HB1216eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1216 Engrossed LRB097 07042 NHT 47135 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 Code is amended by adding Section 11E-190 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/11E-190 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 31, 2013)

Sec. 11E-190. School District Realignment and Consolidation Commission.

(a) The School District Realignment and Consolidation Commission is established. The Commission shall consist of the following voting members:

(1) the Lieutenant Governor or his or her appointee, who shall serve as the Chairperson;

(2) one member appointed by the State Board of Education;

(3) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(5) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the President of the Senate;

(6) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(7) a representative of a statewide professional teachers' organization appointed by the head of that organization;

(8) a representative of a different statewide professional teachers' organization appointed by the head of that organization;

(9) a representative of a statewide organization that represents school boards appointed by the head of that organization;

(10) a representative of a statewide organization representing principals appointed by the head of that organization;

(11) a representative of an organization representing professional teachers in a city having a population exceeding 500,000 appointed by the head of that organization;

(12) a representative of an association representing school business officials appointed by the head of that association;

(13) a representative of an association representing school administrators appointed by the head of that association;

(14) a representative from the Chicago Board of Education appointed by the Chicago Board of Education;

(15) a representative from an organization representing administrators of special education appointed by the head of that organization;

(16) a representative from a statewide parent organization appointed by the head of that organization;

(17) a representative from an organization representing high school districts appointed by the head of that organization;

(18) a representative from a rural school district appointed by the Governor; and

(19) a representative from a suburban school district appointed by the Governor.

Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose. Members shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the State Board of Education available for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.

The Commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson, with the initial meeting of the Commission being held as soon as possible after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, and shall hold public hearings throughout this State.

The State Board of Education shall provide assistance and necessary staff support services to the Commission.

(b) The purpose of the Commission is to make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on the number of school districts in this State, the optimal amount of enrollment for a school district, and where consolidation and realignment would be beneficial. The Commission's recommendations must focus on all of the following areas:

(1) Reducing the money spent on duplication of efforts.

(2) Improving the education of students by having less obstacles between qualified teachers and their students.

(3) Lowering the property tax burden.

(4) Providing recommendations as to what the net cost savings of realignment is to this State.

(5) Providing input to school districts on reorganization.

(c) On or before July 1, 2012, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. If the Commission adopts the report by an affirmative vote of at least 11 of its members, then the General Assembly must, within 14 days after the report is filed by the Commission, vote on whether to accept the report by the adoption of a resolution by a record vote of a majority of the members elected in each house. If the General Assembly is not in session on the day that the report is filed, then the General Assembly must vote on whether to accept the report within 14 days after the General Assembly convenes for the first time after the report is filed. The Commission is dissolved on the day after the report is filed with both the Governor and the General Assembly.

(d) This Section is repealed on January 31, 2013.

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