of a license or permit as
provided in Section 6-205 of this Code or who has been either
convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent based upon a
violation of the Cannabis Control Act, the Illinois Controlled
Substances Act, the Use of Intoxicating Compounds Act, or the
Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act while
that individual was in actual physical control of a motor
vehicle. For purposes of this Section, any person placed on
probation under Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act,
Section 410 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or
Section 70 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community
Protection Act shall not be considered convicted. Any person
found guilty of this offense, while in actual physical control
of a motor vehicle, shall have an entry made in the court
record by the judge that this offense did occur while the
person was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle and
order the clerk of the court to report the violation to the
Secretary of State as such.
(d) No graduated driver's license shall be issued for 9
months to any applicant under the age of 18 years who has
committed and subsequently been convicted of an offense
against traffic regulations governing the movement of
vehicles, any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of
this Code, or who has received a disposition of court
supervision for a violation of Section 6-20 of the Illinois
Liquor Control Act of 1934 or a similar provision of a local
ordinance.
(e) No graduated driver's license holder under the age of
18 years shall operate any motor vehicle, except a motor
driven cycle or motorcycle, with more than one passenger in
the front seat of the motor vehicle and no more passengers in
the back seats than the number of available seat safety belts
as set forth in Section 12-603 of this Code. If a graduated
driver's license holder over the age of 18 committed an
offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of
vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1
of this Code in the 6 months prior to the graduated driver's
license holder's 18th birthday, and was subsequently convicted
of the violation, the provisions of this paragraph shall
continue to apply until such time as a period of 6 consecutive
months has elapsed without an additional violation and
subsequent conviction of an offense against traffic
regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any
violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code.
(f) (Blank).
(g) If a graduated driver's license holder is under the
age of 18 when he or she receives the license, for the first 12
months he or she holds the license or until he or she reaches
the age of 18, whichever occurs sooner, the graduated license
holder may not operate a motor vehicle with more than one
passenger in the vehicle who is under the age of 20, unless any
additional passenger or passengers are siblings,
step-siblings, children, or stepchildren of the driver. If a
graduated driver's license holder committed an offense against
traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any
violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code
during the first 12 months the license is held and
subsequently is convicted of the violation, the provisions of
this paragraph shall remain in effect until such time as a
period of 6 consecutive months has elapsed without an
additional violation and subsequent conviction of an offense
against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles
or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this
Code.
(h) It shall be an offense for a person that is age 15, but
under age 20, to be a passenger in a vehicle operated by a
driver holding a graduated driver's license during the first
12 months the driver holds the license or until the driver
reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs sooner, if another
passenger under the age of 20 is present, excluding a sibling,
step-sibling, child, or step-child of the driver.
(i) No graduated driver's license shall be issued to any
applicant under the age of 18 years if the applicant has been
issued a traffic citation for which a disposition has not been
rendered at the time of application.
(Source: P.A. 97-229, eff. 7-28-11; 97-835, eff. 7-20-12;
98-168, eff. 1-1-14; 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
(625 ILCS 5/6-408.5)
Sec. 6-408.5. Courses for students or high school
dropouts; limitation.
(a) No driver training school or driving training
instructor licensed under this Act may request a certificate
of completion from the Secretary of State as provided in
Section 6-411 for any person who is enrolled as a student in
any public or non-public secondary school at the time such
instruction is to be provided, or who was so enrolled during
the semester last ended if that instruction is to be provided
between semesters or during the summer after the regular
school term ends, unless that student has received a passing
grade in at least 8 courses during the 2 semesters last ending
prior to requesting a certificate of completion from the
Secretary of State for the student.
(b) No driver training school or driving training
instructor licensed under this Act may request a certificate
of completion from the Secretary of State as provided in
Section 6-411 for any person who has dropped out of school and
has not yet attained the age of 18 years unless the driver
training school or driving training instructor has: 1)
obtained written documentation verifying the dropout's
enrollment in a high school equivalency testing or alternative
education program or has obtained a copy of the dropout's
State of Illinois High School Diploma high school equivalency
certificate; 2) obtained verification that the student prior
to dropping out had received a passing grade in at least 8
courses during the 2 previous semesters last ending prior to
requesting a certificate of completion; or 3) obtained written
consent from the dropout's parents or guardians and the
regional superintendent.
(c) Students shall be informed of the eligibility
requirements of this Act in writing at the time of
registration.
(d) The superintendent of schools of the school district
in which the student resides and attends school or in which the
student resides at the time he or she drops out of school (with
respect to a public high school student or a dropout from the
public high school) or the chief school administrator (with
respect to a student who attends a non-public high school or a
dropout from a non-public high school) may waive the
requirements of this Section if the superintendent or chief
school administrator, as the case may be, deems it to be in the
best interests of the student or dropout. Before requesting a
certificate of completion from the Secretary of State for any
person who is enrolled as a student in any public or non-public
secondary school or who was so enrolled in the semester last
ending prior to the request for a certificate of completion
from the Secretary of State or who is of high school age, the
driver training school shall determine from the school
district in which that person resides or resided at the time of
dropping out of school, or from the chief administrator of the
non-public high school attended or last attended by such
person, as the case may be, that such person is not ineligible
to receive a certificate of completion under this Section.
(Source: P.A. 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
Section 90. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by
changing Sections 3-6-3, 3-6-8, and 5-8-1.3 as follows:
(730 ILCS 5/3-6-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-6-3)
Sec. 3-6-3. Rules and regulations for sentence credit.
(a)(1) The Department of Corrections shall prescribe rules
and regulations for awarding and revoking sentence credit for
persons committed to the Department which shall be subject to
review by the Prisoner Review Board.
(1.5) As otherwise provided by law, sentence credit may be
awarded for the following:
(A) successful completion of programming while in
custody of the Department or while in custody prior to
sentencing;
(B) compliance with the rules and regulations of the
Department; or
(C) service to the institution, service to a
community, or service to the State.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations on sentence credit
shall provide, with respect to offenses listed in clause (i),
(ii), or (iii) of this paragraph (2) committed on or after June
19, 1998 or with respect to the offense listed in clause (iv)
of this paragraph (2) committed on or after June 23, 2005 (the
effective date of Public Act 94-71) or with respect to offense
listed in clause (vi) committed on or after June 1, 2008 (the
effective date of Public Act 95-625) or with respect to the
offense of being an armed habitual criminal committed on or
after August 2, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 94-398)
or with respect to the offenses listed in clause (v) of this
paragraph (2) committed on or after August 13, 2007 (the
effective date of Public Act 95-134) or with respect to the
offense of aggravated domestic battery committed on or after
July 23, 2010 (the effective date of Public Act 96-1224) or
with respect to the offense of attempt to commit terrorism
committed on or after January 1, 2013 (the effective date of
Public Act 97-990), the following:
(i) that a prisoner who is serving a term of
imprisonment for first degree murder or for the offense of
terrorism shall receive no sentence credit and shall serve
the entire sentence imposed by the court;
(ii) that a prisoner serving a sentence for attempt to
commit terrorism, attempt to commit first degree murder,
solicitation of murder, solicitation of murder for hire,
intentional homicide of an unborn child, predatory
criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal
sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, aggravated
kidnapping, aggravated battery with a firearm as described
in Section 12-4.2 or subdivision (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3),
or (e)(4) of Section 12-3.05, heinous battery as described
in Section 12-4.1 or subdivision (a)(2) of Section
12-3.05, being an armed habitual criminal, aggravated
battery of a senior citizen as described in Section 12-4.6
or subdivision (a)(4) of Section 12-3.05, or aggravated
battery of a child as described in Section 12-4.3 or
subdivision (b)(1) of Section 12-3.05 shall receive no
more than 4.5 days of sentence credit for each month of his
or her sentence of imprisonment;
(iii) that a prisoner serving a sentence for home
invasion, armed robbery, aggravated vehicular hijacking,
aggravated discharge of a firearm, or armed violence with
a category I weapon or category II weapon, when the court
has made and entered a finding, pursuant to subsection
(c-1) of Section 5-4-1 of this Code, that the conduct
leading to conviction for the enumerated offense resulted
in great bodily harm to a victim, shall receive no more
than 4.5 days of sentence credit for each month of his or
her sentence of imprisonment;
(iv) that a prisoner serving a sentence for aggravated
discharge of a firearm, whether or not the conduct leading
to conviction for the offense resulted in great bodily
harm to the victim, shall receive no more than 4.5 days of
sentence credit for each month of his or her sentence of
imprisonment;
(v) that a person serving a sentence for gunrunning,
narcotics racketeering, controlled substance trafficking,
methamphetamine trafficking, drug-induced homicide,
aggravated methamphetamine-related child endangerment,
money laundering pursuant to clause (c) (4) or (5) of
Section 29B-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal
Code of 2012, or a Class X felony conviction for delivery
of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled
substance with intent to manufacture or deliver,
calculated criminal drug conspiracy, criminal drug
conspiracy, street gang criminal drug conspiracy,
participation in methamphetamine manufacturing,
aggravated participation in methamphetamine
manufacturing, delivery of methamphetamine, possession
with intent to deliver methamphetamine, aggravated
delivery of methamphetamine, aggravated possession with
intent to deliver methamphetamine, methamphetamine
conspiracy when the substance containing the controlled
substance or methamphetamine is 100 grams or more shall
receive no more than 7.5 days sentence credit for each
month of his or her sentence of imprisonment;
(vi) that a prisoner serving a sentence for a second
or subsequent offense of luring a minor shall receive no
more than 4.5 days of sentence credit for each month of his
or her sentence of imprisonment; and
(vii) that a prisoner serving a sentence for
aggravated domestic battery shall receive no more than 4.5
days of sentence credit for each month of his or her
sentence of imprisonment.
(2.1) For all offenses, other than those enumerated in
subdivision (a)(2)(i), (ii), or (iii) committed on or after
June 19, 1998 or subdivision (a)(2)(iv) committed on or after
June 23, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 94-71) or
subdivision (a)(2)(v) committed on or after August 13, 2007
(the effective date of Public Act 95-134) or subdivision
(a)(2)(vi) committed on or after June 1, 2008 (the effective
date of Public Act 95-625) or subdivision (a)(2)(vii)
committed on or after July 23, 2010 (the effective date of
Public Act 96-1224), and other than the offense of aggravated
driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs,
or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination
thereof as defined in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of
subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code,
and other than the offense of aggravated driving under the
influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating
compound or compounds, or any combination thereof as defined
in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of
Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code committed on or
after January 1, 2011 (the effective date of Public Act
96-1230), the rules and regulations shall provide that a
prisoner who is serving a term of imprisonment shall receive
one day of sentence credit for each day of his or her sentence
of imprisonment or recommitment under Section 3-3-9. Each day
of sentence credit shall reduce by one day the prisoner's
period of imprisonment or recommitment under Section 3-3-9.
(2.2) A prisoner serving a term of natural life
imprisonment or a prisoner who has been sentenced to death
shall receive no sentence credit.
(2.3) Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations on sentence credit
shall provide that a prisoner who is serving a sentence for
aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug
or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any
combination thereof as defined in subparagraph (F) of
paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the
Illinois Vehicle Code, shall receive no more than 4.5 days of
sentence credit for each month of his or her sentence of
imprisonment.
(2.4) Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations on sentence credit
shall provide with respect to the offenses of aggravated
battery with a machine gun or a firearm equipped with any
device or attachment designed or used for silencing the report
of a firearm or aggravated discharge of a machine gun or a
firearm equipped with any device or attachment designed or
used for silencing the report of a firearm, committed on or
after July 15, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-121),
that a prisoner serving a sentence for any of these offenses
shall receive no more than 4.5 days of sentence credit for each
month of his or her sentence of imprisonment.
(2.5) Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations on sentence credit
shall provide that a prisoner who is serving a sentence for
aggravated arson committed on or after July 27, 2001 (the
effective date of Public Act 92-176) shall receive no more
than 4.5 days of sentence credit for each month of his or her
sentence of imprisonment.
(2.6) Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations on sentence credit
shall provide that a prisoner who is serving a sentence for
aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug
or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds or any
combination thereof as defined in subparagraph (C) of
paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the
Illinois Vehicle Code committed on or after January 1, 2011
(the effective date of Public Act 96-1230) shall receive no
more than 4.5 days of sentence credit for each month of his or
her sentence of imprisonment.
(3) In addition to the sentence credits earned under
paragraphs (2.1), (4), (4.1), (4.2), and (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations shall also provide
that the Director may award up to 180 days of earned sentence
credit for prisoners serving a sentence of incarceration of
less than 5 years, and up to 365 days of earned sentence credit
for prisoners serving a sentence of 5 years or longer. The
Director may grant this credit for good conduct in specific
instances as the Director deems proper. The good conduct may
include, but is not limited to, compliance with the rules and
regulations of the Department, service to the Department,
service to a community, or service to the State.
Eligible inmates for an award of earned sentence credit
under this paragraph (3) may be selected to receive the credit
at the Director's or his or her designee's sole discretion.
Eligibility for the additional earned sentence credit under
this paragraph (3) may be based on, but is not limited to,
participation in programming offered by the Department as
appropriate for the prisoner based on the results of any
available risk/needs assessment or other relevant assessments
or evaluations administered by the Department using a
validated instrument, the circumstances of the crime,
demonstrated commitment to rehabilitation by a prisoner with a
history of conviction for a forcible felony enumerated in
Section 2-8 of the Criminal Code of 2012, the inmate's
behavior and improvements in disciplinary history while
incarcerated, and the inmate's commitment to rehabilitation,
including participation in programming offered by the
Department.
The Director shall not award sentence credit under this
paragraph (3) to an inmate unless the inmate has served a
minimum of 60 days of the sentence; except nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to permit the Director to extend
an inmate's sentence beyond that which was imposed by the
court. Prior to awarding credit under this paragraph (3), the
Director shall make a written determination that the inmate:
(A) is eligible for the earned sentence credit;
(B) has served a minimum of 60 days, or as close to 60
days as the sentence will allow;
(B-1) has received a risk/needs assessment or other
relevant evaluation or assessment administered by the
Department using a validated instrument; and
(C) has met the eligibility criteria established by
rule for earned sentence credit.
The Director shall determine the form and content of the
written determination required in this subsection.
(3.5) The Department shall provide annual written reports
to the Governor and the General Assembly on the award of earned
sentence credit no later than February 1 of each year. The
Department must publish both reports on its website within 48
hours of transmitting the reports to the Governor and the
General Assembly. The reports must include:
(A) the number of inmates awarded earned sentence
credit;
(B) the average amount of earned sentence credit
awarded;
(C) the holding offenses of inmates awarded earned
sentence credit; and
(D) the number of earned sentence credit revocations.
(4)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations shall also provide
that any prisoner who is engaged full-time in substance abuse
programs, correctional industry assignments, educational
programs, work-release programs or activities in accordance
with Article 13 of Chapter III of this Code, behavior
modification programs, life skills courses, or re-entry
planning provided by the Department under this paragraph (4)
and satisfactorily completes the assigned program as
determined by the standards of the Department, shall receive
one day of sentence credit for each day in which that prisoner
is engaged in the activities described in this paragraph. The
rules and regulations shall also provide that sentence credit
may be provided to an inmate who was held in pre-trial
detention prior to his or her current commitment to the
Department of Corrections and successfully completed a
full-time, 60-day or longer substance abuse program,
educational program, behavior modification program, life
skills course, or re-entry planning provided by the county
department of corrections or county jail. Calculation of this
county program credit shall be done at sentencing as provided
in Section 5-4.5-100 of this Code and shall be included in the
sentencing order. The rules and regulations shall also provide
that sentence credit may be provided to an inmate who is in
compliance with programming requirements in an adult
transition center.
(B) The Department shall award sentence credit under this
paragraph (4) accumulated prior to January 1, 2020 (the
effective date of Public Act 101-440) in an amount specified
in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph (4) to an inmate serving
a sentence for an offense committed prior to June 19, 1998, if
the Department determines that the inmate is entitled to this
sentence credit, based upon:
(i) documentation provided by the Department that the
inmate engaged in any full-time substance abuse programs,
correctional industry assignments, educational programs,
behavior modification programs, life skills courses, or
re-entry planning provided by the Department under this
paragraph (4) and satisfactorily completed the assigned
program as determined by the standards of the Department
during the inmate's current term of incarceration; or
(ii) the inmate's own testimony in the form of an
affidavit or documentation, or a third party's
documentation or testimony in the form of an affidavit
that the inmate likely engaged in any full-time substance
abuse programs, correctional industry assignments,
educational programs, behavior modification programs, life
skills courses, or re-entry planning provided by the
Department under paragraph (4) and satisfactorily
completed the assigned program as determined by the
standards of the Department during the inmate's current
term of incarceration.
(C) If the inmate can provide documentation that he or she
is entitled to sentence credit under subparagraph (B) in
excess of 45 days of participation in those programs, the
inmate shall receive 90 days of sentence credit. If the inmate
cannot provide documentation of more than 45 days of
participation in those programs, the inmate shall receive 45
days of sentence credit. In the event of a disagreement
between the Department and the inmate as to the amount of
credit accumulated under subparagraph (B), if the Department
provides documented proof of a lesser amount of days of
participation in those programs, that proof shall control. If
the Department provides no documentary proof, the inmate's
proof as set forth in clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) shall
control as to the amount of sentence credit provided.
(D) If the inmate has been convicted of a sex offense as
defined in Section 2 of the Sex Offender Registration Act,
sentencing credits under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph
(4) shall be awarded by the Department only if the conditions
set forth in paragraph (4.6) of subsection (a) are satisfied.
No inmate serving a term of natural life imprisonment shall
receive sentence credit under subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph (4).
Educational, vocational, substance abuse, behavior
modification programs, life skills courses, re-entry planning,
and correctional industry programs under which sentence credit
may be earned under this paragraph (4) and paragraph (4.1) of
this subsection (a) shall be evaluated by the Department on
the basis of documented standards. The Department shall report
the results of these evaluations to the Governor and the
General Assembly by September 30th of each year. The reports
shall include data relating to the recidivism rate among
program participants.
Availability of these programs shall be subject to the
limits of fiscal resources appropriated by the General
Assembly for these purposes. Eligible inmates who are denied
immediate admission shall be placed on a waiting list under
criteria established by the Department. The rules and
regulations shall provide that a prisoner who has been placed
on a waiting list but is transferred for non-disciplinary
reasons before beginning a program shall receive priority
placement on the waitlist for appropriate programs at the new
facility. The inability of any inmate to become engaged in any
such programs by reason of insufficient program resources or
for any other reason established under the rules and
regulations of the Department shall not be deemed a cause of
action under which the Department or any employee or agent of
the Department shall be liable for damages to the inmate. The
rules and regulations shall provide that a prisoner who begins
an educational, vocational, substance abuse, work-release
programs or activities in accordance with Article 13 of
Chapter III of this Code, behavior modification program, life
skills course, re-entry planning, or correctional industry
programs but is unable to complete the program due to illness,
disability, transfer, lockdown, or another reason outside of
the prisoner's control shall receive prorated sentence credits
for the days in which the prisoner did participate.
(4.1) Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this
subsection (a), the rules and regulations shall also provide
that an additional 90 days of sentence credit shall be awarded
to any prisoner who passes high school equivalency testing
while the prisoner is committed to the Department of
Corrections. The sentence credit awarded under this paragraph
(4.1) shall be in addition to, and shall not affect, the award
of sentence credit under any other paragraph of this Section,
but shall also be pursuant to the guidelines and restrictions
set forth in paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of this Section.
The sentence credit provided for in this paragraph shall be
available only to those prisoners who have not previously
earned a high school diploma or a State of Illinois High School
Diploma high school equivalency certificate. If, after an
award of the high school equivalency testing sentence credit
has been made, the Department determines that the prisoner was
not eligible, then the award shall be revoked. The Department
may also award 90 days of sentence credit to any committed
person who passed high school equivalency testing while he or
she was held in pre-trial detention prior to the current
commitment to the Department of Corrections. Except as
provided in paragraph (4.7) of this subsection (a), the rules
and regulations shall provide that an additional 120 days of
sentence credit shall be awarded to any prisoner who obtains
an associate degree while the prisoner is committed to the
Department of Corrections, regardless of the date that the
associate degree was obtained, including if prior to July 1,
2021 (the effective date of Public Act 101-652). The sentence
credit awarded under this paragraph (4.1) shall be in addition
to, and shall not affect, the award of sentence credit under
any other paragraph of this Section, but shall also be under
the guidelines and restrictions set forth in paragraph (4) of
subsection (a) of this Section. The sentence credit provided
for in this paragraph (4.1) shall be available only to those
prisoners who have not previously earned an associate degree
prior to the current commitment to the Department of
Corrections. If, after an award of the associate degree
sentence credit has been made and the Department determines
that the prisoner was not eligible, then the award shall be
revoked. The Department may also award 120 days of sentence
credit to any committed person who earned an associate degree
while he or she was held in pre-trial detention prior to the
current commitment to the Department of Corrections.
Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this subsection
(a), the rules and regulations shall provide that an
additional 180 days of sentence credit shall be awarded to any
prisoner who obtains a bachelor's degree while the prisoner is
committed to the Department of Corrections. The sentence
credit awarded under this paragraph (4.1) shall be in addition
to, and shall not affect, the award of sentence credit under
any other paragraph of this Section, but shall also be under
the guidelines and restrictions set forth in paragraph (4) of
this subsection (a). The sentence credit provided for in this
paragraph shall be available only to those prisoners who have
not earned a bachelor's degree prior to the current commitment
to the Department of Corrections. If, after an award of the
bachelor's degree sentence credit has been made, the
Department determines that the prisoner was not eligible, then
the award shall be revoked. The Department may also award 180
days of sentence credit to any committed person who earned a
bachelor's degree while he or she was held in pre-trial
detention prior to the current commitment to the Department of
Corrections.
Except as provided in paragraph (4.7) of this subsection
(a), the rules and regulations shall provide that an
additional 180 days of sentence credit shall be awarded to any
prisoner who obtains a master's or professional degree while
the prisoner is committed to the Department of Corrections.
The sentence credit awarded under this paragraph (4.1) shall
be in addition to, and shall not affect, the award of sentence
credit under any other paragraph of this Section, but shall
also be under the guidelines and restrictions set forth in
paragraph (4) of this subsection (a). The sentence credit
provided for in this paragraph shall be available only to
those prisoners who have not previously earned a master's or
professional degree prior to the current commitment to the
Department of Corrections. If, after an award of the master's
or professional degree sentence credit has been made, the
Department determines that the prisoner was not eligible, then
the award shall be revoked. The Department may also award 180
days of sentence credit to any committed person who earned a
master's or professional degree while he or she was held in
pre-trial detention prior to the current commitment to the
Department of Corrections.
(4.2) The rules and regulations shall also provide that
any prisoner engaged in self-improvement programs, volunteer
work, or work assignments that are not otherwise eligible
activities under paragraph (4), shall receive up to 0.5 days
of sentence credit for each day in which the prisoner is
engaged in activities described in this paragraph.
(4.5) The rules and regulations on sentence credit shall
also provide that when the court's sentencing order recommends
a prisoner for substance abuse treatment and the crime was
committed on or after September 1, 2003 (the effective date of
Public Act 93-354), the prisoner shall receive no sentence
credit awarded under clause (3) of this subsection (a) unless
he or she participates in and completes a substance abuse
treatment program. The Director may waive the requirement to
participate in or complete a substance abuse treatment program
in specific instances if the prisoner is not a good candidate
for a substance abuse treatment program for medical,
programming, or operational reasons. Availability of substance
abuse treatment shall be subject to the limits of fiscal
resources appropriated by the General Assembly for these
purposes. If treatment is not available and the requirement to
participate and complete the treatment has not been waived by
the Director, the prisoner shall be placed on a waiting list
under criteria established by the Department. The Director may
allow a prisoner placed on a waiting list to participate in and
complete a substance abuse education class or attend substance
abuse self-help meetings in lieu of a substance abuse
treatment program. A prisoner on a waiting list who is not
placed in a substance abuse program prior to release may be
eligible for a waiver and receive sentence credit under clause
(3) of this subsection (a) at the discretion of the Director.
(4.6) The rules and regulations on sentence credit shall
also provide that a prisoner who has been convicted of a sex
offense as defined in Section 2 of the Sex Offender
Registration Act shall receive no sentence credit unless he or
she either has successfully completed or is participating in
sex offender treatment as defined by the Sex Offender
Management Board. However, prisoners who are waiting to
receive treatment, but who are unable to do so due solely to
the lack of resources on the part of the Department, may, at
the Director's sole discretion, be awarded sentence credit at
a rate as the Director shall determine.
(4.7) On or after January 1, 2018 (the effective date of
Public Act 100-3), sentence credit under paragraph (3), (4),
or (4.1) of this subsection (a) may be awarded to a prisoner
who is serving a sentence for an offense described in
paragraph (2), (2.3), (2.4), (2.5), or (2.6) for credit earned
on or after January 1, 2018 (the effective date of Public Act
100-3); provided, the award of the credits under this
paragraph (4.7) shall not reduce the sentence of the prisoner
to less than the following amounts:
(i) 85% of his or her sentence if the prisoner is
required to serve 85% of his or her sentence; or
(ii) 60% of his or her sentence if the prisoner is
required to serve 75% of his or her sentence, except if the
prisoner is serving a sentence for gunrunning his or her
sentence shall not be reduced to less than 75%.
(iii) 100% of his or her sentence if the prisoner is
required to serve 100% of his or her sentence.
(5) Whenever the Department is to release any inmate
earlier than it otherwise would because of a grant of earned
sentence credit under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this
Section given at any time during the term, the Department
shall give reasonable notice of the impending release not less
than 14 days prior to the date of the release to the State's
Attorney of the county where the prosecution of the inmate
took place, and if applicable, the State's Attorney of the
county into which the inmate will be released. The Department
must also make identification information and a recent photo
of the inmate being released accessible on the Internet by
means of a hyperlink labeled "Community Notification of Inmate
Early Release" on the Department's World Wide Web homepage.
The identification information shall include the inmate's:
name, any known alias, date of birth, physical
characteristics, commitment offense, and county where
conviction was imposed. The identification information shall
be placed on the website within 3 days of the inmate's release
and the information may not be removed until either:
completion of the first year of mandatory supervised release
or return of the inmate to custody of the Department.
(b) Whenever a person is or has been committed under
several convictions, with separate sentences, the sentences
shall be construed under Section 5-8-4 in granting and
forfeiting of sentence credit.
(c) (1) The Department shall prescribe rules and
regulations for revoking sentence credit, including revoking
sentence credit awarded under paragraph (3) of subsection (a)
of this Section. The Department shall prescribe rules and
regulations establishing and requiring the use of a sanctions
matrix for revoking sentence credit. The Department shall
prescribe rules and regulations for suspending or reducing the
rate of accumulation of sentence credit for specific rule
violations, during imprisonment. These rules and regulations
shall provide that no inmate may be penalized more than one
year of sentence credit for any one infraction.
(2) When the Department seeks to revoke, suspend, or
reduce the rate of accumulation of any sentence credits for an
alleged infraction of its rules, it shall bring charges
therefor against the prisoner sought to be so deprived of
sentence credits before the Prisoner Review Board as provided
in subparagraph (a)(4) of Section 3-3-2 of this Code, if the
amount of credit at issue exceeds 30 days, whether from one
infraction or cumulatively from multiple infractions arising
out of a single event, or when, during any 12-month period, the
cumulative amount of credit revoked exceeds 30 days except
where the infraction is committed or discovered within 60 days
of scheduled release. In those cases, the Department of
Corrections may revoke up to 30 days of sentence credit. The
Board may subsequently approve the revocation of additional
sentence credit, if the Department seeks to revoke sentence
credit in excess of 30 days. However, the Board shall not be
empowered to review the Department's decision with respect to
the loss of 30 days of sentence credit within any calendar year
for any prisoner or to increase any penalty beyond the length
requested by the Department.
(3) The Director of the Department of Corrections, in
appropriate cases, may restore sentence credits which have
been revoked, suspended, or reduced. The Department shall
prescribe rules and regulations governing the restoration of
sentence credits. These rules and regulations shall provide
for the automatic restoration of sentence credits following a
period in which the prisoner maintains a record without a
disciplinary violation.
Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the
Prisoner Review Board from ordering, pursuant to Section
3-3-9(a)(3)(i)(B), that a prisoner serve up to one year of the
sentence imposed by the court that was not served due to the
accumulation of sentence credit.
(d) If a lawsuit is filed by a prisoner in an Illinois or
federal court against the State, the Department of
Corrections, or the Prisoner Review Board, or against any of
their officers or employees, and the court makes a specific
finding that a pleading, motion, or other paper filed by the
prisoner is frivolous, the Department of Corrections shall
conduct a hearing to revoke up to 180 days of sentence credit
by bringing charges against the prisoner sought to be deprived
of the sentence credits before the Prisoner Review Board as
provided in subparagraph (a)(8) of Section 3-3-2 of this Code.
If the prisoner has not accumulated 180 days of sentence
credit at the time of the finding, then the Prisoner Review
Board may revoke all sentence credit accumulated by the
prisoner.
For purposes of this subsection (d):
(1) "Frivolous" means that a pleading, motion, or
other filing which purports to be a legal document filed
by a prisoner in his or her lawsuit meets any or all of the
following criteria:
(A) it lacks an arguable basis either in law or in
fact;
(B) it is being presented for any improper
purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary
delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation;
(C) the claims, defenses, and other legal
contentions therein are not warranted by existing law
or by a nonfrivolous argument for the extension,
modification, or reversal of existing law or the
establishment of new law;
(D) the allegations and other factual contentions
do not have evidentiary support or, if specifically so
identified, are not likely to have evidentiary support
after a reasonable opportunity for further
investigation or discovery; or
(E) the denials of factual contentions are not
warranted on the evidence, or if specifically so
identified, are not reasonably based on a lack of
information or belief.
(2) "Lawsuit" means a motion pursuant to Section 116-3
of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, a habeas corpus
action under Article X of the Code of Civil Procedure or
under federal law (28 U.S.C. 2254), a petition for claim
under the Court of Claims Act, an action under the federal
Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 1983), or a second or
subsequent petition for post-conviction relief under
Article 122 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963
whether filed with or without leave of court or a second or
subsequent petition for relief from judgment under Section
2-1401 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(e) Nothing in Public Act 90-592 or 90-593 affects the
validity of Public Act 89-404.
(f) Whenever the Department is to release any inmate who
has been convicted of a violation of an order of protection
under Section 12-3.4 or 12-30 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or
the Criminal Code of 2012, earlier than it otherwise would
because of a grant of sentence credit, the Department, as a
condition of release, shall require that the person, upon
release, be placed under electronic surveillance as provided
in Section 5-8A-7 of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 101-440, eff. 1-1-20; 101-652, eff. 7-1-21;
102-28, eff. 6-25-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)
(730 ILCS 5/3-6-8)
Sec. 3-6-8. High school equivalency testing programs. The
Department of Corrections shall develop and establish a
program in the Adult Division designed to increase the number
of committed persons enrolled in programs for high school
equivalency testing and pursuing State of Illinois High School
Diplomas high school equivalency certificates by at least 100%
over the 4-year period following the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly. Pursuant to the
program, each adult institution and facility shall report
annually to the Director of Corrections on the number of
committed persons enrolled in high school equivalency testing
programs and those who pass high school equivalency testing,
and the number of committed persons in the Adult Division who
are on waiting lists for participation in the high school
equivalency testing programs.
(Source: P.A. 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
(730 ILCS 5/5-8-1.3)
Sec. 5-8-1.3. Pilot residential and transition treatment
program for women.
(a) The General Assembly recognizes:
(1) that drug-offending women with children who have
been in and out of the criminal justice system for years
are a serious problem;
(2) that the intergenerational cycle of women
continuously being part of the criminal justice system
needs to be broken;
(3) that the effects of drug offending women with
children disrupts family harmony and creates an atmosphere
that is not conducive to healthy childhood development;
(4) that there is a need for an effective residential
community supervision model to provide help to women to
become drug free, recover from trauma, focus on healthy
mother-child relationships, and establish economic
independence and long-term support;
(5) that certain non-violent women offenders with
children eligible for sentences of incarceration, may
benefit from the rehabilitative aspects of gender
responsive treatment programs and services. This Section
shall not be construed to allow violent offenders to
participate in a treatment program.
(b) Under the direction of the sheriff and with the
approval of the county board of commissioners, the sheriff, in
any county with more than 3,000,000 inhabitants, may operate a
residential and transition treatment program for women
established by the Illinois Department of Corrections if
funding has been provided by federal, local or private
entities. If the court finds during the sentencing hearing
conducted under Section 5-4-1 that a woman convicted of a
felony meets the eligibility requirements of the sheriff's
residential and transition treatment program for women, the
court may refer the offender to the sheriff's residential and
transition treatment program for women for consideration as a
participant as an alternative to incarceration in the
penitentiary. The sheriff shall be responsible for supervising
all women who are placed in the residential and transition
treatment program for women for the 12-month period. In the
event that the woman is not accepted for placement in the
sheriff's residential and transition treatment program for
women, the court shall proceed to sentence the woman to any
other disposition authorized by this Code. If the woman does
not successfully complete the residential and transition
treatment program for women, the woman's failure to do so
shall constitute a violation of the sentence to the
residential and transition treatment program for women.
(c) In order to be eligible to be a participant in the
pilot residential and transition treatment program for women,
the participant shall meet all of the following conditions:
(1) The woman has not been convicted of a violent
crime as defined in subsection (c) of Section 3 of the
Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act, a Class X
felony, first or second degree murder, armed violence,
aggravated kidnapping, criminal sexual assault, aggravated
criminal sexual abuse or a subsequent conviction for
criminal sexual abuse, forcible detention, or arson and
has not been previously convicted of any of those
offenses.
(2) The woman must undergo an initial assessment
evaluation to determine the treatment and program plan.
(3) The woman was recommended and accepted for
placement in the pilot residential and transition
treatment program for women by the Department of
Corrections and has consented in writing to participation
in the program under the terms and conditions of the
program. The Department of Corrections may consider
whether space is available.
(d) The program may include a substance abuse treatment
program designed for women offenders, mental health, trauma,
and medical treatment; parenting skills and family
relationship counseling, preparation for a State of Illinois
High School Diploma high school equivalency or vocational
certificate; life skills program; job readiness and job skill
training, and a community transition development plan.
(e) With the approval of the Department of Corrections,
the sheriff shall issue requirements for the program and
inform the participants who shall sign an agreement to adhere
to all rules and all requirements for the pilot residential
and transition treatment program.
(f) Participation in the pilot residential and transition
treatment program for women shall be for a period not to exceed
12 months. The period may not be reduced by accumulation of
good time.
(g) If the woman successfully completes the pilot
residential and transition treatment program for women, the
sheriff shall notify the Department of Corrections, the court,
and the State's Attorney of the county of the woman's
successful completion.
(h) A woman may be removed from the pilot residential and
transition treatment program for women for violation of the
terms and conditions of the program or in the event she is
unable to participate. The failure to complete the program
shall be deemed a violation of the conditions of the program.
The sheriff shall give notice to the Department of
Corrections, the court, and the State's Attorney of the
woman's failure to complete the program. The Department of
Corrections or its designee shall file a petition alleging
that the woman has violated the conditions of the program with
the court. The State's Attorney may proceed on the petition
under Section 5-4-1 of this Code.
(i) The conditions of the pilot residential and transition
treatment program for women shall include that the woman while
in the program:
(1) not violate any criminal statute of any
jurisdiction;
(2) report or appear in person before any person or
agency as directed by the court, the sheriff, or
Department of Corrections;
(3) refrain from possessing a firearm or other
dangerous weapon;
(4) consent to drug testing;
(5) not leave the State without the consent of the
court or, in circumstances in which reason for the absence
is of such an emergency nature that prior consent by the
court is not possible, without prior notification and
approval of the Department of Corrections;
(6) upon placement in the program, must agree to
follow all requirements of the program.
(j) The Department of Corrections or the sheriff may
terminate the program at any time by mutual agreement or with
30 days prior written notice by either the Department of
Corrections or the sheriff.
(k) The Department of Corrections may enter into a joint
contract with a county with more than 3,000,000 inhabitants to
establish and operate a pilot residential and treatment
program for women.
(l) The Director of the Department of Corrections shall
have the authority to develop rules to establish and operate a
pilot residential and treatment program for women that shall
include criteria for selection of the participants of the
program in conjunction and approval by the sentencing court.
Violent crime offenders are not eligible to participate in the
program.
(m) The Department shall report to the Governor and the
General Assembly before September 30th of each year on the
pilot residential and treatment program for women, including
the composition of the program by offenders, sentence, age,
offense, and race. Reporting is only required if the pilot
residential and treatment program for women is operational.
(n) The Department of Corrections or the sheriff may
terminate the program with 30 days prior written notice.
(o) A county with more than 3,000,000 inhabitants is
authorized to apply for funding from federal, local or private
entities to create a Residential and Treatment Program for
Women. This sentencing option may not go into effect until the
funding is secured for the program and the program has been
established.
(Source: P.A. 97-800, eff. 7-13-12; 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
INDEX
Statutes amended in order of appearance