February 21, 2020
In a week dominated by Governor JB Pritzker’s Budget Address, legislative committees did meet in abbreviated sessions to consider legislation. Next week, a full slate of substantive committees will convene to continue their way through the thousands of new bills introduced this year.BILLS APPROVED BY COMMITTEES THIS WEEK
HB 3928 (Mason, D-Gurnee) requires instruction on the dangers of e-cigarettes and other vapor devices in the Comprehensive Health Education Program.HB 4007 (West, D-Rockford) provides that sex education course material and instruction for grades 6-12 must include a discussion on sexting.
HB 4284 (Gabel, D-Chicago) requires that nonresidential buildings with parking have 30 percent of its total parking spaces equipped with electric vehicle charging stations.
SB 2752 (Hunter, D-Chicago) provides that applicants for school bus driver permits must not have been convicted of aggravated domestic battery or offenses under the Liquor Control Act within the last 20 years before the date of the application.
SB 2937 (McConchie, R-Lake Zurich) provides that a guidance counselor may not intentionally solicit or accept any gift from any prohibited source.
SB 3109 (Hunter) requires the Department of Public Health to test paint, soil, and water for lead contamination at all school buildings.
BILLS SCHEDULED FOR COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 25, 1:00 p.m., Room 212, State CapitolSB 452 (J. Morrison, D-Deerfield) requires agencies providing early intervention services to notify the school district when a child eligible for Part B of IDEA reaches his/her third birthday.
SB 2281 (Cunningham, D-Chicago) provides that a student whose 22nd birthday occurs during the school year is eligible for special education services through the end of the school year.
SB 2473 (Martwick, D-Chicago) provides that a public school student shall be granted up to five days of excused absences in any school year for the reason of the mental or behavioral health of the student.
SB 2474 (Bertino-Tarrant, D-Plainfield) provides that a course in financial literacy may be taken towards the fulfillment of the mathematics requirement that each pupil entering the 9th grade must successfully complete to receive a high school diploma.
SB 2478 (Manar, D-Bunker Hill) extends by two more years (until June 30, 2022), the provision that allows a retired teacher to substitute teach for 120 days per year, instead of 100 days.
SB 2510 (Rezin, R-Morris) adds forensic speech to the music, art, foreign language, or vocational education elective that is a prerequisite to receive a high school diploma.
SB 3001 (Castro, D-Elgin) provides that an applicant who has earned a master's degree in social work and holds a valid license issued pursuant to the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act may obtain a social worker endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations.
SB 3222 (S. Bennett, D-Champaign) allows parents of students to exempt their children from participation in a law enforcement drill.
SR 982 (J. Morrison) urges local emergency response planning officials to partner with school districts in their region in order to disseminate information pertaining to safety threats related to the storage and transport of hazardous substances.
HB 2549 (N. Harris, D-Dolton) requires the Roundtable on Educational Opportunity and Development to study the ways to expand educational opportunities and sources of private funding for students by developing a before-school, in-school, or after-school drama therapy program that is designed for vulnerable youth.
HOUSE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 26, 8:30 a.m.., Room C-1, Stratton
HB 3897 (Hurley, D-Chicago) requires that schools continue special education services to the end of the school year for students turning 22 during the school year.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION: SCHOOL CURRICULUM & POLICIES COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 26, 10:00 a.m., Room 114, State Capitol
HB 52 (Flowers, D-Chicago) requires the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to develop a program facilitating education in advanced manufacturing skills.
HB 4012 (Didech, D-Buffalo Grove) allows school districts to enter into intergovernmental agreements to establish technology exchange programs and requires that if established, to biennially report such agreements to ISBE.
HB 4013 (Didech, D-Buffalo Grove) prohibits school districts with limited open forum from denying equal access or fair opportunity for students participating in a meeting or extracurricular student group, and allows the meeting to be student or teacher initiated.
HB 4063 (Tarver, D-Chicago) requires school districts with more than 275,000 inhabitants to provide written notification to a parent when their student commits misconduct, and requires a copy of any statement made by the student to be provided to the parent within 24 hours. It also sets forth the information included in the disciplinary report.
HB 4143 (Mazzochi, R-Westmont) allows a school district to discontinue or modify any mandate that is not fully funded by state appropriation, or if the mandate does not improve the educational outcomes of the school district.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION: ADMINISTRATION, LICENSING & CHARTER SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 26, 2:00 p.m., Room 115, State Capitol
HB 40 (Flowers) requires all school districts to provide free transportation for all students holding a valid school identification card issued by the school.
HB 4029 (West) requires school districts having an enrollment of 3,000 students or more to interview a minimum percentage of minority candidates for teaching positions and further requires a school district to implement a program for school employees to become licensed teachers if the school is unable to interview the required minimum percentage over two years.
HB 4103 (Hoffman, D-Belleville) requires each school board to appoint at least one employee to act as a liaison to facilitate enrollment and transfer of records of students in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
HB 4417 (DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights) requires a school board to hold three consecutive monthly public hearings when a district is determining whether a site or building has become unnecessary, unsuitable, or inconvenient.
HB 4510 (Scherer, D-Decatur) provides that no later than September 1, 2020, each school district must establish a teacher evaluation plan that ensures that each teacher in contractual continued service whose performance is rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" is evaluated at least once in the course of the three school years after receipt of the rating and informally evaluated at least once in the course of the two school years after receipt of the rating.
HOUSE PERSONNEL & PENSIONS COMMITTEE
Thursday, February 27, 9:00 a.m., Room 118, State Capitol
HB 4509 (Scherer, D-Decatur) allows a Teacher Retirement System (TRS) annuitant to substitute teach without restriction and penalty.
HOUSE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE
Thursday, February 27, 9:00 a.m., Room 114, State Capitol
HB 3975 (Carroll, D-Northbrook) prohibits a school district employee, volunteer, or an independent contractor of a school district to place a student in seclusion.