SB0293eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0293 Engrossed LRB094 08426 RAS 38628 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 Construction Law is amended by changing Sections 5-5 and 5-25 as follows:

(105 ILCS 230/5-5)

Sec. 5-5. Definitions. As used in this Article:

"Approved school construction bonds" mean bonds that were approved by referendum after January 1, 1996 but prior to January 1, 1998 as provided in Sections 19-2 through 19-7 of the School Code to provide funds for the acquisition, development, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, architectural planning, and installation of capital facilities consisting of buildings, structures, durable-equipment, and land for educational purposes.

"Grant index" means a figure for each school district equal to one minus the ratio of the district's equalized assessed valuation per pupil in average daily attendance to the equalized assessed valuation per pupil in average daily attendance of the district located at the 90th percentile for all districts of the same category. For the purpose of calculating the grant index, school districts are grouped into 2 categories, Category I and Category II. Category I consists of elementary and unit school districts. The equalized assessed valuation per pupil in average daily attendance of each school district in Category I shall be computed using its grades kindergarten through 8 average daily attendance figure. A unit school district's Category I grant index shall be used for projects or portions of projects constructed for elementary school pupils. Category II consists of high school and unit school districts. The equalized assessed valuation per pupil in average daily attendance of each school district in Category II shall be computed using its grades 9 through 12 average daily attendance figure. A unit school district's Category II grant index shall be used for projects or portions of projects constructed for high school pupils. The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly apply to all grants made on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act, provided that for grants not yet made on the effective date of this amendatory Act but made in fiscal year 2001 and for grants made in fiscal year 2002, the grant index for a school district shall be the greater of (i) the grant index as calculated under this Law on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act or (ii) the grant index as calculated under this Law before the effective date of this amendatory Act. The grant index shall be no less than 0.35 and no greater than 0.75 for each district; provided that the grant index for districts whose equalized assessed valuation per pupil in average daily attendance is at the 99th percentile and above for all districts of the same type shall be 0.00.

"Project labor agreement" means a form of pre-hire collective bargaining agreement covering all terms and conditions of employment on a specific project that does any of the following:

(1) sets forth mutually binding procedures for resolving jurisdictional labor disputes and grievances arising before the completion of work;

(2) contains guarantees against strikes, lockouts, or similar actions;

(3) delineates sources of labor;

(4) provides employment guidelines for minorities and women on the construction project;

(5) binds all contractors and subcontractors on the public works project through the inclusion of appropriate bid specifications in all relevant bid documents; or

(6) includes such other terms as the parties deem appropriate.

"School construction project" means the acquisition, development, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, architectural planning, and installation of capital facilities consisting of buildings, structures, durable equipment, and land for educational purposes.

"School maintenance project" means a project, other than a school construction project, intended to provide for the maintenance or upkeep of buildings or structures for educational purposes, but does not include ongoing operational costs.

(Source: P.A. 91-38, eff. 6-15-99; 92-168, eff. 7-26-01.)

(105 ILCS 230/5-25)

Sec. 5-25. Eligibility and project standards.

(a) The State Board of Education shall establish eligibility standards for school construction project grants and debt service grants. These standards shall include minimum enrollment requirements for eligibility for school construction project grants of 200 students for elementary districts, 200 students for high school districts, and 400 students for unit districts. The State Board of Education shall approve a district's eligibility for a school construction project grant or a debt service grant pursuant to the established standards.

(b) The Capital Development Board shall establish project standards for all school construction project grants provided pursuant to this Article. These standards shall include space and capacity standards as well as the determination of recognized project costs that shall be eligible for State financial assistance and enrichment costs that shall not be eligible for State financial assistance.

(c) The State Board of Education and the Capital Development Board shall not establish standards that disapprove or otherwise establish limitations that restrict the eligibility of a school district with a population exceeding 500,000 for a school construction project grant based on the fact that any or all of the school construction project grant will be used to pay debt service or to make lease payments, as authorized by subsection (b) of Section 5-35 of this Law.

(d) The State Board of Education and the Capital Development Board shall not require a project labor agreement for any school construction project grant or debt service grant provided under this Law.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 91-38, eff. 6-15-99.)