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HB 5462

HIGHER ED-HUMAN SERVICES LOAN

104th Regular Session Introduced by Carol Ammons and 3 co-sponsors

HB 5462 expands the state loan repayment program for Illinois human services pros, adding up to 4 years of aid, higher annual awards, and stricter ongoing employment requirements.

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Bill Summary · HB 5462

Summary of HB 5462 (Illinois, 104th General Assembly)

Bill Overview

  • Title: Higher Ed-Human Services Loan
  • Introduced by: Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (Feb 13, 2026)
  • Co-sponsors: Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, Rep. Carol Ammons, Rep. Lindsey LaPointe
  • Jurisdiction: Illinois
  • Session: 104th General Assembly
  • Effective Date: July 1, 2026
  • Committee Action: Passed the Higher Education Committee (3/25/2026), later re-referred/advancing in Rules

HB 5462 amends the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program Act. Its primary aim is to expand and refine loan repayment support for individuals employed as human services professionals working in community-based agencies that partner with or are funded by State agencies.

Purpose and Intent

  • To increase the duration and reliability of loan repayment support for qualified human services professionals.
  • To clarify eligibility and employment continuity requirements for initial awards and renewals.
  • To define the scope of eligible “human services agencies” and ensure support targets professionals serving Illinois residents through community-based organizations.

Key Provisions and Changes

Maximum Award Duration

  • Recipients may receive an award through the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program for a maximum of 4 years.

Eligibility and Employment Requirements (Initial Application)

To be eligible, an applicant must satisfy all of the following:
1. Be a resident of Illinois.
2. Have been a full-time employee for at least 24 consecutive months as a human services professional at a community-based human services agency that currently or previously had a state-level contract, funding, or grant for providing human services.
3. Be a borrower with an outstanding balance on an educational loan.
4. Not be in default on any educational loan.
5. Remain a full-time employee as a human services professional in the same community-based agency for at least 12 months following the initial application for the grant (note: language clarifies post-application work requirement). Renewal applicants must be employed by the same agency at the time of renewal application and show continuous employment for the 12 months preceding the renewal application.

Award Amounts (Maximum Per Year)

The Commission may award up to the following amounts toward educational loans from a qualified program:
- Master’s degree or higher: up to $25,000 per year
- Bachelor’s degree: up to $15,000 per year
- Associate degree (professional): up to $3,000 per year
- Additional per-year add-on (up to $5,000) for holders independently licensed as one of the following:
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
- Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- Board-certified Behavior Analyst
- Registered Behavior Technician

Renewal and Preferences

  • A recipient may be eligible for renewal in subsequent years, with preference potentially given to:
    • A previous recipient who continues to meet eligibility requirements, and/or
    • Applications based on need or income levels, or a combination of need and income.

Definitions (Definitions Section)

  • Human services agency: A community-based organization that:
    • Provides services to varied populations in alignment with its mission
    • Delivers a range of in-kind benefits, direct cash assistance, or other services across multiple settings as required
    • Contracts with, receives funding from, or is grant-funded by a State agency for providing direct/indirect services essential to physical, emotional, and economic well-being
  • Professional: An individual employed by a human services agency as described above
  • Qualified program: An accredited associate, bachelor’s, or master's degree program
  • State agency: Includes the Department of Human Services, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department on Aging, and Department of Public Health
  • The Act references prior related legislation (P.A. 102-1089; 103-31) for context and effective dates

Who Is Affected

  • Eligible recipients: Illinois residents who are full-time human services professionals employed at qualifying community-based agencies with state funding/contracting.
  • Employing agencies: Community-based human services organizations that contract with, receive funding from, or are grant-funded by an Illinois state agency for providing human services.
  • Educators and lenders: Recipients must have student loan debt from a qualifying program; the program is designed to reduce loan debt for working professionals in the field.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective date of the act: July 1, 2026
  • Award cadence: Eligible professionals may receive awards for up to 4 years total. Renewal eligibility requires continued employment with the same agency and evidence of 12 months of continuous employment before renewal.
  • Potential preferences: Awards may prioritize previous recipients or applicants based on financial need or income, or a combination thereof.

Practical Impact

  • The bill strengthens loan-forgiveness-like support to retain experienced professionals in Illinois community-based human services.
  • By tying eligibility to continuous employment at the same agency, the bill encourages stability in staffing within local agencies.
  • The expanded annual award amounts (including licenses-based add-ons) can meaningfully reduce loan burdens for those with master’s degrees and specialized credentials.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with the current law or draft a plain-language quick-reference sheet for prospective applicants.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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