Today (Friday) is a significant date in the legislative process, though it isn't the hard deadline
it once was. For both the House of Representatives and the Senate, this is the self-imposed
deadline for moving bills out of the first legislative chamber. Bills that have been approved will swap
chambers and begin the committee process anew. In days past, if a bill had not been considered favorably by
this point it was pretty much a dead issue. Legislative leaders have become more lenient through the years
and now dozens of bills will simply have their deadlines extended to retain their viability.
The Senate, originally scheduled to be in session today, cancelled and adjourned Thursday afternoon. The
House wrapped up action on bills on "Third Reading" today, which is the final passage stage in the chamber.
The Senate will return to the Capitol next Tuesday and the House is scheduled to return on Tuesday, May 9.
The final adjournment date for the spring for both chambers is May 31st.
Though nothing officially happened this week regarding a State budget, some see recent activity as the start
of a thaw in the icy relationships in the Capitol. House Speaker Michael Madigan met with Governor
Bruce Rauner to discuss a full year budget. Though no commitments were made, it was the first meeting
between the two in a very long time.
And though no legislation progressed in these areas, behind-the-door discussions continued on school
funding formula reform and pension reform.
BILL ACTION THIS WEEK
HB 459 (Ives, R-Wheaton), opposed by the Alliance, provides that a school district may not refinance debt
past the repayment period of the debt when issued, may not issue debt to be serviced over a period of greater
than 20 years, and may not issue capital appreciation bonds. The bill was defeated on the House floor.
The following bills passed the full House and will be taken up in the Senate at a future date:
HB 243 (Flowers, D-Chicago) allows school districts with high schools to form a partnership with local
police to offer a training academy for students.
HB 261 (Mussman, D-Schaumburg) allows school districts to use transportation funds, in certain
circumstances, to assist parents of a child at risk of homelessness with rent, mortgage, and assistance to pay
unpaid bills.
HB 512 (Breen, R-Lombard) requires local governments and school districts to publish notice of public
questions no later than 60 days nor less than 10 days prior to the referenda appearing on the ballot (currently
30 days).
HB 768 (Welch, D-Westchester), supported by the Alliance, removes provisions allowing the State Charter
School Commission to reverse a school board's decision to deny, revoke, or not renew a charter.
HB 1254 (Costello, D-Red Bud), beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, expands the list for which
partial days of attendance counts may be used to include the utilization of the school district's facilities by
local or county authorities for the purpose of holding a memorial or funeral services in remembrance of a
community member.
HB 2369 (Harper, D-Chicago) requires public schools to provide reasonable accommodations to a lactating
pupil to express breast milk.
HB 2461 (McAsey, D-Lockport) adds new requirements to be included on the school report card regarding
gifted education and advanced academic programs.
HB 2462 (Moeller, D-Elgin) prohibits employers from screening job applicants based on wage and salary
history and prohibits an employer from seeking the salary and benefits of a job applicant from any current or
former employer.
HB 2525 (Hoffman, D-Belleville) opposed by the Alliance, would codify case law continuing the "any"
cause standard that extends employer liability for injuries not directly caused by the workplace.
HB 2527 (Sosnowski, R-Rockford) authorizes eligible applicants to design a high school diploma program
for adult learners.
HB 2545 (Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville) requires school personnel who work with students in grades K-12
to be trained annually at an in-service training institute to identify the warning signs of mental illness and
suicide behavior. Further amendments are expected in the Senate to address Alliance concerns.
HB 2898 (Crespo, D-Streamwood), supported by the Alliance, removes the date (of June 30, 2021) until
which a principal endorsement may be affixed to the Professional Educator License of a person who has,
among other qualifications, at least four total years of experience working in the capacity of school support
personnel.
HB 2977 (Welch), opposed by the Alliance, requires schools to include a unit of instruction for writing
cursive.
HB 3044 (Hoffman) requires the Department of Labor (DOL) to publish on their website the prevailing
wage schedule for each county based upon the rate of wages in June, by August 15 of each year.
HB 3120 (Demmer, R-Rochelle), supported by the Alliance, allows a public body to satisfy the newspaper
publication requirement for its determination of the prevailing rate of wages by posting on the public body's
website a hyperlink to the prevailing wage schedule for that locality on the DOL website.
HB 3215 (Wallace, D-Rockford), opposed by the Alliance, requires schools to provide feminine hygiene
products to students at no cost.
HB 3293 (Scherer, D-Decatur), as amended to remove Alliance opposition, requires the recipient of a
school bus to paint it a different color and remove the insignia, stop arms, and flashing signal system.
HB 3298 (Scherer) allows, under certain circumstances, the application fee for a substitute teacher license to
be refunded.
HB 3369 (Sims, D-Chicago) requires the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to post resources
regarding the teaching of high-skilled manufacturing education programs.
HB 3371 (Sims), opposed by the Alliance, provides that required training in suicide awareness and
prevention techniques shall last at least two hours.
HB 3407 (Sosnowski) removes provisions allowing certain governmental units (including school districts) to
enter into agreements to engage in "swap" agreements for bonding and removes provisions allowing variable
interest rates and certain credit or liquidity enhancement arrangements.
HB 3745 (Conyears-Ervin, D-Chicago) requires a school board to permit community groups to advertise
events and after-school programs pertinent to students' interests or involvement in a designated area of each
school campus that is accessible and commonly used.
HB 3820 (Crespo), supported by the Alliance, allows individuals with a valid Career and Technical
Education (CTE) endorsement, but that do not hold a bachelor's degree, to substitute teach in CTE classes.
HB 3903 (Stratton, D-Chicago), opposed by the Alliance, prohibits student booking stations on school
grounds. The bill allows a place operated by law enforcement to perform their duties within schools and use
of temporary detention spaces under certain circumstances.
The following bills passed the full Senate and will be taken up in the House at a future date:
SB 87 (Link, D-Vernon Hills), opposed by the Alliance, provides that the property tax exemption for
veterans with disabilities carries over to the surviving spouse of a veteran who was killed in the line of duty
in the current taxable year or any preceding taxable year.
SB 195 (Stadelman, D-Rockford), supported by the Alliance, changes the Teachers' Retirement System
(TRS) federal funds rate from the unfunded liability rate to the normal cost rate for school staff paid with
federal program dollars.
SB 701 (Morrison, D-Deerfield) excludes vehicle allowances from the definition of "earnings" for an IMRF
pension.
SB 764 (Morrison) requires the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), in cooperation with
school officials, to distribute appropriate materials in school buildings listing the toll-free telephone number
established in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act to be displayed in a clearly visible location in
each school building.
SB 863 (Bertino-Tarrant, D-Plainfield), an Alliance initiative, provides that for ISBE appointments made
after the effective date, three of the members must represent the educator community.
SB 872 (Rezin, R-Peru) provides that the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities shall be
prorated if the property is first used as a qualified residence by a veteran with a disability after January 1 of a
taxable year.
SB 1299 (Connelly, R-Naperville), supported by the Alliance, allows the holder of a master's degree in
public administration, who completes an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school business
management and passes the applicable State test to be eligible for a chief school business official
endorsement.
SB 1385 (Weaver, R-Peoria) provides that abatement for urban decay properties applies to newly
remodeled as well as newly constructed dwellings.
SB 1846 (Hunter, D-Chicago) requires the Department of Public Health DPH) to include asthma in the
standard school health exam and requires DPH to collect and maintain data.
SB 1856 (Bivins, R-Dixon), regarding the prevailing wage, allows public bodies to satisfy the notice
requirement by posting on its website the hyperlink to the DOL website.
SB 1887 (Koehler, D-Peoria), for certain homestead exemptions and assessment freezes, provides that if the
person receiving the exemption/assessment freeze is a resident of a Supportive Living Program facility the
exemption/freeze shall continue so long as the residence is occupied by the qualifying person's spouse
remains unoccupied but is owned by the qualifying person.
SB 1904 (Silverstein, D-Chicago) requires the Department of Labor (DOL) to publish, by July 15 of each
year on its official website, a prevailing wage schedule for each county based upon the prevailing rate of
wages investigated and ascertained by the Department during the month of June.
SB 1947 (Collins, D-Chicago), among other provisions, creates a definition of chronic absenteeism.
COMMITTEES SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, May 2, 2:30 p.m., Room 212, State Capitol
HB 106 (Batnick, R- Plainfield) provides that the holder of a master's degree in public administration who
completes an additional six semester hours of internship in school business management from a regionally
accredited institution of higher education and passes applicable State tests is eligible for a chief school
business official endorsement.
HB 213 (Ford, D-Chicago) provides that any moneys transferred from the State Lottery fund to the
Common School Fund shall be supplemental to any other money due to be transferred.
HB 370 (Mayfield, D-Waukegan) requires schools to post the telephone number for the DCFS child abuse
hotline and 911.
HB 425 (Welch) makes changes to the salary structure of Regional Superintendents of Schools and their
assistants, especially in regard to the Educational Service Centers in Cook County.
HB 655 (Cavaletto, R-Salem) requires ISBE to use e-mail delivery to notify an educator of a lapse in their
license no sooner than six months prior to the license lapsing.
HB 760 (Lang, D-Chicago) allows the East Prairie School District 73 to exceed its debt limit with voter
approval and requires any school district seeking legislative approval to exceed debt limit to hold a public
hearing with proper notification, and hold a referendum for voter approval of the additional debt.
HB 826 (Lilly, D-Chicago) codifies in statute licensure requirements for school social workers and prohibits
school social workers from providing services outside their employment to any student in the district. It
makes a recommendation for a student to social worker ratio of 250 to 1.
HB 2378 (Drury, D-Highwood) removes language requiring a student's transcript to show the scores
attained by the student on a state assessment that includes a college and career ready determination.
HB 2426 (Currie, D-Chicago) requires that 25% of the overall Early Childhood Education Block Grant be
allocated to programs for children 0-3 years of age.
HB 2442 (Bennett, R-Pontiac) requires student assessments for application or admissions to colleges
administered by ISBE to be given on a school day during regular attendance hours.
HB 2470 (Walsh, D-Joliet) allows applicants for a CTE endorsement to count coursework from a technical
institution and allows a test of work proficiency to satisfy endorsement application.
HB 2618 (Gabel, D-Evanston), for parties who agree not to use mediation during a challenge in a special
education hearing process, gives the parent 10 days after a party declines to use mediation to file a request
for a due process hearing to allow the student to remain in their current placement.
HB 2663 (Stratton) prohibits early childhood programs receiving ISBE grants to expel children.
HB 3012 (Mayfield) allows Waukegan CUSD 60 to make a one-time transfer of funds from its bond fund to
the Operations and Maintenance Fund with proper resolution following a public hearing.
SENATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 3, 9:30 a.m., Room 409, State Capitol
HB 619 (Walsh) exempts from Freedom of Information Act inspection and copying, records requested by a
person incarcerated that would result in the risk of harm to any person and records containing personal
information pertaining to the incarcerated person's victim or victim's family including contact information
such as their school address.
HB 2585 (DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights) provides that if there is no newspaper which is published in the
unit of local government or school district, notice may also be published in newspaper published in an
adjacent county to the unit or school district.
SENATE LABOR COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 3, 11:00 a.m., Room 212, State Capitol
SB 1721 (Biss, D-Evanston) entitles employees up to 12 weeks of family leave within any 24-month period
for the purpose child birth, adoption or serious health condition of a family member.
SENATE LICENSED ACTIVITIES AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 3, 2:00 p.m., Room 400, State Capitol
HB 1772 (Parkhurst, R-Kankakee) requires that fingerprinting equipment and software meet specifications
required by the Department of State Police.
HB 2966 (Andrade, D-Chicago), under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), changes
references to "salary" to "reported earnings" regarding additional contributions from the local government
and makes the change retroactive to January 1, 2012.
HB 3070 (Martwick, D-Chicago), under IMRF, requires participants to notify and provide payment for
purchase of certain types of service credit prior to termination of employment.
