TEACHER-TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer a teacher reimbursement grant program for the purpose of reimbursing public school teachers for up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters of the tuition and mandatory fees paid to a public institution of higher learning in this State to obtain a Professional Educator License and teach in this State. Provides that eligible applicants shall receive a grant in the form of annual reimbursement payments over a period of up to 10 consecutive years. Sets forth provisions concerning eligibility, the grant amount, disbursement and use of a grant, application for a grant, and rulemaking. Repeals the provisions on July 1, 2040. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds provisions allowing persons who are enrolled or are planning to enroll in a State-approved educator preparation program at a public institution of higher learning in this State to be eligible to receive a grant. Provides that employment in a full-time teaching position may be in any grade or subject. Requires a public institution of higher learning to provide billing information to the recipient of a grant, and requires the recipient to give the provided billing information to the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall organize and update a database every year of grant recipients and payments made. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4139, as amended by HA 1, will not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in the State of Illinois. State Debt Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4139, as amended by House Amendment 1, would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Balanced Budget Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 4139, (H-AM 1) as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Illinois Student Assistance Commission) It is estimated that if the program were to serve everyone who is eligible, HB4139 would require about $1.4 billion over 18 years to rebate the tuition and fees paid of an estimated 65,160 Illinois teachers, including an estimated 53,460 current teachers. Potential costs would be an estimated $88.3 million in FY23 and $93.5 million in FY24, growing each year until annual costs peaked in years 9 and 10 at about $140.2 million each year and declining thereafter. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate.