093_HB2872

 
                                     LRB093 09569 NHT 09807 b

 1        AN ACT concerning school students.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.  The School Code is amended by adding Section
 5    2-3.131 as follow:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.131 new)
 7        Sec. 2-3.131.  Safe Routes to School Program.
 8        (a)  The State Board of Education, in  consultation  with
 9    the   Department   of  Transportation,  shall  establish  and
10    administer a Safe  Routes  to  School  Program  to  encourage
11    parents  who  live  close  to  school  to  let their children
12    bicycle or walk, instead of having them driven, by  improving
13    the areas the children might use.
14        (b)  The State Board of Education shall award grants from
15    federal  and  State  transportation funds to school districts
16    who seek to  provide  bicycle  facilities  (such  as  paths),
17    sidewalks,  crossing  guards, and traffic-calming measures to
18    enable children to bicycle or  walk  safely  to  school.  The
19    State  Board  of  Education  shall  annually hold a statewide
20    competition for the award of grants and shall base  an  award
21    on  factors  such  as  an  area's  demonstrated needs and the
22    amount of community involvement  that  goes  into  writing  a
23    grant proposal.
24        (c)  The  State  Board  of  Education may adopt any rules
25    necessary to implement this Section.