Public Act 0497 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

From: Subject: Public Act 0497 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:59:02 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/94/094-0497.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 Public Act 0497 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Public Act = 094-0497

HB1343 Enrolled

LRB094 06295 RAS 36368=20 b

AN ACT =
concerning=20
      education.

Be it = enacted=20 by the People of the State of Illinois,

represented in the General Assembly:=20

Section =
1.=20

Short title.

This Act may be cited as =
the=20

Child

Welfare Student Loan Forgiveness =
Act.

=20

Section =
5.=20

Purpose.

The purpose of this Act is to =
attract=20

capable and promising students to the child =
welfare=20
      profession,

increase employment and retention of =
individuals who=20
      are

working towards or who have received either a=20
      bachelor's degree

or a master's degree in social work or any =
human=20
      services

subject area that qualifies the individual for =

      employment as a

family services worker, and provide =
opportunities for=20
      persons

making mid-career decisions to enter the child =
welfare=20

profession.

=20

Section =
10.=20

Definitions.

In this Act:=20

"Commission"=20
      means the Illinois Student Assistance

Commission.

"Contracting=20
      agency" means an agency that the Department of

Children and Family Services contracts with =
for the=20
      provision

of child protective services.

"Forgivable loan" =

      means a higher education student loan

that a person has incurred in attending a =
social work=20
      program

approved by the Council on Social Work =
Education or an=20

accredited human services degree program.=20

Section =
15.=20

Establishment of program.

There is =
created the=20

Child Welfare Student Loan Forgiveness Program =
to be=20

administered by the Illinois Student =
Assistance=20
      Commission.

The program shall provide loan assistance, =
subject to=20

appropriation, to eligible students for =
upper-division=20

undergraduate and graduate study. The =
Commission shall=20
      adopt

(1)=20
      Be a full-time student at the upper-division

(2)=20
      Have declared an intent to work in child welfare at =

(3)=20
      Have maintained a minimum cumulative grade point

(1)=20
      Be a full-time student at the graduate level in a=20

rules necessary to administer the=20
      program.

Section =
20.=20

Maximum loan time period; maximum loan amount. =

(a) =
Subject to=20
      appropriation, an undergraduate forgivable

loan may be awarded for a maximum of 2 =
academic years.=20
      The

amount of this loan shall not exceed $4,000 =
per=20
      year.

(b) =
Subject to=20
      appropriation, a graduate forgivable loan

may be awarded for a maximum of 2 academic =
years. The=20
      amount of

this loan shall not exceed $8,000 per=20
    year.

Section =
25.=20

Eligibility.

(a) To be =

      eligible for assistance under the Child Welfare

Student Loan Forgiveness Program, an applicant =
for an=20

undergraduate forgivable loan must meet all of =
the=20
      following

qualifications:

undergraduate level in =
a=20
      social work program approved by

the Council on Social =
Work=20
      Education leading to a

bachelor's degree in =
social=20
      work or an accredited human

services degree =
program.=20

the Department of =
Children and=20
      Family Services, its

successor, or a =
contracting=20
      agency for at least the number

of years for which a=20
      forgivable loan is received.

average of at least a =
2.5 on a=20
      4.0 scale for all

undergraduate work. If =

      applying for renewal of an

undergraduate =
forgivable loan,=20
      an applicant must have

maintained a minimum=20
      cumulative grade point average of at

least a 2.5 on a 4.0 =
scale for=20
      all undergraduate work and

have earned at least =
12=20
      semester credits per term, or the

equivalent.

=20

(b) To be =

      eligible for assistance under the Child Welfare

Student Loan Forgiveness Program, an applicant =
for a=20
      graduate

forgivable loan must meet all of the following =

      qualifications:

(2)=20
      Have declared an intent to work in child welfare at =

(3)=20
      Hold a bachelor's degree from a school or

(4)=20
      Have maintained an undergraduate cumulative grade =

(5)=20
      Not have received an undergraduate forgivable loan =

social work program =
approved=20
      by the Council on Social Work

Education leading to a =

      master's degree in social work or an

accredited human =
services=20
      degree program.

the Department of =
Children and=20
      Family Services, its

successor, or a =
contracting=20
      agency for at least the number

of years for which a=20
      forgivable loan is received.

department of social =
work at=20
      any college or university

accredited by the =
Council on=20
      Social Work Education, or hold

a degree in a human =
services=20
      field from an accredited

college or=20
    university.

point average of at =
least a=20
      3.0 on a 4.0 scale or have

attained a Graduate =
Record=20
      Examination (GRE) score of at

least 1,000. If =
applying for=20
      renewal of a graduate

forgivable loan, an =
applicant=20
      must have maintained a

minimum cumulative =
grade point=20
      average of at least a 3.0 on

a 4.0 scale for all =
graduate=20
      work and have earned at least

9 semester credits per =
term,=20
      or the equivalent.

under the=20
      program.

Section =
30.=20

Repayment schedule; credit; penalty for =

non-compliance.

(a) A =
forgivable=20
      loan must be repaid within 10 years after

completion of the approved or accredited =
social work=20
      or human

services program. The Commission shall adopt, =
by rule,=20

repayment schedules and applicable interest =
rates.=20

(b) =
Credit for=20
      repayment of a forgivable loan shall be in

an amount not to exceed $4,000 in loan =
principal plus=20

applicable accrued interest for each full year =
of=20
      eligible

service in the child welfare profession. =
Forgivable=20
      loan

recipients may receive loan repayment credit =
for child=20
      welfare

service rendered at any time during the =
scheduled=20
      repayment

period. However, such repayment credit shall =
be=20
      applicable only

to the current principal and accrued interest =
balance=20
      that

remains at the time the repayment credit is =
earned. No=20
      loan

recipient shall be reimbursed for previous =
cash=20
      payments of

principal and interest.

(c) Any=20
      forgivable loan recipient who fails to work at the =

Department of Children and Family Services, =
its=20
      successor, or a

contracting agency, as required under the =
terms of the=20
      loan, is

responsible for repaying the loan plus accrued =

      interest at 8%

annually.