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SB 1371

SB 1371 - This act modifies the definition of "joint legal custody" as used in child custody determinations to remove references to allocating, apportioning, or decreeing a division of joint decision-making, responsibilities, and authority between the parents. This act also modifies the definition of "joint physical custody" to change the amount of time with the child awarded to each parent from "significant, but not necessarily equal" to "equal or substantially equal". In current law, there is a rebuttable presumption that an award of "equal or approximately equal" parenting time to each parent is in the best interests of the child. This act changes "approximately" to "substantially". This act modifies the factors a court shall consider when awarding custody to parents, including the willingness and ability of parents to cooperate in the rearing of their child; any substance abuse history experienced by either parent; the history of domestic and child abuse of any individuals involved; the distance between the residences of the parents; and the unobstructed input of the child as to the child's custodial arrangement. This act is identical to SB 638 (2025) and similar to SB 1013 (2026), SB 805 (2025), SCS/SBs 744 & 1026 (2024), provisions in the perfected SS/SCS/SBs 767 & 1342 (2024), HCS/SS#2/SB 862 (2024), and provisions of the perfected SS/SCS/SB 129 (2023). SARAH HASKINS

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rick Brattin

Requires public universities’ law, medical, and nursing programs to admit 25% rural students and ensure they return to their home county for 3 years after graduation.

Second Read and Referred S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1371

Summary — SB 1371: Higher Education — Rural Student Admissions (Introduced / Illinois text)

Note: The submitted document contains text from multiple, unrelated bills (including an Arizona tax bill and a Hawaii utilities bill). This summary focuses on the higher-education language in the Illinois bill text titled SB1371 (LRB104 04097 LNS 14121 b) — the section that amends the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University admissions provisions.

Purpose

To increase enrollment of students from non‑Chicago metropolitan counties (defined as "rural students" in the bill) in professional programs at public universities and to encourage post‑graduation return of those graduates to their home counties.

Key provisions

  • Definition of "rural student": a student whose primary residence in Illinois is NOT located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will counties.
  • Applicability: If a public university has a law school, medical school, or nursing program, the governing board must establish an admissions process for those programs that:
    • Ensures 25% of admitted students to each law school, medical school, or nursing program are rural students.
    • Requires each rural student admitted under this process to agree to return to the county of their primary residence for a period of 3 years after graduation from the law, medical, or nursing program.
  • The mandate appears in amendments to the University of Illinois Act and the Southern Illinois University Management Act.

Who is affected

  • Public universities in Illinois that operate law, medical, or nursing programs (e.g., University of Illinois; Southern Illinois University).
  • Prospective applicants: students from counties outside the six named (targeted for increased admission); applicants from the six excluded counties may face relatively fewer slots in those programs.
  • Rural counties: potential increase in students trained for professional roles who are contractually expected to return to their home county for 3 years, potentially bolstering rural legal, medical and nursing workforce capacity.
  • University admissions offices: required to design, implement and monitor new admissions processes and any return‑service agreements.

Implementation, timelines, and enforcement

  • Effective date in the Illinois bill: July 1, 2025 (per the LRB filing).
  • The bill directs governing boards to establish the admissions process; it does not in the text specify enforcement mechanisms, penalties, or details about how the three‑year return obligation is to be enforced (e.g., scholarship repayment, contract, licensing conditions). Universities would need to adopt implementing policies (verification of residency, documentation of the return agreement, compliance tracking).
  • Practical issues likely to arise: how the 25% quota is calculated (per entering class, per program), verification of county residence, handling of students who do not fulfill the return obligation, and alignment with existing admissions and financial aid rules.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Intended benefit: greater access for students from non‑metropolitan counties to professional training and a mechanism to encourage professionals to return to rural communities.
  • Possible challenges: legal and administrative questions about conditioning admission on a post‑graduation return promise; impact on overall admissions competitiveness; need for resources to recruit, support, and monitor rural students; displacement or reduced slots for applicants from the six metro counties in targeted programs.
  • Additional clarity likely needed in implementing rules (e.g., incentives, enforcement, exemptions for transfers, leave, or further education).

Sponsors and related bills

  • Illinois sponsoring senator in the LRB text: Sen. Chapin Rose.
  • The consolidated document also lists other sponsors and companion bills (HB 5192, HB 1052) — readers should consult the specific jurisdictional bill file for sponsor and companion-bill details.

If you want, I can:
- Draft suggested implementing language (verification, enforcement, exceptions).
- Compare this proposal with other rural‑recruitment or service‑obligation programs (e.g., loan-forgiveness tied to service).

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

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