HB 5319

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Full Text of HB5319
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	HB5319 - 104th General Assembly
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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5319
Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
110 ILCS 805/3-42.6 new
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.
LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
A BILL FOR
		HB5319		LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    AN ACT concerning education.
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4    Section 1. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
5following:
6        (1) The State's public and private universities and
7    community colleges have a longstanding tradition of
8    partnership with respect to the creation of seamless
9    transfer pathways, articulation agreements, and joint
10    programming that expand educational opportunities for
11    students.
12        (2) The State's public and private universities and
13    community colleges play a vital role in advancing this
14    State's higher education mission by delivering
15    high-quality academic programs, fostering innovation, and
16    supporting workforce development.
17        (3) The State's public and private universities and
18    community colleges serve a diverse student body, including
19    first generation students, low-income students, racial and
20    ethnic minorities, and working adults, helping them
21    achieve their academic and economic goals.
22        (4) The State benefits from a cohesive and
23    interconnected higher education ecosystem in which public
24    universities, private higher education institutions, and
		HB5319	- 2 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    community colleges work collaboratively to meet the
2    diverse needs of learners and the regional economies they
3    serve.
4        (5) Community colleges can play a roll in filling the
5    gaps in this State's higher education system by granting
6    baccalaureate degrees to meet the growing demand for a
7    skilled workforce, thereby increasing access and reducing
8    costs for students.
9        (6) Baccalaureate degree programs offered pursuant to
10    this Act do not alter the existing role and mission of
11    community colleges.
12        (7) Nothing in this Act reduces this State's
13    dedication to improving associate-to-baccalaureate
14    program transfer pathways for this State's students, based
15    on robust and longstanding partnerships with public and
16    private universities.
17    Section 5. The Public Community College Act is amended by
18adding Section 3-42.6 as follows:
19    (110 ILCS 805/3-42.6 new)
20    Sec. 3-42.6. Baccalaureate degree program.
21    (a) As used in this Section:
22    "Accessibility" includes, but is not limited to, time and 
23distance to a program at a university or off-site location 
24during the time the program is offered, availability of public 
		HB5319	- 3 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1transportation, and proximity to a workforce partner.
2    "Applied baccalaureate" means a baccalaureate degree that 
3is based on a curriculum that incorporates both theoretical 
4and applied knowledge and skills in a specific vocational or 
5technical field, which shall meet the following criteria:
6        (1) is titled as a Bachelor of Applied Science;
7        (2) is designed for workforce entry or career 
8    advancement in technical or professional fields; and
9        (3) is built upon applied associate degrees or closely 
10    aligned curricula.
11    "CCB Region" means the following community college 
12baccalaureate regions:
13        (1) CCB Region 1: The College of Lake County, Harper 
14    College, Oakton College, Triton College, and Morton 
15    College.
16        (2) CCB Region 2: Elgin Community College, Kishwaukee 
17    College, Waubonsee Community College, McHenry County 
18    College, Rock Valley College, and the College of DuPage.
19        (3) CCB Region 3: Black Hawk College, Carl Sandburg 
20    College, Highland Community College, John Wood Community 
21    College, Sauk Valley Community College, and Spoon River 
22    College.
23        (4) CCB Region 4: Heartland Community College, 
24    Illinois Central College, Illinois Valley Community 
25    College, Lincoln Land Community College, and Richland 
26    Community College.
		HB5319	- 4 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1        (5) CCB Region 5: Joliet Junior College, Prairie State 
2    College, South Suburban College, Moraine Valley Community 
3    College, and Kankakee Community College.
4        (6) CCB Region 6: Parkland College, Danville Area 
5    Community College, Lake Land College, and Illinois Eastern 
6    Community College.
7        (7) CCB Region 7: Rend Lake College, John A. Logan 
8    College, Southeastern Illinois College, and Shawnee 
9    Community College.
10        (8) CCB Region 8: Lewis and Clark Community College, 
11    Southwestern Illinois College, and Kaskaskia College.
12        (9) CCB Region 9: The City Colleges of Chicago.
13    "Course scheduling flexibility" includes, but is not 
14limited to, the times and days of the week courses are offered 
15and the ability of a university or partnership to use shared 
16instructional spaces and scheduling models developed in 
17partnership with university centers located on community 
18college campuses.
19    "Mode of delivery" includes, but is not limited to, online 
20courses, hybrid courses, and off-site courses.
21    "Workforce need" includes, but is not limited to, the 
22anticipated annual earnings of degree holders and the current 
23number of related employment vacancies, evidence of sustained 
24need that accounts for local or regional education and 
25training providers, and employer support within a community 
26college district.
		HB5319	- 5 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    (b) The board of trustees of a community college district 
2may establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program and 
3confer a bachelor's degree if all the following conditions are 
4met:
5        (1) The community college district meets all of the 
6    requirements as set forth in subsection (c) as 
7    demonstrated through an application to offer a 
8    baccalaureate degree that has been submitted and approved 
9    by the State Board and the Board of Higher Education. The 
10    State Board and the Board of Higher Education shall 
11    collaborate on the development of an application process 
12    that is no less restrictive than program approval of new 
13    bachelor's degree programs at public and private 
14    universities in this State.
15        (2) The community college district has identified, in 
16    a feasibility study, unmet workforce needs, including the 
17    number of potential students and workers necessary to meet 
18    those needs, in the region served by the community college 
19    in the subject area of the baccalaureate degree program to 
20    be offered and student interest in the new degree. The 
21    board of trustees shall publish the documentation on the 
22    community college district's website, make the 
23    documentation publicly available, and present the 
24    documentation to the State Board.
25        (3) The community college shall hold an applicable 
26    accreditation and be approved to offer baccalaureate 
		HB5319	- 6 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    degrees by the Higher Learning Commission.
2        (4) The community college district shall demonstrate 
3    how the baccalaureate degree program will demonstrate 
4    improved equity in student access, enrollment, and 
5    completion.
6        (5) Tuition and fees per credit hour for the third and 
7    fourth years of a 4-year baccalaureate program may not 
8    exceed 150% of the tuition and fees per credit hour of 
9    related lower-division course tuition and fees, and the 
10    tuition charged a student who is a State resident shall 
11    not exceed the amount that the student was charged at the 
12    time he or she first entered the upper division program.
13        (6) The community college district provides a notice 
14    of intent to consider offering a baccalaureate degree to 
15    the State Board. The State Board shall provide the notice 
16    of intent to the Board of Higher Education, all public 
17    universities, and the Federation of Independent Illinois 
18    Colleges and Universities. The State Board shall also 
19    publish the notice on the State Board's website.
20        (7) At least 60 days before submission of an 
21    application, the board of trustees shall publish a 
22    feasibility study as set forth in paragraph (2) and notify 
23    the State Board. The State Board shall provide notice to 
24    the Board of Higher Education, all public universities, 
25    and the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and 
26    Universities.
		HB5319	- 7 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1        (8) After publication of the feasibility study, the 
2    community college district shall enter into a good faith 
3    collaboration process with interested universities. The 
4    discussions during the good faith collaboration process 
5    may include the university's ability to serve the 
6    identified population to meet workforce need, alternative 
7    pathways to meet student need, the ability of the 
8    university to develop a new or expand a current program to 
9    meet the unmet workforce need or student need in a timely 
10    manner, or the creation of a new partnership. If, at the 
11    end of 60 days, the community college and a university 
12    cannot agree to pursue or establish, in writing, a new 
13    partnership agreement or no interest has been expressed in 
14    writing, a community college district may submit its 
15    application. This good faith collaboration process shall 
16    be documented by the community college district in its 
17    application. Nothing in this paragraph (8) requires a 
18    community college to enter into a partnership agreement 
19    with a university.
20        (9) After the submission of an application, the State 
21    Board shall post a reconsideration period of at least 30 
22    days for universities to submit their documentation of 
23    communication with the community college during the good 
24    faith collaboration period, as well as any evidence that a 
25    new community college baccalaureate program will be 
26    duplicative, as set forth in paragraph (3) of subsection 
		HB5319	- 8 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    (c). The State Board and the Board of Higher Education 
2    shall consider this documentation in their application 
3    review process. Based on information submitted by a 
4    university, the State Board and the Board of Higher 
5    Education may jointly or individually request that an 
6    applicant continue working toward some form of 
7    collaboration before proceeding in the application 
8    process. Nothing in this paragraph (9) requires a 
9    community college to enter into a partnership agreement or 
10    expand an existing partnership agreement with a 
11    university.
12    (c) The board of trustees shall demonstrate that the 
13community college district has the expertise, the resources, 
14and sufficient student demand to offer a baccalaureate degree. 
15An application for approval to the State Board shall include, 
16but is not limited to, all of the following:
17        (1) The community college district shall describe the 
18    employment goals for those individuals that will complete 
19    the baccalaureate program, including the types of 
20    licenses, jobs, and career paths for which the program 
21    will train graduates.
22        (2) The community college district shall describe how 
23    the proposed baccalaureate degree program addresses an 
24    unmet workforce need as specified in paragraph (2) of 
25    subsection (b).
26        (3) The State Board and the Board of Higher Education 
		HB5319	- 9 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    shall evaluate whether a proposed program is duplicative 
2    based upon the following factors:
3            (A) A potential degree program shall be considered 
4        duplicative if any of the following conditions are 
5        met:
6                (i) The proposed degree program shares the 
7            same 4-digit Classification of Instruction Program 
8            (CIP) code as a degree program at a university or 
9            community college within the community college's 
10            district or within the following proximity:
11                    (I) For the City Colleges of Chicago, the 
12                proposed site at which the new degree program 
13                will be offered is within a 20-mile radius of 
14                a university site or community college site 
15                outside of the City Colleges of Chicago.
16                    (II) For all other community college 
17                districts, the site at which the new degree 
18                program will be offered is within a 40-mile 
19                radius of a university site or community 
20                college site outside of the community college 
21                district.
22                (ii) The proposed degree program shares the 
23            same 4-digit CIP code as an existing partnership 
24            between the community college and a university.
25            (B) A proposed baccalaureate degree program 
26        determined to be duplicative based upon the factors in 
		HB5319	- 10 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1        this paragraph (3) may proceed for consideration by 
2        the State Board and the Board of Higher Education if it 
3        addresses unmet workforce need and student demand, as 
4        demonstrated in the feasibility study, after 
5        consideration of the following factors in its 
6        evaluation of the proposed program:
7                (i) The estimated average out-of-pocket costs 
8            for students for net tuition and fees, including 
9            any scholarships, tuition discounts, or financial 
10            assistance, including Monetary Award Program and 
11            Pell grants, available to students in the proposed 
12            baccalaureate degree program, when compared to the 
13            same baccalaureate degree program offered by a 
14            university, a partnership agreement, or another 
15            community college.
16                (ii) Available program capacity sufficient to 
17            meet unmet workforce need and student demand, as 
18            well as the ability of a university to develop a 
19            new program or expand a current program to meet 
20            the unmet workforce need or student demand in a 
21            timely manner as outlined in the university's 
22            reconsideration documentation.
23                (iii) Course scheduling flexibility and the 
24            university's ability and willingness to offer 
25            course scheduling options that meet students' 
26            needs.
		HB5319	- 11 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1                (iv) The mode of delivery of the program and 
2            how this mode is able to meet students' needs.
3                (v) The accessibility of the proposed 
4            baccalaureate degree program when compared to a 
5            current degree program or partnership agreement at 
6            a university or community college campus as it 
7            pertains to students' needs.
8                (vi) Evaluation of the impact on existing 
9            programs at community colleges and universities, 
10            including a measurement of current transfer rates 
11            to other community colleges and universities and 
12            access for current programs to required learning 
13            experiences, such as clinical placements.
14            (C) A proposed applied baccalaureate is not 
15        considered duplicative if it does not share the same 
16        6-digit CIP code with a university as outlined in this 
17        paragraph (3).
18            (D) The State Board and the Board of Higher 
19        Education shall use information gathered from the 
20        application, documentation of good faith 
21        collaboration, and reconsideration comments submitted 
22        by universities to determine whether there is a 
23        significant need to justify duplication. The State 
24        Board and the Board of Higher Education may request 
25        additional information from a university or a 
26        community college to further examine duplication as a 
		HB5319	- 12 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1        part of their review process.
2        (4) The community college district shall provide 
3    evidence that it has budgeted for financial support for 
4    the program in a cost-effective manner. This shall 
5    include, but not be limited to, faculty costs, 
6    administrator costs, other personnel costs, equipment 
7    costs, library costs, and other facilities and 
8    instructional costs as directed by the State Board. The 
9    community college district shall also demonstrate that it 
10    has the infrastructure to support the program.
11        (5) The community college district shall provide 
12    information demonstrating how student demand supports the 
13    establishment of the baccalaureate program. The community 
14    college district shall also describe the target population 
15    of the proposed program.
16        (6) The community college district shall provide a 
17    plan for attracting, recruiting, retaining, and completing 
18    a diverse group of students.
19        (7) The community college district shall describe how 
20    it has developed quality curricula that aligns with 
21    federal, State, and local requirements, is responsive to 
22    local workforce needs, and will prepare graduates with the 
23    appropriate level of skill to meet their educational and 
24    employment goals.
25        (8) The community college district shall document the 
26    availability of faculty for teaching the program, 
		HB5319	- 13 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    including the number of full-time faculty anticipated to 
2    teach in the program, and a description of the faculty's 
3    qualifications, including the highest degree earned, 
4    teaching experience, professional experience, and licenses 
5    held. The community college district shall also indicate 
6    anticipated market salaries for each faculty position and 
7    how faculty are to be evaluated.
8        (9) The community college district shall demonstrate 
9    that the baccalaureate degree program is built on existing 
10    associate degree programs and will result in the earning 
11    of an associate degree after approximately 60 credit hours 
12    as students matriculate toward baccalaureate degrees, 
13    preparing graduates for professional and technical 
14    employment and the opportunity to matriculate to graduate 
15    degree programs, if applicable.
16    (d) A community college district is prohibited from using 
17semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree 
18program for grants received pursuant to Section 2-16.02. A 
19baccalaureate degree program at a community college does not 
20qualify the community college or the students in the program 
21for State funding or assistance otherwise designated for 
22universities or university students.
23    (e) Excluding the City Colleges of Chicago, no community 
24college district may establish more than one community college 
25baccalaureate program within 3 years after the effective date 
26of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly. Three 
		HB5319	- 14 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1years after of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 
2104th General Assembly, a community college district, other 
3than the City Colleges of Chicago, may establish no more than 
4one additional baccalaureate program for a total of 2 programs 
5over the period, subject to the regional limitations in this 
6subsection (e).
7    Excluding the City Colleges of Chicago, each CCB Region 
8may establish no more than one baccalaureate degree in early 
9childhood education, one baccalaureate degree in 
10cybersecurity, and one baccalaureate degree in nursing within 
113 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 
12104th General Assembly. Three years after the effective date 
13of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, each CCB 
14Region, other than the City Colleges of Chicago, may establish 
15no more than one additional baccalaureate degree in early 
16childhood education, one additional baccalaureate degree in 
17cybersecurity, and one additional baccalaureate degree in 
18nursing.
19    Excluding the City of Colleges of Chicago, each CCB Region 
20is limited to the following number of community college 
21baccalaureate programs:
22        (1) CCB Region 1, 6 community college baccalaureate 
23    programs.
24        (2) CCB Region 2, 7 community college baccalaureate 
25    programs.
26        (3) CCB Region 3, 7 community college baccalaureate 
		HB5319	- 15 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    programs.
2        (4) CCB Region 4, 6 community college baccalaureate 
3    programs.
4        (5) CCB Region 5, 6 community college baccalaureate 
5    programs.
6        (6) CCB Region 6, 5 community college baccalaureate 
7    programs.
8        (7) CCB Region 7, 5 community college baccalaureate 
9    programs.
10        (8) CCB Region 8, 4 community college baccalaureate 
11    programs.
12    The City Colleges of Chicago may establish no more than 3 
13baccalaureate degree programs within 3 years after the 
14effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General 
15Assembly. Three years after of the effective date of this 
16amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the City 
17Colleges of Chicago may establish no more than 2 additional 
18baccalaureate degree programs, for a total of 5 baccalaureate 
19degree programs.
20    The City Colleges of Chicago may establish no more than 
21one baccalaureate degree in early childhood education, one 
22baccalaureate degree in cybersecurity, and one baccalaureate 
23degree in nursing within 3 years after the effective date of 
24this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly. Three years 
25after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th 
26General Assembly, the City Colleges of Chicago may offer one 
		HB5319	- 16 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1additional baccalaureate degree in early childhood education, 
2for a total of 2 early childhood education baccalaureate 
3degrees. However, the City Colleges of Chicago may not 
4establish an early childhood education baccalaureate degree 
5program at Kennedy-King College or Olive-Harvey College.
6    Applied baccalaureate programs that do not meet the 
7duplicative criteria outlined in paragraph (3) of subsection 
8(c) are not subject to the limitations in this subsection (e).
9    A community college district may not offer a baccalaureate 
10degree whose modality is delivered primarily online.
11    The General Assembly may not modify the limitations on 
12community college baccalaureate degree programs that may be 
13approved by the State Board and Board of Higher Education 
14before the completion of the evaluation set forth in 
15subsection (g).
16    (f) A community college district that offers a 
17baccalaureate degree program shall submit an annual report to 
18the State Board, which shall include all of the following:
19        (1) The total number of students pursuing a bachelor's 
20    degree in the community college district pursuant to this 
21    Section.
22        (2) The total number of bachelor's degrees completed 
23    in the community college district.
24        (3) Workforce data showing demand for the 
25    baccalaureate degree programs offered in the community 
26    college district.
		HB5319	- 17 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1        (4) The average cost of tuition per credit hour for 
2    the bachelor's degrees offered in the community college 
3    district.
4        (5) If applicable, the comparable passage rates for 
5    statewide and national licensure exams compared to the 
6    State average.
7    (g) The State Board and the Board of Higher Education, in 
8conjunction with a third-party evaluator, shall conduct a 
9statewide evaluation of all baccalaureate degree programs 
10established under this Section. The results of the evaluation 
11shall be reported, in writing, on or before 5 years after the 
12effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General 
13Assembly to all of the following, in addition to being made 
14publicly available online:
15        (1) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
16        (2) The Minority Leader of the House of 
17    Representatives.
18        (3) The President of the Senate.
19        (4) The Minority Leader of the Senate.
20        (5) The Governor's Office of Management and Budget.
21    The evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, all 
22of the following:
23        (A) All baccalaureate degree programs implemented.
24        (B) Data related to applicants, admissions, 
25    enrollment, mode of delivery, demographic characteristics 
26    of students, and degree recipients.
		HB5319	- 18 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1        (C) The extent to which each baccalaureate degree 
2    program established under this Section fulfills identified 
3    workforce demands that require 4-year baccalaureate 
4    degrees.
5        (D) Information on the pace of employment of students 
6    and the subsequent job placement of graduates.
7        (E) The total cost broken down by major expenditure of 
8    each baccalaureate degree program and the funding sources 
9    used to finance each program.
10        (F) For each baccalaureate degree program, the costs 
11    to students, the amount of financial aid offered, and the 
12    student debt levels of graduates.
13        (G) Time-to-degree rates and completion rates for each 
14    new baccalaureate degree program established under this 
15    Section.
16        (H) The extent to which a baccalaureate degree program 
17    established under this Section is in compliance with the 
18    requirements of this Section.
19        (I) The extent to which the status of any partnership 
20    agreements previously or presently maintained with other 
21    State institutions of higher learning, including 
22    enrollments and reasons for the dissolution of such 
23    agreements if they have been dissolved due to the creation 
24    of a new baccalaureate degree program.
25        (J) The extent to which the implementation of 
26    community college baccalaureate degrees has had an impact 
		HB5319	- 19 -	LRB104 20527 LNS 34001 b
1    on universities.
2    A community college district shall submit the information 
3necessary to conduct the evaluation required under this 
4subsection (g), as determined by the evaluators, to the State 
5Board and the Board of Higher Education.
6    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7becoming law.