HIGH ED GRANTS-FIREFIGHTER-EMS

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that any person who has served at least 3 years as (i) an active volunteer, paid on-call, or full-time firefighter with a fire department in a municipality with a population of less than 10,000 or (ii) an EMS provider with an EMS System located in whole or in part in a municipality with a population of less than 10,000 shall be awarded a grant to the State-controlled university or community college of his or her choice consisting of exemption from tuition and fees for not more than the equivalent of 4 years of full-time enrollment while he or she serves as an active volunteer, paid on-call, or full-time firefighter with that fire department or while he or she serves as an EMS provider with that EMS System. Allows the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to reimburse higher education institutions for the grants, subject to appropriation. Effective July 1, 2003.