99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB1606

 

Introduced 2/20/2015, by Sen. Christine Radogno

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/5-1  from Ch. 122, par. 5-1

    Amends the Trustees of Schools Article of the School Code. Allows the school board of Lyons Township High School District 204 to withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of Lyons Township and the township treasurer, provided that the school board elects or appoints its own school treasurer. Provides that these provisions shall not affect any lawsuits pending on the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.


LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1606LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
55-1 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/5-1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 5-1)
7    Sec. 5-1. County school units.
8    (a) The territory in each county, exclusive of any school
9district governed by any special act which requires the
10district to appoint its own school treasurer, shall constitute
11a county school unit. County school units of less than
122,000,000 inhabitants shall be known as Class I county school
13units and the office of township trustees, where existing on
14July 1, 1962, in such units shall be abolished on that date and
15all books and records of such former township trustees shall be
16forthwith thereafter transferred to the county board of school
17trustees. County school units of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants
18shall be known as Class II county school units and shall retain
19the office of township trustees unless otherwise provided in
20subsection (b) or (c).
21    (b) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school
22board of any elementary school district having a fall, 1989
23aggregate enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500

 

 

SB1606- 2 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1pupils and having boundaries that are coterminous with the
2boundaries of a high school district, and the school board of
3any high school district having a fall, 1989 aggregate
4enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500 pupils and
5having boundaries that are coterminous with the boundaries of
6an elementary school district, may, whenever the territory of
7such school district forms a part of a Class II county school
8unit, by proper resolution withdraw such school district from
9the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of
10the township in which such school district is located and from
11the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer in
12such Class II county school unit; provided that the school
13board of any such school district shall, upon the adoption and
14passage of such resolution, thereupon elect or appoint its own
15school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1. Upon the adoption
16and passage of such resolution and the election or appointment
17by the school board of its own school treasurer: (1) the
18trustees of schools in such township shall no longer have or
19exercise any powers and duties with respect to the school
20district governed by such school board or with respect to the
21school business, operations or assets of such school district;
22and (2) all books and records of the township trustees relating
23to the school business and affairs of such school district
24shall be transferred and delivered to the school board of such
25school district. Upon the effective date of this amendatory Act
26of 1993, the legal title to, and all right, title and interest

 

 

SB1606- 3 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1formerly held by the township trustees in any school buildings
2and school sites used and occupied by the school board of such
3school district for school purposes, that legal title, right,
4title and interest thereafter having been transferred to and
5vested in the regional board of school trustees under P.A.
687-473 until the abolition of that regional board of school
7trustees by P.A. 87-969, shall be deemed transferred by
8operation of law to and shall vest in the school board of that
9school district.
10    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school boards
11of Oak Park & River Forest District 200, Oak Park Elementary
12School District 97, and River Forest School District 90 may, by
13proper resolution, withdraw from the jurisdiction and
14authority of the trustees of schools of Proviso and Cicero
15Townships and the township treasurer, provided that the school
16board shall, upon the adoption and passage of the resolution,
17elect or appoint its own school treasurer as provided in
18Section 8-1 of this Code. Upon the adoption and passage of the
19resolution and the election or appointment by the school board
20of its own school treasurer: (1) the trustees of schools in the
21township or townships shall no longer have or exercise any
22powers or duties with respect to the school district or with
23respect to the school business, operations, or assets of the
24school district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of
25schools and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other
26assets relating to the school business and affairs of the

 

 

SB1606- 4 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1school district shall be transferred and delivered to the
2school board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title,
3and interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
4common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used and
5occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
6causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the
7common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
8transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
9board.
10    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the respective
11school boards of Berwyn North School District 98, Berwyn South
12School District 100, Cicero School District 99, and J.S. Morton
13High School District 201 may, by proper resolution, withdraw
14from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools
15of Cicero Township and the township treasurer, provided that
16the school board shall, upon the adoption and passage of the
17resolution, elect or appoint its own school treasurer as
18provided in Section 8-1 of this Code. Upon the adoption and
19passage of the resolution and the election or appointment by
20the school board of its own school treasurer: (1) the trustees
21of schools in the township shall no longer have or exercise any
22powers or duties with respect to the school district or with
23respect to the school business, operations, or assets of the
24school district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of
25schools and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other
26assets relating to the school business and affairs of the

 

 

SB1606- 5 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1school district shall be transferred and delivered to the
2school board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title,
3and interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
4common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used and
5occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
6causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the
7common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
8transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
9board.
10    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) of this Section,
11the school board of Lyons Township High School District 204
12may, by proper resolution, withdraw from the jurisdiction and
13authority of the trustees of schools of Lyons Township and the
14township treasurer, provided that the school board shall, upon
15the adoption and passage of the resolution, elect or appoint
16its own school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this
17Code. Upon the adoption and passage of the resolution and the
18election or appointment by the school board of its own school
19treasurer: (1) the trustees of schools in the township shall no
20longer have or exercise any powers or duties with respect to
21the school district or with respect to the school business,
22operations, or assets of the school district; (2) all books and
23records of the trustees of schools and all moneys, securities,
24loanable funds, and other assets relating to the school
25business and affairs of the school district shall be
26transferred and delivered to the school board; and (3) all

 

 

SB1606- 6 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly held
2by the trustees of schools in any common school lands, school
3buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the school
4board and all rights of property and causes of action
5pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
6lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
7operation of law to and shall vest in the school board. The
8change made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 99th
9General Assembly shall not affect any lawsuits pending on the
10effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General
11Assembly.
12    (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the
13offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of any
14township located in a Class II county school unit shall be
15abolished as provided in this subsection if all of the
16following conditions are met:
17        (1) During the same 30 day period, each school board of
18    each elementary and unit school district that is subject to
19    the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer
20    and trustees of schools of the township in which those
21    offices are sought to be abolished gives written notice by
22    certified mail, return receipt requested to the township
23    treasurer and trustees of schools of that township of the
24    date of a meeting of the school board, to be held not more
25    than 90 nor less than 60 days after the date when the
26    notice is given, at which meeting the school board is to

 

 

SB1606- 7 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1    consider and vote upon the question of whether there shall
2    be submitted to the electors of the school district a
3    proposition to abolish the offices of township treasurer
4    and trustee of schools of that township. None of the
5    notices given under this paragraph to the township
6    treasurer and trustees of schools of a township shall be
7    deemed sufficient or in compliance with the requirements of
8    this paragraph unless all of those notices are given within
9    the same 30 day period.
10        (2) Each school board of each elementary and unit
11    school district that is subject to the jurisdiction and
12    authority of the township treasurer and trustees of schools
13    of the township in which those offices are sought to be
14    abolished, by the affirmative vote of at least 5 members of
15    the school board at a school board meeting of which notice
16    is given as required by paragraph (1) of this subsection,
17    adopts a resolution requiring the secretary of the school
18    board to certify to the proper election authorities for
19    submission to the electors of the school district at the
20    next consolidated election in accordance with the general
21    election law a proposition to abolish the offices of
22    township treasurer and trustee of schools of that township.
23    None of the resolutions adopted under this paragraph by any
24    elementary or unit school districts that are subject to the
25    jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
26    trustees of schools of the township in which those offices

 

 

SB1606- 8 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1    are sought to be abolished shall be deemed in compliance
2    with the requirements of this paragraph or sufficient to
3    authorize submission of the proposition to abolish those
4    offices to a referendum of the electors in any such school
5    district unless all of the school boards of all of the
6    elementary and unit school districts that are subject to
7    the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer
8    and trustees of schools of that township adopt such a
9    resolution in accordance with the provisions of this
10    paragraph.
11        (3) The school boards of all of the elementary and unit
12    school districts that are subject to the jurisdiction and
13    authority of the township treasurer and trustees of schools
14    of the township in which those offices are sought to be
15    abolished submit a proposition to abolish the offices of
16    township treasurer and trustee of schools of that township
17    to the electors of their respective school districts at the
18    same consolidated election in accordance with the general
19    election law, the ballot in each such district to be in
20    substantially the following form:
21    -------------------------------------------------------------
22
OFFICIAL BALLOT
23            Shall the offices of township
24            treasurer and                       YES
25            trustee of                      -------------
26            schools of Township .....           NO

 

 

SB1606- 9 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1            Range ..... be abolished?
2    -------------------------------------------------------------
3        (4) At the consolidated election at which the
4    proposition to abolish the offices of township treasurer
5    and trustee of schools of a township is submitted to the
6    electors of each elementary and unit school district that
7    is subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the
8    township treasurer and trustee of schools of that township,
9    a majority of the electors voting on the proposition in
10    each such elementary and unit school district votes in
11    favor of the proposition as submitted to them.
12    If in each elementary and unit school district that is
13subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
14treasurer and trustees of schools of the township in which
15those offices are sought to be abolished a majority of the
16electors in each such district voting at the consolidated
17election on the proposition to abolish the offices of township
18treasurer and trustee of schools of that township votes in
19favor of the proposition as submitted to them, the proposition
20shall be deemed to have passed; but if in any such elementary
21or unit school district a majority of the electors voting on
22that proposition in that district fails to vote in favor of the
23proposition as submitted to them, then notwithstanding the vote
24of the electors in any other such elementary or unit school
25district on that proposition the proposition shall not be
26deemed to have passed in any of those elementary or unit school

 

 

SB1606- 10 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1districts, and the offices of township treasurer and trustee of
2schools of the township in which those offices were sought to
3be abolished shall not be abolished, unless in each of those
4elementary and unit school districts remaining subject to the
5jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
6trustees of schools of that township proceedings are again
7initiated to abolish those offices and all of the proceedings
8and conditions prescribed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this
9subsection are repeated and met in each of those elementary and
10unit school districts.
11    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section
12or any other provision of the School Code, the offices of
13township treasurer and trustee of schools of a township that
14has a population of less than 200,000 and that contains a unit
15school district and is located in a Class II county school unit
16shall also be abolished as provided in this subsection if all
17of the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of
18this subsection are met and if the following additional
19condition is met:
20        The electors in all of the school districts subject to
21    the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer
22    and trustees of schools of the township in which those
23    offices are sought to be abolished shall vote at the
24    consolidated election on the proposition to abolish the
25    offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of
26    that township. If a majority of the electors in all of the

 

 

SB1606- 11 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1    school districts combined voting on the proposition vote in
2    favor of the proposition, then the proposition shall be
3    deemed to have passed; but if a majority of the electors
4    voting on the proposition in all of the school district
5    fails to vote in favor of the proposition as submitted to
6    them, then the proposition shall not be deemed to have
7    passed and the offices of township treasurer and trustee of
8    schools of the township in which those offices were sought
9    to be abolished shall not be abolished, unless and until
10    the proceedings detailed in paragraphs (1) through (3) of
11    this subsection and the conditions set forth in this
12    paragraph are met.
13    If the proposition to abolish the offices of township
14treasurer and trustee of schools of a township is deemed to
15have passed at the consolidated election as provided in this
16subsection, those offices shall be deemed abolished by
17operation of law effective on January 1 of the calendar year
18immediately following the calendar year in which that
19consolidated election is held, provided that if after the
20election, the trustees of schools by resolution elect to
21abolish the offices of township treasurer and trustee of
22schools effective on July 1 immediately following the election,
23then the offices shall be abolished on July 1 immediately
24following the election. On the date that the offices of
25township treasurer and trustee of schools of a township are
26deemed abolished by operation of law, the school board of each

 

 

SB1606- 12 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1elementary and unit school district and the school board of
2each high school district that is subject to the jurisdiction
3and authority of the township treasurer and trustees of schools
4of that township at the time those offices are abolished: (i)
5shall appoint its own school treasurer as provided in Section
68-1; and (ii) unless the term of the contract of a township
7treasurer expires on the date that the office of township
8treasurer is abolished, shall pay to the former township
9treasurer its proportionate share of any aggregate
10compensation that, were the office of township treasurer not
11abolished at that time, would have been payable to the former
12township treasurer after that date over the remainder of the
13term of the contract of the former township treasurer that
14began prior to but ends after that date. In addition, on the
15date that the offices of township treasurer and trustee of
16schools of a township are deemed abolished as provided in this
17subsection, the school board of each elementary school, high
18school and unit school district that until that date is subject
19to the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
20trustees of schools of that township shall be deemed by
21operation of law to have agreed and assumed to pay and, when
22determined, shall pay to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund
23a proportionate share of the unfunded liability existing in
24that Fund at the time these offices are abolished in that
25calendar year for all annuities or other benefits then or
26thereafter to become payable from that Fund with respect to all

 

 

SB1606- 13 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1periods of service performed prior to that date as a
2participating employee in that Fund by persons serving during
3those periods of service as a trustee of schools, township
4treasurer or regular employee in the office of the township
5treasurer of that township. That unfunded liability shall be
6actuarially determined by the board of trustees of the Illinois
7Municipal Retirement Fund, and the board of trustees shall
8thereupon notify each school board required to pay a
9proportionate share of that unfunded liability of the aggregate
10amount of the unfunded liability so determined. The amount so
11paid to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund by each of those
12school districts shall be credited to the account of the
13township in that Fund. For each elementary school, high school
14and unit school district under the jurisdiction and authority
15of a township treasurer and trustees of schools of a township
16in which those offices are abolished as provided in this
17subsection, each such district's proportionate share of the
18aggregate compensation payable to the former township
19treasurer as provided in this paragraph and each such
20district's proportionate share of the aggregate amount of the
21unfunded liability payable to the Illinois Municipal
22Retirement Fund as provided in this paragraph shall be computed
23in accordance with the ratio that the number of pupils in
24average daily attendance in each such district for the school
25year last ending prior to the date on which the offices of
26township treasurer and trustee of schools of that township are

 

 

SB1606- 14 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1abolished bears to the aggregate number of pupils in average
2daily attendance in all of those districts as so reported for
3that school year.
4    Upon abolition of the offices of township treasurer and
5trustee of schools of a township as provided in this
6subsection: (i) the regional board of school trustees, in its
7corporate capacity, shall be deemed the successor in interest
8to the former trustees of schools of that township with respect
9to the common school lands and township loanable funds of the
10township; (ii) all right, title and interest existing or vested
11in the former trustees of schools of that township in the
12common school lands and township loanable funds of the
13township, and all records, moneys, securities and other assets,
14rights of property and causes of action pertaining to or
15constituting a part of those common school lands or township
16loanable funds, shall be transferred to and deemed vested by
17operation of law in the regional board of school trustees,
18which shall hold legal title to, manage and operate all common
19school lands and township loanable funds of the township,
20receive the rents, issues and profits therefrom, and have and
21exercise with respect thereto the same powers and duties as are
22provided by this Code to be exercised by regional boards of
23school trustees when acting as township land commissioners in
24counties having at least 220,000 but fewer than 2,000,000
25inhabitants; (iii) the regional board of school trustees shall
26select to serve as its treasurer with respect to the common

 

 

SB1606- 15 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1school lands and township loanable funds of the township a
2person from time to time also serving as the appointed school
3treasurer of any school district that was subject to the
4jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
5trustees of schools of that township at the time those offices
6were abolished, and the person selected to also serve as
7treasurer of the regional board of school trustees shall have
8his compensation for services in that capacity fixed by the
9regional board of school trustees, to be paid from the township
10loanable funds, and shall make to the regional board of school
11trustees the reports required to be made by treasurers of
12township land commissioners, give bond as required by
13treasurers of township land commissioners, and perform the
14duties and exercise the powers of treasurers of township land
15commissioners; (iv) the regional board of school trustees shall
16designate in the manner provided by Section 8-7, insofar as
17applicable, a depositary for its treasurer, and the proceeds of
18all rents, issues and profits from the common school lands and
19township loanable funds of that township shall be deposited and
20held in the account maintained for those purposes with that
21depositary and shall be expended and distributed therefrom as
22provided in Section 15-24 and other applicable provisions of
23this Code; and (v) whenever there is vested in the trustees of
24schools of a township at the time that office is abolished
25under this subsection the legal title to any school buildings
26or school sites used or occupied for school purposes by any

 

 

SB1606- 16 -LRB099 10109 SXM 30332 b

1elementary school, high school or unit school district subject
2to the jurisdiction and authority of those trustees of school
3at the time that office is abolished, the legal title to those
4school buildings and school sites shall be deemed transferred
5by operation of law to and invested in the school board of that
6school district, in its corporate capacity Section 7-28, the
7same to be held, sold, exchanged leased or otherwise
8transferred in accordance with applicable provisions of this
9Code.
10    Notwithstanding Section 2-3.25g of this Code, a waiver of a
11mandate established under this Section may not be requested.
12(Source: P.A. 94-1078, eff. 1-9-07; 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07; 95-4,
13eff. 5-31-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
 
14    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
15becoming law.