House Sponsors: BRADFORD, GILES AND BOLAND. Senate Sponsors: RAUSCHENBERGER Short description: MERIT SCHOLARSHIP INCREASE Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Increases the amount of the merit scholarship award to $3,000 from $1,000 for the 1998-99 and subsequent academic years. Reduces the $3,000 award to an amount equal to the educational expenses that the award recipient will incur during the academic year in which the award is effective if those educational expenses are less than the amount of the increased merit scholarship award. Effective July 1, 1997. FISCAL NOTE (Student Assistance Commission) There is no fiscal impact in FY1998. In FY1999 and thereafter, if HB 972 became law, the Commission would seek increased apppropriations in the regular budget development process to provide $3,000 awards, rather than $1,000 awards to statutorily eligible students. The estimated cost to fully fund this legis- lation for the top 5.0 percent of Ill. high school graduating seniors would be $12.5 million per year, beginning in FY1999. STATE MANDATES FISCAL NOTE In the opinion of DCCA, HB 972 fails to create a State mandate under the State Mandates Act. Last action on Bill: SESSION SINE DIE Last action date: 99-01-12 Location: House Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 0 SENATE - 0 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status