Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl

Filed: 4/15/2024

 

 


 

 


 
10300HB0305ham001LRB103 03832 RJT 71722 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 305

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 305 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
55-1 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/5-1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 5-1)
7    Sec. 5-1. County school units.
8    (a) The territory in each county, exclusive of any school
9district governed by any special act which requires the
10district to appoint its own school treasurer, shall constitute
11a county school unit. County school units of less than
122,000,000 inhabitants shall be known as Class I county school
13units and the office of township trustees, where existing on
14July 1, 1962, in such units shall be abolished on that date and
15all books and records of such former township trustees shall
16be forthwith thereafter transferred to the county board of

 

 

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1school trustees. County school units of 2,000,000 or more
2inhabitants shall be known as Class II county school units and
3the office of township trustees in such units shall be
4dissolved as provided shall retain the office of township
5trustees unless otherwise provided in subsection (b), or (c),
6or (d).
7    (b) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school
8board of any elementary school district having a fall, 1989
9aggregate enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500
10pupils and having boundaries that are coterminous with the
11boundaries of a high school district, and the school board of
12any high school district having a fall, 1989 aggregate
13enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500 pupils and
14having boundaries that are coterminous with the boundaries of
15an elementary school district, may, whenever the territory of
16such school district forms a part of a Class II county school
17unit, by proper resolution withdraw such school district from
18the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of
19the township in which such school district is located and from
20the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer in
21such Class II county school unit; provided that the school
22board of any such school district shall, upon the adoption and
23passage of such resolution, thereupon elect or appoint its own
24school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1. Upon the adoption
25and passage of such resolution and the election or appointment
26by the school board of its own school treasurer: (1) the

 

 

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1trustees of schools in such township shall no longer have or
2exercise any powers and duties with respect to the school
3district governed by such school board or with respect to the
4school business, operations or assets of such school district;
5and (2) all books and records of the township trustees
6relating to the school business and affairs of such school
7district shall be transferred and delivered to the school
8board of such school district. Upon the effective date of this
9amendatory Act of 1993, the legal title to, and all right,
10title and interest formerly held by the township trustees in
11any school buildings and school sites used and occupied by the
12school board of such school district for school purposes, that
13legal title, right, title and interest thereafter having been
14transferred to and vested in the regional board of school
15trustees under P.A. 87-473 until the abolition of that
16regional board of school trustees by P.A. 87-969, shall be
17deemed transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the
18school board of that school district.
19    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school boards
20of Oak Park & River Forest District 200, Oak Park Elementary
21School District 97, and River Forest School District 90 may,
22by proper resolution, withdraw from the jurisdiction and
23authority of the trustees of schools of Proviso and Cicero
24Townships and the township treasurer, provided that the school
25board shall, upon the adoption and passage of the resolution,
26elect or appoint its own school treasurer as provided in

 

 

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1Section 8-1 of this Code. Upon the adoption and passage of the
2resolution and the election or appointment by the school board
3of its own school treasurer: (1) the trustees of schools in the
4township or townships shall no longer have or exercise any
5powers or duties with respect to the school district or with
6respect to the school business, operations, or assets of the
7school district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of
8schools and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other
9assets relating to the school business and affairs of the
10school district shall be transferred and delivered to the
11school board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title,
12and interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
13common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used
14and occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
15causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the
16common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
17transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
18board.
19    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the respective
20school boards of Berwyn North School District 98, Berwyn South
21School District 100, Cicero School District 99, and J.S.
22Morton High School District 201 may, by proper resolution,
23withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees
24of schools of Cicero Township and the township treasurer,
25provided that the school board shall, upon the adoption and
26passage of the resolution, elect or appoint its own school

 

 

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1treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this Code. Upon the
2adoption and passage of the resolution and the election or
3appointment by the school board of its own school treasurer:
4(1) the trustees of schools in the township shall no longer
5have or exercise any powers or duties with respect to the
6school district or with respect to the school business,
7operations, or assets of the school district; (2) all books
8and records of the trustees of schools and all moneys,
9securities, loanable funds, and other assets relating to the
10school business and affairs of the school district shall be
11transferred and delivered to the school board; and (3) all
12legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly
13held by the trustees of schools in any common school lands,
14school buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the
15school board and all rights of property and causes of action
16pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
17lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
18operation of law to and shall vest in the school board.
19    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) of this Section
20and upon final judgment, including the exhaustion of all
21appeals or a settlement between all parties, regarding claims
22set forth in the case of Township Trustees of Schools Township
2338 North, Range 12 East v. Lyons Township High School District
24No. 204 case N. 13 CH 23386 pending in 2018 in the Circuit
25Court of Cook County, Illinois, County Department, Chancery
26Division, and all related pending claims, the school board of

 

 

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1Lyons Township High School District 204 may commence, by
2proper resolution, to withdraw from the jurisdiction and
3authority of the trustees of schools of Lyons Township and the
4township treasurer, provided that the school board shall, upon
5the adoption and passage of the resolution, elect or appoint
6its own school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this
7Code. Upon the adoption and passage of the resolution and the
8election or appointment by the school board of its own school
9treasurer commencing with the first day of the succeeding
10fiscal year, but not prior to July 1, 2019: (1) the trustees of
11schools in the township shall no longer have or exercise any
12powers or duties with respect to the school district or with
13respect to the school business, operations, or assets of the
14school district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of
15schools and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other
16assets relating to the school business and affairs of the
17school district shall be transferred and delivered to the
18school board, allowing for a reasonable period of time not to
19exceed 90 days to liquidate any pooled investments; and (3)
20all legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly
21held by the trustees of schools in any common school lands,
22school buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the
23school board and all rights of property and causes of action
24pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
25lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
26operation of law to and shall vest in the school board. The

 

 

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1changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the
2100th General Assembly are prospective only, starting from the
3effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
4Assembly, and shall not affect any legal action pending on the
5effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
6Assembly in the Illinois courts in which Lyons Township High
7School District 204 is a listed party.
8    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school boards
9of Glenbrook High School District 225, Northbrook Elementary
10School District 27, Northbrook School District 28, Sunset
11Ridge School District 29, Northbrook/Glenview School District
1230, West Northfield School District 31, and Glenview Community
13Consolidated School District 34 may, by proper resolution,
14withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees
15of schools of Northfield and Maine Townships and the township
16treasurer, provided that the school board shall, upon the
17adoption and passage of the resolution, elect or appoint its
18own school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this Code.
19Upon the adoption and passage of the resolution and the
20election or appointment by the school board of its own school
21treasurer: (1) the trustees of schools in the township or
22townships shall no longer have or exercise any powers or
23duties with respect to the school district or with respect to
24the school business, operations, or assets of the school
25district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of schools
26and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other assets

 

 

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1relating to the school business and affairs of the school
2district shall be transferred and delivered to the school
3board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title, and
4interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
5common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used
6and occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
7causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the
8common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
9transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
10board.
11    (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the
12offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of any
13township located in a Class II county school unit shall be
14abolished as provided in this subsection if all of the
15following conditions are met:
16        (1) During the same 30 day period, each school board
17    of each elementary and unit school district that is
18    subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
19    treasurer and trustees of schools of the township in which
20    those offices are sought to be abolished gives written
21    notice by certified mail, return receipt requested to the
22    township treasurer and trustees of schools of that
23    township of the date of a meeting of the school board, to
24    be held not more than 90 nor less than 60 days after the
25    date when the notice is given, at which meeting the school
26    board is to consider and vote upon the question of whether

 

 

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1    there shall be submitted to the electors of the school
2    district a proposition to abolish the offices of township
3    treasurer and trustee of schools of that township. None of
4    the notices given under this paragraph to the township
5    treasurer and trustees of schools of a township shall be
6    deemed sufficient or in compliance with the requirements
7    of this paragraph unless all of those notices are given
8    within the same 30 day period.
9        (2) Each school board of each elementary and unit
10    school district that is subject to the jurisdiction and
11    authority of the township treasurer and trustees of
12    schools of the township in which those offices are sought
13    to be abolished, by the affirmative vote of at least 5
14    members of the school board at a school board meeting of
15    which notice is given as required by paragraph (1) of this
16    subsection, adopts a resolution requiring the secretary of
17    the school board to certify to the proper election
18    authorities for submission to the electors of the school
19    district at the next consolidated election in accordance
20    with the general election law a proposition to abolish the
21    offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of
22    that township. None of the resolutions adopted under this
23    paragraph by any elementary or unit school districts that
24    are subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the
25    township treasurer and trustees of schools of the township
26    in which those offices are sought to be abolished shall be

 

 

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1    deemed in compliance with the requirements of this
2    paragraph or sufficient to authorize submission of the
3    proposition to abolish those offices to a referendum of
4    the electors in any such school district unless all of the
5    school boards of all of the elementary and unit school
6    districts that are subject to the jurisdiction and
7    authority of the township treasurer and trustees of
8    schools of that township adopt such a resolution in
9    accordance with the provisions of this paragraph.
10        (3) The school boards of all of the elementary and
11    unit school districts that are subject to the jurisdiction
12    and authority of the township treasurer and trustees of
13    schools of the township in which those offices are sought
14    to be abolished submit a proposition to abolish the
15    offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of
16    that township to the electors of their respective school
17    districts at the same consolidated election in accordance
18    with the general election law, the ballot in each such
19    district to be in substantially the following form:
20    ----------------------------------------------
21
OFFICIAL BALLOT
22            Shall the offices of township
23            treasurer and                       YES
24            trustee of                      -------------
25            schools of Township .....           NO
26            Range ..... be abolished?

 

 

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1    ---------------------------------------------------------
2        (4) At the consolidated election at which the
3    proposition to abolish the offices of township treasurer
4    and trustee of schools of a township is submitted to the
5    electors of each elementary and unit school district that
6    is subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the
7    township treasurer and trustee of schools of that
8    township, a majority of the electors voting on the
9    proposition in each such elementary and unit school
10    district votes in favor of the proposition as submitted to
11    them.
12    If in each elementary and unit school district that is
13subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
14treasurer and trustees of schools of the township in which
15those offices are sought to be abolished a majority of the
16electors in each such district voting at the consolidated
17election on the proposition to abolish the offices of township
18treasurer and trustee of schools of that township votes in
19favor of the proposition as submitted to them, the proposition
20shall be deemed to have passed; but if in any such elementary
21or unit school district a majority of the electors voting on
22that proposition in that district fails to vote in favor of the
23proposition as submitted to them, then notwithstanding the
24vote of the electors in any other such elementary or unit
25school district on that proposition the proposition shall not
26be deemed to have passed in any of those elementary or unit

 

 

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1school districts, and the offices of township treasurer and
2trustee of schools of the township in which those offices were
3sought to be abolished shall not be abolished, unless in each
4of those elementary and unit school districts remaining
5subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
6treasurer and trustees of schools of that township proceedings
7are again initiated to abolish those offices and all of the
8proceedings and conditions prescribed in paragraphs (1)
9through (4) of this subsection are repeated and met in each of
10those elementary and unit school districts.
11    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section
12or any other provision of the School Code, the offices of
13township treasurer and trustee of schools of a township that
14has a population of less than 200,000 and that contains a unit
15school district and is located in a Class II county school unit
16shall also be abolished as provided in this subsection if all
17of the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of
18this subsection are met and if the following additional
19condition is met:
20        The electors in all of the school districts subject to
21    the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer
22    and trustees of schools of the township in which those
23    offices are sought to be abolished shall vote at the
24    consolidated election on the proposition to abolish the
25    offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of
26    that township. If a majority of the electors in all of the

 

 

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1    school districts combined voting on the proposition vote
2    in favor of the proposition, then the proposition shall be
3    deemed to have passed; but if a majority of the electors
4    voting on the proposition in all of the school district
5    fails to vote in favor of the proposition as submitted to
6    them, then the proposition shall not be deemed to have
7    passed and the offices of township treasurer and trustee
8    of schools of the township in which those offices were
9    sought to be abolished shall not be abolished, unless and
10    until the proceedings detailed in paragraphs (1) through
11    (3) of this subsection and the conditions set forth in
12    this paragraph are met.
13    If the proposition to abolish the offices of township
14treasurer and trustee of schools of a township is deemed to
15have passed at the consolidated election as provided in this
16subsection, those offices shall be deemed abolished by
17operation of law effective on January 1 of the calendar year
18immediately following the calendar year in which that
19consolidated election is held, provided that if after the
20election, the trustees of schools by resolution elect to
21abolish the offices of township treasurer and trustee of
22schools effective on July 1 immediately following the
23election, then the offices shall be abolished on July 1
24immediately following the election. On the date that the
25offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of a
26township are deemed abolished by operation of law, the school

 

 

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1board of each elementary and unit school district and the
2school board of each high school district that is subject to
3the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
4trustees of schools of that township at the time those offices
5are abolished: (i) shall appoint its own school treasurer as
6provided in Section 8-1; and (ii) unless the term of the
7contract of a township treasurer expires on the date that the
8office of township treasurer is abolished, shall pay to the
9former township treasurer its proportionate share of any
10aggregate compensation that, were the office of township
11treasurer not abolished at that time, would have been payable
12to the former township treasurer after that date over the
13remainder of the term of the contract of the former township
14treasurer that began prior to but ends after that date. In
15addition, on the date that the offices of township treasurer
16and trustee of schools of a township are deemed abolished as
17provided in this subsection, the school board of each
18elementary school, high school and unit school district that
19until that date is subject to the jurisdiction and authority
20of the township treasurer and trustees of schools of that
21township shall be deemed by operation of law to have agreed and
22assumed to pay and, when determined, shall pay to the Illinois
23Municipal Retirement Fund a proportionate share of the
24unfunded liability existing in that Fund at the time these
25offices are abolished in that calendar year for all annuities
26or other benefits then or thereafter to become payable from

 

 

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1that Fund with respect to all periods of service performed
2prior to that date as a participating employee in that Fund by
3persons serving during those periods of service as a trustee
4of schools, township treasurer or regular employee in the
5office of the township treasurer of that township. That
6unfunded liability shall be actuarially determined by the
7board of trustees of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund,
8and the board of trustees shall thereupon notify each school
9board required to pay a proportionate share of that unfunded
10liability of the aggregate amount of the unfunded liability so
11determined. The amount so paid to the Illinois Municipal
12Retirement Fund by each of those school districts shall be
13credited to the account of the township in that Fund. For each
14elementary school, high school and unit school district under
15the jurisdiction and authority of a township treasurer and
16trustees of schools of a township in which those offices are
17abolished as provided in this subsection, each such district's
18proportionate share of the aggregate compensation payable to
19the former township treasurer as provided in this paragraph
20and each such district's proportionate share of the aggregate
21amount of the unfunded liability payable to the Illinois
22Municipal Retirement Fund as provided in this paragraph shall
23be computed in accordance with the ratio that the number of
24pupils in average daily attendance in each such district for
25the school year last ending prior to the date on which the
26offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of that

 

 

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1township are abolished bears to the aggregate number of pupils
2in average daily attendance in all of those districts as so
3reported for that school year.
4    Upon abolition of the offices of township treasurer and
5trustee of schools of a township as provided in this
6subsection: (i) the regional board of school trustees, in its
7corporate capacity, shall be deemed the successor in interest
8to the former trustees of schools of that township with
9respect to the common school lands and township loanable funds
10of the township; (ii) all right, title and interest existing
11or vested in the former trustees of schools of that township in
12the common school lands and township loanable funds of the
13township, and all records, moneys, securities and other
14assets, rights of property and causes of action pertaining to
15or constituting a part of those common school lands or
16township loanable funds, shall be transferred to and deemed
17vested by operation of law in the regional board of school
18trustees, which shall hold legal title to, manage and operate
19all common school lands and township loanable funds of the
20township, receive the rents, issues and profits therefrom, and
21have and exercise with respect thereto the same powers and
22duties as are provided by this Code to be exercised by regional
23boards of school trustees when acting as township land
24commissioners in counties having at least 220,000 but fewer
25than 2,000,000 inhabitants; (iii) the regional board of school
26trustees shall select to serve as its treasurer with respect

 

 

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1to the common school lands and township loanable funds of the
2township a person from time to time also serving as the
3appointed school treasurer of any school district that was
4subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
5treasurer and trustees of schools of that township at the time
6those offices were abolished, and the person selected to also
7serve as treasurer of the regional board of school trustees
8shall have his compensation for services in that capacity
9fixed by the regional board of school trustees, to be paid from
10the township loanable funds, and shall make to the regional
11board of school trustees the reports required to be made by
12treasurers of township land commissioners, give bond as
13required by treasurers of township land commissioners, and
14perform the duties and exercise the powers of treasurers of
15township land commissioners; (iv) the regional board of school
16trustees shall designate in the manner provided by Section
178-7, insofar as applicable, a depositary for its treasurer,
18and the proceeds of all rents, issues and profits from the
19common school lands and township loanable funds of that
20township shall be deposited and held in the account maintained
21for those purposes with that depositary and shall be expended
22and distributed therefrom as provided in Section 15-24 and
23other applicable provisions of this Code; and (v) whenever
24there is vested in the trustees of schools of a township at the
25time that office is abolished under this subsection the legal
26title to any school buildings or school sites used or occupied

 

 

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1for school purposes by any elementary school, high school or
2unit school district subject to the jurisdiction and authority
3of those trustees of school at the time that office is
4abolished, the legal title to those school buildings and
5school sites shall be deemed transferred by operation of law
6to and invested in the school board of that school district, in
7its corporate capacity under Section 10-22.35B of this Code,
8the same to be held, sold, exchanged leased or otherwise
9transferred in accordance with applicable provisions of this
10Code.
11    Notwithstanding Section 2-3.25g of this Code, a waiver of
12a mandate established under this Section may not be requested.
13    (d) Within 3 years after the effective date of this
14amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, all remaining
15Class II county school units shall, by proper resolution,
16withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees
17of schools of the township and the township treasurer. Each
18school board shall, upon the adoption and passage of this
19resolution, either (1) elect or appoint its own school
20treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this Code, or (2) enter
21into a contractual or intergovernmental agreement for these
22services. The office of township trustees shall dissolve upon
23the passage of the school board resolution or, if no action is
24taken, 3 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act
25of the 103rd General Assembly.
26    Upon adoption and passage of the resolution and the

 

 

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1election or appointment by the school board of its own school
2treasurer, the signing of the contractual or intergovernmental
3agreement, or upon the statutory dissolution of the office of
4township trustees: (1) the trustees of schools in the township
5or townships shall no longer have or exercise any powers or
6duties with respect to the school district or with respect to
7the school business, operations, or assets of the school
8district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of schools
9and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other assets
10relating to the school business and affairs of the school
11district shall be transferred and delivered to the school
12board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title, and
13interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
14common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used
15and occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
16causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the
17common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
18transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
19board.
20(Source: P.A. 103-144, eff. 6-30-23.)".