Hot Bills List of the IL Statewide School Management Alliance
May 6, 2008
The "Hot Bills" list is a listing of the most significant education-related bills followed by the Alliance. This list is an attempt to give members of the Alliance organizations additional legislative information without requiring them to wade through hundreds of bills.
This list will be updated weekly throughout the session and will only cover "live" bills. Once a bill is defeated, or does not advance by a given deadline, it will be removed from the list. Therefore, this list will decrease in number later in the spring as bills "die."
Complete bill text for the following bills is available on the General Assembly Web site. Type the bill number in the box on the left-hand side (i.e., sb2191), then click on "full text."
HB 750 (Miller, D-Dolton) contains a comprehensive tax reform initiative with several school funding reform provisions. It would increase the state income tax on both individuals and corporations; provide for substantial property tax relief on the education portion of local property tax bills; expand the current State sales tax to cover services; and increase the per pupil foundation level in the General State Aid formula.
HB 1867 (Hernandez, D-Cicero) provides that for a TIF, "redevelopment project costs" include reimbursements to school districts and community college districts for costs related to certain capital facilities projects. It also provides that, by accepting this reimbursement, the school district waives the right to directly or indirectly set aside, modify, or contest in any manner the establishment of the redevelopment project area or projects.
HB 4130 (Dugan, D-Bradley), for Fiscal Year 2008, re-appropriates $150 million to the Capital Development Board for school construction grants pursuant to the School Construction Law.
HB 4159 (Bassi, R-Palatine) requires school districts to periodically review their procurement procedures and specifications related to the purchase of products or supplies and their comprehensive waste reduction plan. An Alliance amendment makes implementation less burdensome for school districts.
HB 4180 (Fritchey, D-Chicago) allows a teacher to conduct (instead of requiring a teacher to observe) a brief period of silence at the opening of the school day with the participation of all pupils assembled.
HB 4219 (Munson, R-Elgin) creates the Identity Protection Act to prohibit a state or local government agency (including school districts) from using an individual's social security number on any document that is mailed or otherwise made available to others. It requires school districts to develop and implement an identity protection policy and requires that any employee who has access to social security numbers receive training on how to keep the numbers confidential.
HB 4226 (Eddy, R-Hutsonville) allows the ISBE calculation for state reimbursement for transportation costs to include the number of pupils enrolled in early education programs and those students attending summer school.
HB 4232 (Lang, D-Skokie) reconstitutes the make-up of the ISBE. It would: terminate the term of each current member of the ISBE and provide for newly appointed members to take office (current board members could be reappointed); establish a nomination panel to provide a list of 27 nominees to the governor for appointment to the Board (the governor could only appoint from this list of nominees); require that the nomination panel be comprised of 7 members: 2 former school superintendents, 1 former elementary school teacher, 1 former high school teacher, 2 former state legislators with experience and involvement in the education appropriation process, and a member of a nonprofit agency committed to education reform; provide that the ISBE may remove for incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office any member of the State Board by a two-thirds vote in favor of removal; and make other changes.
HB 4252 (Brady, R-Bloomington) provides that if an employee of a school district has made a report to DCFS under the Mandated Reporters Act involving the conduct of a current or former employee of the school district, and a request is made by another school district to provide information concerning the job performance or qualifications of the current or former employee because he or she is an applicant for employment, the superintendent of the school district to which the request is being made must disclose to the requesting school district the fact that a report had been made.
HB 4266 (Mathias, R-Arlington Heights) requires the ISBE to reimburse school districts for interest not earned on general state aid allocations beginning in August 2007 due to the delay in implementing the Fiscal Year 2008 state budget.
HB 4309 (Reis, R-Willow Hill) provides that if a school district closes one or more recognized school buildings due to a condition beyond the control of the district prior to providing any instruction, then the district may claim a full day of attendance for a maximum of 2 school days based on the average of the 3 prior school days of attendance immediately preceding the closure of the school building.
HB 4387 (D’Amico, D-Chicago) requires that all vehicles used for driver’s education programs be American made.
HB 4441 (Flowers, D-Chicago) allows children who have attended preschool and will attain the age of 5 years on or before Dec. 31 to attend school.
HB 4442 (Flowers) provides that if a student must be transferred from one attendance center to another because the attendance center the student is currently attending exceeds its attendance capacity, then the attendance center the student is to be transferred to must not be on the academic watch list unless the student’s parent or guardian prefers the student be transferred there.
HB 4457 (Eddy) allows school districts to accept and open sealed bids at a public bid opening conducted by an electronic process for communicating, accepting, and opening competitive bids.
HB 4527 (Lang) increases the amount of certain grants from the state to public and school libraries.
HB 4537 (Flider, D-Mt. Zion) provides that the ISBE promote an annual campaign about disability history and awareness and requires school districts to provide instruction on the same that may be included in courses the school district chooses. An amendment was added to address Alliance concerns about implementing the new curricular mandate.
HB 4702 (Osmond, R-Antioch) states that for payment for students attending a residential program designed to correct alcohol or other drug dependencies, the cost of the educational services shall be paid by the district of the student’s residence (instead of providing that the cost of educational services shall be paid by the district in which the student resides in an amount equal to the cost of providing educational services in a treatment facility). This would apply to all Illinois students receiving educational services, whether placed pursuant to the School Code or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, by court order, or by a state agency or whether the student voluntarily enrolls or is enrolled by a parent or guardian.
HB 4726 (Mitchell, J., R-Sterling) provides that if any state officer or employee (including an employee of a school district) is placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a criminal investigation or prosecution, and that employee is removed from employment for a reason directly related to that criminal matter, then the employee must pay the state (or school district) for all compensation and the value of all benefits received during the administrative leave.
HB 4727 (Reitz, D-Sparta), an Alliance initiative, provides that a pupil who becomes a non-resident during a grading period (instead of school term) shall not be charged tuition for the remainder of the grading period in which he or she became a non-resident pupil.
HB 4788 (Harris, D-Chicago) increases the maximum income limitation on the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption from $55,000 to $60,000 and changes the definition of household income to the combined income of the members of the household.
HB 5142 (Flider), for out-of-state members of the Teacher Retirement System who experienced a leave of absence due to pregnancy, allows establishment of credit for that break in service.
HB 5188 (Pihos, R-Glen Ellyn), concerning confidential communications in the Illinois School Student
Records Act, defines "psychotherapist" as a person who is a school social worker, school psychologist, or school counselor, as those terms are defined in the School Code.
HB 5240 (Pihos) limits the amount of sick leave a teacher can use for birth or adoption to 30 days.
HB 5338 (Lindner, R-Sugar Grove) requires the ISBE to develop and make available to each school board guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies. It requires each school board to implement a plan based on the guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies. An Alliance amendment was added to allow for flexibility with school district policies.
HB 5325 (Smith, D-Canton), an Alliance initiative, authorizes the ISBE to administer a Continued Reading Improvement Grant Program and provides funds for the program to be made available to school districts with students in any of grades 7 through 12 who are reading significantly below grade level.
HB 5536 (Brauer, R-Springfield) amends provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code requiring each school bus to display at the rear of the bus a sign indicating the telephone number of the owner of the school bus. It changes the sign verbiage to: "TO COMMENT ON MY DRIVING, CALL (area code and telephone number of school bus owner)". An Alliance amendment was added to help facilitate implementation.
HB 5578 (Mautino, D-Spring Valley), initiated by the Alliance on behalf of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys, provides that a party seeking to subpoena a public school employee to testify during school hours must obtain a court order and must pay a fee to the school district to pay the substitute teacher or other temporary staff employed during the witness's absence.
HB 5611 (Jefferson, D-Rockford) requires the ISBE to establish and administer a program that provides stipends ($20,000 over 5 years) to teachers (with at least 4 years of experience) who choose to teach at hard-to-staff public schools.
HB 5669 (Meyer, R-Naperville) requires school boards to make available on the school district's website a detailed annual expenditure report for each school building listing the dollar amount expended, by category, and the percentage each expenditure by category represents of the school building's total budget.
HB 5717 (Coulson, R-Glenview), an Alliance initiative, clarifies that any child who received a health examination before entering the fifth grade for the 2007-2008 school year is not required to receive an additional health examination before entering 6th grade in the 2008-2009 school year.
HB 5732 (Smith), an Alliance initiative, disallows the regional superintendent from imposing an unfunded mandate on a school district with a compliance review audit unless statutory authority exists for such finding.
HB 5914 (Rose, R-Charleston) changes the way members of the ISBE are selected. It would require a board of 7 members elected on a nonpartisan basis, within geographic regions, at the general election (now, the Board consists of 9 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate).
SB 1939 (Maloney, D-Chicago), an Alliance initiative, allows for a chief school business official endorsement if, among other conditions, the certificate holder has 2 years of university-approved practical experience (as an alternative to requiring 2 years of administrative experience in school business management).
SB 1955 (Lightford, D-Maywood) / HB 4522 (Pritchard, R-Hinckley) statutorily require the last two school district state aid payments to be made in June (instead of July) so the funds are received in the proper fiscal year.
SB 1958 (Clayborne, D-E. St. Louis) increases the amount of the separation benefits for members of the IMRF. The bill will increase the amount of the payment a school district must make to IMRF.
SB 1959 (Clayborne) changes how a supplemental benefit payment is calculated for members of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). The amount of the supplemental benefit payment to each eligible person shall be 75% of the monthly retirement or surviving spouse annuity payable to that person in June preceding the July1 supplemental benefit payment date and adds the percentage of earnings of the participating employees of all participating municipalities and participating instrumentalities necessary to provide that year's supplemental benefit payment to the list of considerations in determining the municipal contribution rate. This will increase the payment a school district must make to the IMRF.
SB 1960 (Clayborne) changes the minimum number of years of service an IMRF employee must work to be eligible for a retirement annuity from 8 to 5. This will increase the payment a school district must make to the IMRF.
SB 2091 (Haine, D-Alton) establishes the state’s attorney’s duty to notify the State Superintendent of Education upon the conviction of a teacher of certain offenses or felony convictions; allows for suspension or revocation of teaching certificates for misconduct; establishes the State Superintendent’s authority to initiate the suspension of up to 5 calendar years or revocation of any certificate for specific reasons; establishes a school superintendent’s duty to notify authorities if there are claims against a teacher for abusing or neglecting a child; requires cooperating in an investigation of alleged misconduct, and addresses confidentiality and non-disclosure of information, the attendance of witnesses and the production of certain documents. A Senate amendment adds a "willful and wanton" clause regarding the school district superintendent’s immunity from liability and removes the language presuming that the superintendent is acting "in good faith" when complying with the notification requirements of the bill. The original superintendent immunity language was added in response to Alliance concerns.
SB 2170 (Murphy, R-Palatine) provides that teachers (not just school authorities) may inspect and search places and areas owned or controlled by the school, as well as personal effects left in those places and areas by students, without notice to or the consent of the student and without a search warrant. An Alliance amendment was added to allow the local district to set the parameters by which a teacher may exercise this new authority.
SB 2288 (Meeks, D-Chicago) increases the state income tax rate and provides new funding for education, construction, and debt reduction along with some minor tax reform. It would increase the foundation level by $1,240 (for a total foundation level of $6,974) and increase the special education personnel reimbursement amount to over $19,000 by the 2012-2013 school year. The bill would also provide, in the first year of implementation, $2.9 billion in property tax relief.
SB 2293 (Maloney) requires that certain contracts involving an expenditure in excess of $25,000 or a lower amount as required by school board policy (rather than $10,000) be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.
SB 2296 (Clayborne) extends the provision to provide for an appropriation of $13,000,000 on a continuing annual basis from the General Revenue Fund to the state comptroller for deposit into the Teacher Health Insurance Security Fund.
SB 2352 (Wilhelmi, D-Crest Hill) provides that when calculating the state reimbursement for transportation costs, the ISBE may not deduct the number of pupils enrolled in early education programs from the number of pupils eligible for reimbursement if the pupils enrolled in the early education programs are transported at the same time as other eligible pupils.
SB 2379 (Demuzio, D-Carlinville) makes changes concerning a petition for withdrawal of a school district from a special education joint agreement, including requiring the hearing on the petition to be in accordance with ISBE rules and changing how the vote on approval of the petition is determined.
SB 2387 (Collins, D-Chicago) adds the processes of homeownership as part of the financial literacy component of consumer education.
SB 2500 (Demuzio), an Alliance initiative, creates the new superintendent mentoring program, established by the ISBE.
SB 2512 (Link, D-Vernon Hills) requires school districts to provide in the school curriculum a 2 hour unit of instruction in grades 3-12 on internet safety to be taught at least once each school year.
SB 2686 (Demuzio) would require that a school district grant tenure after a two-year probationary period for any teacher that had served in another school district and been granted tenure there after 4 consecutive school terms.
SB 2688 (Kotowski, D-Park Ridge) requires school districts to conduct a law enforcement drill each year to prepare students and school personnel for evacuations for incidents of shootings, bomb threats, etc. An Alliance amendment will make implementation of the bill less disruptive for schools.
SB 2689 (Noland, D-Elgin) would require school districts to allow educational support personnel (ESP) to accumulate up to 240 days of sick leave at full pay, including the leave of the current year. The bill also would require that the school keep a record of ESP sick leave accrual so that upon reduction in force and recall either the district must pay the employee the cash value for all accumulated sick leave at the daily rate of pay at the time of the lay off or for those recalled the district must re-credit the employee for any accumulated sick leave at the time of recall.
SB 2858 (Trotter, D-Chicago) requires the ISBE to adopt rules for the elimination of foods containing trans fats in public school cafeterias.
SB 2864 (Cullerton, D-Chicago) is an ISBE initiative that eliminates the use of 11-15 passenger vans for interscholastic or other school sponsored non-curriculum related activities. The bill adds language to allow the use of the federally approved multifunction activity bus as a safer alternative.
SB 2892 (Clayborne) implements a "sales tax holiday" from the first Friday in August for 9 days to the following Sunday for school supplies including any article of clothing or footwear or a computer sold at or below certain selling prices. The Department of Revenue estimates the cost of the program to the General Revenue Fund to be between $33 million and $43 million.
Bill Text/Status: Illinois General Assembly http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/
