093_SB1186

 
                                     LRB093 10471 NHT 10725 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 follows:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.131 new)
 7        Sec.  2-3.131.  Safe  Routes   to   School   Construction
 8    Program.
 9        (a)  The  State  Board  of Education, in cooperation with
10    the Department of Transportation and the Department of  State
11    Police,  shall  establish  and  administer  a  Safe Routes to
12    School Construction Program for the construction  of  bicycle
13    and  pedestrian  safety  and  traffic-calming  projects using
14    federal transportation funds.
15        (b)  The State Board of Education shall make construction
16    grants available to local  governmental  agencies  under  the
17    Safe  Routes  to  School  Construction  Program  based on the
18    results of a statewide competition that  requires  submission
19    of Safe Routes to School proposals for funding and that rates
20    those proposals on all of the following factors:
21             (1)  Demonstrated needs of the grant applicant.
22             (2)  Potential  of  the  proposal for reducing child
23        injuries and fatalities.
24             (3)  Potential  of  the  proposal  for   encouraging
25        increased walking and bicycling among students.
26             (4)  Identification of safety hazards.
27             (5)  Identification of current and potential walking
28        and bicycling routes to school.
29             (6)  Consultation   and   support  for  projects  by
30        school-based associations, local traffic engineers, local
31        elected officials, law enforcement agencies,  and  school
 
                            -2-      LRB093 10471 NHT 10725 b
 1        officials.
 2        With  respect to the use of federal transportation funds,
 3    prior to the award of a construction  grant  or  the  use  of
 4    those  funds for a Safe Routes to School project encompassing
 5    a freeway, State highway, or county road, the State Board  of
 6    Education  shall  consult  with  and obtain approval from the
 7    Department of State Police ensuring that the Safe  Routes  to
 8    School  proposal  is  consistent  with a statewide pedestrian
 9    safety statistical analysis.
10        (c)  On March 30, 2004 and each  March  30th  thereafter,
11    the  State  Board  of  Education shall submit a report to the
12    General Assembly listing and describing the  projects  funded
13    under the Safe Routes to School Construction Program.
14        (d)  The   State  Board  of  Education  shall  study  the
15    effectiveness of  the  Safe  Routes  to  School  Construction
16    Program,   with   particular   emphasis   on   the  Program's
17    effectiveness  in  reducing   traffic   accidents   and   its
18    contribution  to  improving safety and reducing the number of
19    child injuries and fatalities  in  the  vicinity  of  a  Safe
20    Routes  to School project. The State Board of Education shall
21    submit a report to the General Assembly on or before December
22    31, 2004 regarding the results of the study.
23        (e)  The  State  Board  of   Education,   Department   of
24    Transportation,  and Department of State Police may adopt any
25    rules necessary to implement this Section.

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