summary
Introduced
02/05/2026
02/05/2026
In Committee
02/10/2026
02/10/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
104th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program and confer a bachelor's degree if specified conditions are met. Requires the board of trustees to demonstrate that the community college district has the expertise, the resources, and sufficient student demand to offer a baccalaureate degree. Sets forth the application requirements. Prohibits a community college district from using semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree program for certain grants. Sets forth limitations on community college districts for establishing baccalaureate programs. Requires a community college district that offers a baccalaureate degree program to submit an annual report to the Illinois Community College Board. Requires the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education to conduct a statewide evaluation of all baccalaureate degree programs established under the amendatory Act and report the results of the evaluation on or before 5 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, in addition to being made publicly available online. Effective immediately.
AI Summary
This bill allows the boards of trustees of community college districts to establish and offer bachelor's degree programs and confer bachelor's degrees, provided they meet specific conditions, including demonstrating expertise, resources, and sufficient student demand, and submitting an application approved by the State Board and the Board of Higher Education. The bill defines terms like "accessibility," "applied baccalaureate" (a bachelor's degree focused on vocational or technical fields, titled Bachelor of Applied Science), and "workforce need" (indicating demand for graduates and employer support). Community colleges offering these programs cannot use the credit hours generated for certain grants and must submit annual reports on program performance. Additionally, the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education will conduct a comprehensive statewide evaluation of these new programs within five years of the bill's enactment.
Sponsors (48)
Tracy Katz Muhl (D)*,
Dee Avelar (D),
Harry Benton (D),
Amy Briel (D),
Kelly Cassidy (D),
Justin Cochran (D),
Michael Crawford (D),
Fred Crespo (D),
Lisa Davis (D),
Margaret DeLaRosa (D),
Anthony DeLuca (D),
Martha Deuter (D),
Dan Didech (D),
Laura Faver Dias (D),
Edgar González (D),
Jehan Gordon-Booth (D),
Nicolle Grasse (D),
Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar (D),
Will Guzzardi (D),
Matt Hanson (D),
Sonya Harper (D),
Barbara Hernandez (D),
Lisa Hernandez (D),
Norma Hernandez (D),
Maura Hirschauer (D),
Hoan Huynh (D),
Lilian Jiménez (D),
Gregg Johnson (D),
Thaddeus Jones (D),
Lindsey LaPointe (D),
Camille Lilly (D),
Theresa Mah (D),
Natalie Manley (D),
Rita Mayfield (D),
Tony McCombie (R),
Yolonda Morris (D),
Michelle Mussman (D),
Suzanne Ness (D),
Kevin Olickal (D),
Aarón Ortíz (D),
Abdelnasser Rashid (D),
Bob Rita (D),
Justin Slaughter (D),
Anne Stava-Murray (D),
Nabeela Syed (D),
Dave Vella (D),
Omar Williams (D),
Janet Yang Rohr (D),
Last Action
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Tony M. McCombie (on 02/25/2026)
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