HB3305 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 09748 AXK 54849 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3305

Introduced , by Rep. Fred Crespo

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/22-85 new

Amends the School Code. Creates the Make Sexual Abuse Fully Extinct Task Force to address issues concerning the sexual abuse of students in school-related settings. Provides for the membership, meetings, and support of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall review the best practices for preventing the sexual abuse of students in a school-related setting or by school-related perpetrators, including school district employees or other students, how to best address that abuse, and the proper support for students who have suffered from that abuse. Provides that on or before January 1, 2020, the Task Force must report the findings of its review to the Governor and the General Assembly, at which time the Task Force is dissolved; specifies what the report must include. Repeals the provision on July 1, 2020. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

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 adding Section 22-85 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/22-85 new)

Sec. 22-85. Make Sexual Abuse Fully Extinct (Make S.A.F.E.) Task Force.

(a) The General Assembly finds that the most precious resource in this State is our children. The General Assembly also finds that the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation is at the core of the duties and fundamental responsibilities of the General Assembly and is of the utmost importance.

(b) The Make Sexual Abuse Fully Extinct (Make S.A.F.E.) Task Force is created to address issues concerning the sexual abuse of students in school-related settings. The Task Force shall consist of all of the following members, who must be appointed no later than 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly:

(1) One representative appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) One representative appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(3) One senator appointed by the President of the Senate.

(4) One senator appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(5) One member who represents the Children's Advocacy Centers of Illinois appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(6) The Executive Director of an urban, accredited Children's Advocacy Center appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(7) The Executive Director of a suburban, accredited Children's Advocacy Center appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(8) The Executive Director of a rural, accredited Children's Advocacy Center appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(9) One member of the State Board of Education appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(10) One member representing a State's Attorney office appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(11) One member representing a statewide organization that unites the services and resources of rape crisis centers, alleviates the suffering of sexual assault survivors, and helps build communities appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(12) One member representing the Department of State Police appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(13) One member representing the Department of Children and Family Services appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(14) One member representing the Office of the Attorney General appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(15) One member representing a statewide organization representing school management positions appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(16) One member representing a statewide professional teachers' organization appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(17) One member representing a different statewide professional teachers' organization appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(18) One member representing a professional teachers' organization in a city having a population of over 500,000 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(c) The Task Force shall first meet at the call of the State Superintendent of Education within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, and each subsequent meeting shall be at the call of the Chairperson, who shall be elected by a majority of appointed members at the first meeting of the Task Force. The State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for travel and related expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose, subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.

(d) The Task Force shall review the best practices for preventing the sexual abuse of students in a school-related setting or by school-related perpetrators, including school district employees or other students, how to best address that abuse, and the proper support for students who have suffered from that abuse. The review shall examine the best practices at all schools maintaining prekindergarten through grade 12, regardless of whether the school is a public school, nonpublic school, or charter school. On or before January 1, 2020, the Task Force must report the findings of its review to the Governor and the General Assembly, which must, at a minimum, include all of the following topics:

(1) The best practices for preventing sexual abuse in school-related settings or by school-related perpetrators, including, but not limited to, criminal history records checks for school district employees, the employment status of a school employee accused of sexual abuse of a student, and procedural safeguards for personnel who regularly interact with children as part of school or school activities, even if the personnel are not officially employed by a school district.

(2) The best practices for addressing sexual abuse in a school-related setting or by school-related perpetrators, including, but not limited to, the nature and amount of forensic interviews and forensic interview information sharing, school cooperation with multidisciplinary teams under the Children's Advocacy Center Act, and model school policies.

(3) The best practices for support for students who have suffered sexual abuse in a school-related setting or by a school-related perpetrator, including, but not limited to, emotional, psychological, and academic support.

(4) Any other topic the Task Force deems necessary to advance the safety or well-being of students in relation to sexual abuse stemming from a school-related setting or school-related perpetrator.

The Task Force is dissolved upon submission of the report under this subsection.

(e) This Section is repealed on July 1, 2020.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.