Public Act 099-0720
 
HB6131 EnrolledLRB099 18542 NHT 42921 b


  
    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by changing Section 
27-24.2 and  by adding Section 27-24.2a as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.2)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2)
    Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course. 
Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of 
grades one through though 8, equivalent to one class period 
each week, and any school district which maintains
grades 9 
through 12 shall offer a driver education course in any such 
school
which it operates. Its curriculum shall include content 
dealing with Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois 
Vehicle Code, the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters 
insofar as they pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and 
the portions of the Litter Control Act relating to the 
operation of motor vehicles.  The course of instruction given in 
grades 10 through 12 shall include an emphasis on the 
development of knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills 
necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles, including 
motorcycles insofar as they can be taught in the classroom, and 
instruction on distracted driving as a major traffic safety 
issue.  In addition, the course shall include instruction on 
special hazards existing at and required safety and driving 
precautions that must be observed at emergency situations, 
highway construction and maintenance zones, and railroad 
crossings and the approaches thereto. Beginning with the 
2017-2018 school year, the course shall also include 
instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic 
stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be 
taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with 
law enforcement.  The course of instruction required of each 
eligible student at the high school level shall consist of a 
minimum of 30 clock hours of classroom instruction and a 
minimum of 6 clock hours of individual behind-the-wheel 
instruction in a dual control car on public roadways taught by 
a driver education instructor endorsed by the State Board of 
Education. Both the classroom instruction part and the practice 
driving
part of such driver education course shall be open to a 
resident or
non-resident student attending a non-public school 
in the district wherein the
course is offered. Each student 
attending any public or non-public high school
in the district 
must receive a passing grade in at least 8 courses during the

previous 2 semesters prior to enrolling in a driver education 
course, or the
student shall not be permitted to enroll in the 
course; provided that the local
superintendent of schools (with 
respect to a student attending a public high
school in the 
district) or chief school administrator (with respect to a

student attending a non-public high school in the district) may 
waive the
requirement if the superintendent or chief school 
administrator, as the case
may be, deems it to be in the best 
interest of the student. A student may be allowed to commence 
the
classroom instruction part of such driver education course 
prior to reaching
age 15 if such student then will be eligible 
to complete the entire course
within 12 months after being 
allowed to commence such classroom instruction.
    Such a course may be commenced immediately after the 
completion of a prior
course. Teachers of such courses shall 
meet the certification requirements of
this Act and regulations 
of the State Board as to qualifications.
    Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the 
school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50, 
to students who participate in the course, unless a student is 
unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for 
such a student must be waived.  However, the district may 
increase this fee to an amount not to exceed $250 by school 
board resolution following a public hearing on the increase, 
which increased fee must be waived for students who participate 
in the course and are unable to pay for the course. The total 
amount from driver education fees and reimbursement from the 
State for driver education must not exceed the total cost of 
the driver education program in any year and must be deposited 
into the school district's driver education fund as a separate 
line item budget entry.  All moneys deposited into the school 
district's driver education fund must be used solely for the 
funding of a high school driver education program approved by 
the State Board of Education that uses driver education 
instructors endorsed by the State Board of Education. 
(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09; 97-145, eff. 7-14-11; 
revised 10-21-15.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.2a new)
    Sec. 27-24.2a. Non-public school driver education course. 
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, any non-public 
school's driver education course shall include instruction 
concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic stops, 
including a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken 
during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with law 
enforcement.
 
    Section 10. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended  by 
changing Section 6-419 as follows:
 



    (625 ILCS 5/6-419)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-419)



    Sec. 6-419. Rules and Regulations. The Secretary is 
authorized to prescribe by rule standards for the
eligibility, 
conduct and operation of driver training schools, and

instructors and to adopt other reasonable rules and regulations 
necessary
to carry out the provisions of this Act. The 
Secretary may adopt rules exempting particular types of driver 
training schools from specific statutory provisions in 
Sections 6-401 through 6-424, where application of those 
provisions would be inconsistent with the manner of instruction 
offered by those schools. The Secretary, in consultation with 
the State Board of Education, shall adopt course content 
standards for driver education for those persons under the age 
of 18 years, which shall include the operation and equipment of 
motor vehicles. After June 30, 2017, the course content 
standards for driver education provided by a driver training 
school to those persons under the age of 18 years shall include 
instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic 
stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be 
taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with 
law enforcement.

(Source: P.A. 96-740, eff. 1-1-10; 96-962, eff. 7-2-10; 97-229, 
eff. 7-28-11; 97-1025, eff. 1-1-13.)