Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall award a nursing in correctional facilities scholarship to each qualified applicant in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees of the eligible institution at which the recipient is enrolled, with specified limits. Provides that scholarship recipients shall also receive a stipend, the amount which shall not exceed $10,000, to cover other costs of attendance, including but not limited to, reasonable living expenses. Sets forth provisions concerning eligibility, scholarship terms, the total amount of assistance, application for the program, repayment, compliance with State and Federal laws, a report, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2025.
House Floor Amendment No. 1: Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as introduced with the following changes. Makes changes concerning how the Illinois Student Assistance Commission determines the maximum scholarship amount awarded. Provides that an eligible applicant may not be receiving financial assistance during the same academic year through a scholarship program under the Nursing Education Scholarship Law to qualify for the program. Makes changes concerning the preference for awarding scholarships and the repayment of scholarship awards. Removes provisions concerning requiring the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the Department of Corrections to ensure compliance with all applicable State and federal laws and that the provisions do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, sex, color, national origin, ancestry, or any other protected class or characteristics. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 110 ILCS 947/65
Engrossed: 110 ILCS 947/65