When both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly meet next, there will only be 10 days remaining to get a Fiscal Year 2019 budget in place before the legislative deadline. While there may not be agreement among all parties on a budget, there are more discussions and negotiations taking place, albeit behind closed doors, than in years past. The four legislative leaders met with the Governor on a few occasions this week to plot the course for the next fiscal year as well as discuss a potential supplemental appropriation for this fiscal year.
VOLKSWAGEN SETTLEMENT DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOL BUSES
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) will be having three hearings in the next two weeks to receive public input regarding the $108 million that has been allocated to Illinois through the Volkswagen Settlement Mitigation Trust. These funds must be used for 10 eligible vehicle and equipment upgrades including school buses. For additional details regarding what is being considered, click
here
. Hearing dates, times and locations are below. The IEPA has also set up a survey and email address (
EPA.VWSettlement@illinois.gov) for interested parties to provide input. Those tools are explained in the "Public Input" section of the link above.
Central Illinois Outreach Session
May 23, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Illinois EPA Headquarters, Springfield
Southern Illinois Outreach Session
May 24, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
St. Paul Baptist Church, East St. Louis
Northern Illinois Outreach Session
May 30, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
James R. Thompson Center, Chicago
FLOOR ACTION FROM THIS WEEK
The following bill passed the full Senate and will be taken up in the House at a future date:
SB 2892 (Manar, D-Bunker Hill) incrementally increases the statutory minimum teacher salary to $40,000 for the 2022-2023 school year.
The following bills were approved by both chambers and will be sent to the Governor.
HB 4346 (Jones, D-Chicago) requires each public university to offer a course studying the events of Black History and allows school districts and public universities to meet certain requirements by offering an online course.
HB 4795 (Demmer, R-Rochelle) provides that the Department of Human Services cooperate with, and assist, schools in establishing substance use disorder prevention programs and preparing curriculum materials for use at all levels of education.
HB 4858 (Pritchard, R-Sycamore) provides that local school districts and community colleges may apply for and receive grants for the acquisition of land, construction of facilities, and purchase of equipment, dedicated solely to the instruction of occupations in manufacturing.
HB 4870 (Lang, D-Skokie) requires school districts to authorize a parent or guardian of a student, who is a qualifying patient, to administer a medical cannabis infused product to the student on school premises or a school bus if both the student and the parent or guardian have been issued registry identification cards.
The following bill was approved by both chambers and will be sent to the Governor.
SB 650 (Connelly, R-Naperville) provides that certain notices concerning requests for mandate waivers may be made electronically.
COMMITTEE ACTION FROM THIS WEEK
The following bills were approved by Senate Committees and await further action from the full Senate:
HB 4658 (Manley, D-Joliet)
provides that, at least once every two years, a school board shall require in-service training of licensed school personnel and administrators who work with children in kindergarten through grade 12 to identify the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior in youth.
HB 4768 (Wheeler, R-Aurora) adds comprehensive language changes to what must be included in the newly elected school board members' oath of office.
HB 4799 (Harper, D-Chicago) requires schools maintaining grades K-8 to adopt a policy, and make available, education regarding effective methods for the prevention and avoidance of traffic injuries related to walking and bicycling.
HB 5137 (Martwick, D-Chicago) requires the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) to offer an optional defined contribution retirement plan for members to join.
The following bills were approved by House Committees and await further action from the full House:
HB 5750 (Phelps Finnie, D-Harrisburg)
appropriates $16 million for school district broadband expansion.
SB 35 (Harmon, D-Oak Park) creates the Immigration Safe Zones Act.
Provides that the Attorney General by April 1, 2019, shall publish model policies limiting assistance with immigration enforcement, ensuring that elementary and secondary schools remain safe and accessible to all students regardless of immigration status.
SB 486 (Harmon) makes changes to how the assessment and taxation of solar energy systems are calculated. It provides for commercial solar energy systems to have a real property cost basis (fair market value of the real property) of $194,000 per megawatt for the improvements, compared with the current real property cost basis of $439,200 per megawatt for wind energy.
SB 904 (Hoffman, D-Belleville)
attempts to address the disconnect that occurs between billing and payment for workers compensation claims, however, the proposal dramatically tips the balance in favor of medical providers which would significantly increase costs to employers.
SB 2328 (Holmes, D-Aurora) allows local governments to develop an alternative process of public hearing, evaluation procedure, and selection procedure for selection of architectural, engineering or land surveying services for emergencies costing less than $40,000, and includes an annual unadjusted percentage increase determined by the consumer price index.
SB 2344 (Mulroe, D-Chicago) allows a student to continue to receive special education services at a school outside of their district of residence, even if the district of residence no longer has a joint agreement with the district providing special education services.
SB 2345 (Lightford, D-Westchester) requires ISBE to provide information for the school report card as to whether or not a school has participated in the Illinois Youth Survey.
SB 2428 (Stadelman, D-Rockford) requires every school to provide a federally reimbursable meal or snack to a student who makes the request, regardless of whether the student owes money for meals or snacks.
SB 2527 (Weaver, R-Peoria)
provides that a qualified student shall be allowed to enroll in an unlimited amount of dual credit courses and earn an unlimited amount of academic credits from dual credit courses if the courses are taught by an Illinois instructor, as provided under the Dual Credit Quality Act.
SB 2572 (Holmes) eliminates the changes in the requirements for Physical Education made under SB 1947 last year (moving the requirement from five days per week to three days per week), and sets a rigid time standard for PE of 150 minutes a week.
SB 2654 (Hunter, D-Chicago) requires school boards to include information about influenza and influenza vaccinations when they provide information on school health issues to the parents or guardians.
SB 2693 (Weaver) provides that a college or university may not require a teacher applicant to complete the test of basic skills prior to the semester before student teaching, or starting the final semester of an internship.
SB 2838 (Link, D-Gurnee) provides that, by January 1, 2019, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) shall implement a program to allow school districts to supplement their substitute teacher recruitment for elementary and secondary schools with the use of recruiting firms.
SB 2863 (Raoul, D-Chicago) makes changes to the Workers Compensation Act by adding regulation and expanding employee litigation opportunities.
SB 2889 (Rose, R-Champaign) provides that epinephrine may also be administered with a pre-filled syringe.
SB 2900 (Righter, R-Mattoon) provides that if a school board fills a vacancy due to a lack of candidates for election in a congressional township in the most recent election, then the school board shall submit a question to the voters at the next election as to whether they approve at-large election of that board position instead of mandatory board representation by a specific area.
SB 2925 (Lightford) codifies the role of school resource officers (SRO) in schools, establishes a training process for SRO's, and requires any law enforcement agency providing SROs to schools to certify they have been trained beginning January 2021.
SB 2941 (McGuire, D-Crest Hill) provides that a school district may participate in ISBE's competency-based, high school graduation requirements pilot program for some or all of its schools.
SB 3003 (Sandoval, D-Cicero) provides leniency for certain minor offenses so more people can apply for a school bus driving permit.
SB 3015 (Koehler, D-Peoria) changes the definition of "asthma medication" to mean quick-relief asthma medication that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of respiratory distress. The bill also allows districts to maintain a supply of undesignated asthma medicine.
SB 3201 (Hastings, D-Frankfort) requires the school to notify the parent, no later than 48 hours after discovery, of a breach of security that results in the unauthorized release, disclosure, or acquisition of student information contained in a school student record.
SB 3236 (Manar) requires that a school report card include the most current data possessed by ISBE relating to a school district's administrative costs.
SB 3249 (Steans, D-Chicago)
would
add to the current list of items to be included in the public school History of the United States curriculum, the "roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State".
SB 3466 (Lightford) requires a school district to make reasonable efforts to provide ongoing professional development on the appropriate and available supportive services for the promotion of student attendance and engagement.
SB 3604 (Cullerton, T., D-Villa Park)
creates the Government Severance Pay Act. Provides that a school district that enters into a contract or employment agreement, or renewal or renegotiation of an existing contract or employment agreement that contains a provision for severance pay with an employee must include specified provisions in the contract.
BILLS SCHEDULED FOR COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK
The following is a selection of bills of interest that are scheduled to be considered in committees next week. For a full listing of next week's Senate committees, click
here
. For a full listing of next week's House committees, click
here
.
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Monday, May 21, 4:35 p.m., Room 212, State Capitol
HB 4193 (Parkhurst, R-Kankakee), for special education impartial due process hearings, changes when the hearing officer must issue his or her written decision from within 10 days to within 10 business days after the hearing.
HB 4685 (Connor, D-Romeoville) requires schools to allow students to possess and use topical sunscreen products.
HB 5148 (Kifowit, D-Aurora) requires that course material and instruction in sex education shall include emphasis on what constitutes sexual consent, harassment and assault in the workplace and on a college campus.
HB 5561 (Swanson, R-Woodhull)
provides that a public school student receiving a high school diploma shall have the right to wear a military uniform at high school graduation, under certain circumstances.
HB 5786 (Mayfield, D-Waukegan) requires in-school suspension programs for K-12 students to focus on promoting non-violent conflict resolution and positive interaction with other students and school personnel.
HOUSE JUDICIARY - CRIMINAL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, May 22, 11:00 a.m., Room 122B, State Capitol
SB 2907 (McConnaughay, R-West Dundee) provides that agencies and entities authorized by law to conduct or obtain national criminal history background checks shall be eligible to participate in the Federal Rap Back Service.
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS-ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, May 22, 3:00 p.m., Room C-1, Stratton Office Building
Subject Matter: Evidence Based Funding
SENATE REVENUE COMMITTEE
Tuesday, May 22, 5:15 p.m., Room 212, State Capitol
HB 4237 (Carroll, D-Buffalo Grove) establishes the Illinois Excellence Fund in the State Treasury to accept contribution funds for exclusively public educational purposes including, early childhood, elementary and secondary, higher education, adult education and teachers' employment benefits.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION: LICENSING, ADMINISTRATION & OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 23, 9:00 a.m., Room 115, State Capitol
SB 3536 (Collins, D-Chicago) provides that publicly funded early childhood programs must collect, review, and report to ISBE chronic absence data, and determine what support and resources are needed to positively engage chronically absent students and their families.
