SB2197eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2197 Engrossed LRB094 15606 RLC 51341 b

AN ACT concerning truant minors.

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

Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section 5-1078.2 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-1078.2 new)

Sec. 5-1078.2. Truants. A county board may adopt ordinances to regulate truants within the unincorporated areas of its jurisdiction. These ordinances may include fines for violators and may provide for enforcement by citation. As used in this Section, "truants" means persons who are within the definition of "truant" in Section 26-2a of the School Code.

Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by adding Section 11-5-9 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/11-5-9 new)

Sec. 11-5-9. Truants. The corporate authorities of any municipality may adopt ordinances to regulate truants within its jurisdiction. These ordinances may include fines for violators and may provide for enforcement by citation. As used in this Section, "truants" means persons who are within the definition of "truant" in Section 26-2a of the School Code.

Section 15. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by changing Section 3-33 and by adding Section 3-33.5 as follows:

(705 ILCS 405/3-33) (from Ch. 37, par. 803-33)

Sec. 3-33. Truant minor in need of supervision in cities of over 500,000 inhabitants Minor in Need of Supervision. This Section applies only to cities of over 500,000 inhabitants.

(a) Definition. A minor who is reported by a regional superintendent of schools, or in cities of over 500,000 inhabitants, by the Office of Chronic Truant Adjudication, as a chronic truant shall be adjudged a truant minor in need of supervision.

(a-1) There is a rebuttable presumption that a chronic truant is a truant minor in need of supervision.

(a-2) There is a rebuttable presumption that school records of a minor's attendance at school are authentic.

(a-3) For purposes of this Section, "chronic truant" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 26-2a of the School Code.

(b) Kinds of dispositional orders. A minor found to be a truant minor in need of supervision may be:

(1) committed to the general appropriate regional superintendent of schools for a multi-disciplinary case staffing, individualized educational plan or service plan, or referral to comprehensive community-based youth services;

(2) required to comply with an individualized educational plan or service plan as specifically provided by the general appropriate regional superintendent of schools;

(3) ordered to obtain counseling or other supportive services;

(4) subject to a fine in an amount in excess of $5, but not exceeding $100, and each day of absence without valid cause as defined in Section 26-2a of The School Code is a separate offense;

(5) required to perform some reasonable public service work such as, but not limited to, the picking up of litter in public parks or along public highways or the maintenance of public facilities; or

(6) subject to having his or her driver's license or driving privilege suspended for a period of time as determined by the court but only until he or she attains 18 years of age.

A dispositional order may include a fine, public service, or suspension of a driver's license or privilege only if the court has made an express written finding that a truancy prevention program has been offered by the school, general regional superintendent of schools, or a community social service agency to the truant minor in need of supervision.

(c) Orders entered under this Section may be enforced by contempt proceedings.

(Source: P.A. 90-143, eff. 7-23-97; 90-380, eff. 8-14-97; 90-590, eff. 1-1-99; 90-655, eff. 7-30-98.)

(705 ILCS 405/3-33.5 new)

Sec. 3-33.5. Truant minor in need of supervision outside cities of over 500,000 inhabitants. This Section applies only outside of cities of over 500,000 inhabitants.

(a) Definition. A minor who is reported by the office of the regional superintendent of schools as a chronic truant may be subject to a petition for adjudication and adjudged a truant minor in need of supervision, provided that prior to the filing of the petition, the office of the regional superintendent of schools or a community truancy review board certifies that the local school has provided appropriate truancy intervention services to the truant minor and his or her family. For purposes of this Section, "truancy intervention services" means services designed to assist the minor's return to an educational program, and includes but is not limited to: assessments, counseling, mental health services, shelter, optional and alternative education programs, tutoring, and educational advocacy. If, after review by the regional office of education or community truancy review board it is determined the local school did not provide the appropriate interventions, then the minor shall be referred to a comprehensive community based youth service agency for truancy intervention services. If the comprehensive community based youth service agency is incapable or unwilling to provide intervention services, then this requirement for services is not applicable. The comprehensive community based youth service agency shall submit reports to the office of the regional superintendent of schools or truancy review board within 20, 40, and 80 school days of the initial referral or at any other time requested by the office of the regional superintendent of schools or truancy review board, which reports each shall certify the date of the minor's referral and the extent of the minor's progress and participation in truancy intervention services provided by the comprehensive community based youth service agency. In addition, if, after referral by the office of the regional superintendent of schools or community truancy review board, the minor declines or refuses to fully participate in truancy intervention services provided by the comprehensive community based youth service agency, then the agency shall immediately certify such facts to the office of the regional superintendent of schools or community truancy review board.

(a-1) There is a rebuttable presumption that a chronic truant is a truant minor in need of supervision.

(a-2) There is a rebuttable presumption that school records of a minor's attendance at school are authentic.

(a-3) For purposes of this Section, "chronic truant" means a minor subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause from such attendance for 10% or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days and has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 26-2a of the School Code.

(a-4) For purposes of this Section, a "community truancy review board" is a local community based board comprised of but not limited to: representatives from local comprehensive community based youth service agencies, representatives from court service agencies, representatives from local schools, representatives from health service agencies, and representatives from local professional and community organizations as deemed appropriate by the office of the regional superintendent of schools. The regional superintendent of schools must approve the establishment and organization of a community truancy review board and the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee shall chair the board.

(a-5) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to create a private cause of action or right of recovery against a regional office of education, its superintendent, or its staff with respect to truancy intervention services where the determination to provide the services is made in good faith.

(b) Kinds of dispositional orders. A minor found to be a truant minor in need of supervision may be:

(1) committed to the appropriate regional superintendent of schools for a student assistance team staffing, a service plan, or referral to a comprehensive community based youth service agency;

(2) required to comply with a service plan as specifically provided by the appropriate regional superintendent of schools;

(3) ordered to obtain counseling or other supportive services;

(4) subject to a fine in an amount in excess of $5, but not exceeding $100, and each day of absence without valid cause as defined in Section 26-2a of The School Code is a separate offense;

(5) required to perform some reasonable public service work such as, but not limited to, the picking up of litter in public parks or along public highways or the maintenance of public facilities; or

(6) subject to having his or her driver's license or driving privilege suspended for a period of time as determined by the court but only until he or she attains 18 years of age.

A dispositional order may include a fine, public service, or suspension of a driver's license or privilege only if the court has made an express written finding that a truancy prevention program has been offered by the school, regional superintendent of schools, or a comprehensive community based youth service agency to the truant minor in need of supervision.

(c) Orders entered under this Section may be enforced by contempt proceedings.

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