HB0305 EngrossedLRB103 03832 RJT 48838 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
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
17school trustees. County school units of 2,000,000 or more
18inhabitants shall be known as Class II county school units and
19the office of township trustees in such units shall be
20dissolved as provided shall retain the office of township
21trustees unless otherwise provided in subsection (b), or (c),
22or (d).
23    (b) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school

 

 

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1board of any elementary school district having a fall, 1989
2aggregate enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500
3pupils and having boundaries that are coterminous with the
4boundaries of a high school district, and the school board of
5any high school district having a fall, 1989 aggregate
6enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500 pupils and
7having boundaries that are coterminous with the boundaries of
8an elementary school district, may, whenever the territory of
9such school district forms a part of a Class II county school
10unit, by proper resolution withdraw such school district from
11the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of
12the township in which such school district is located and from
13the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer in
14such Class II county school unit; provided that the school
15board of any such school district shall, upon the adoption and
16passage of such resolution, thereupon elect or appoint its own
17school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1. Upon the adoption
18and passage of such resolution and the election or appointment
19by the school board of its own school treasurer: (1) the
20trustees of schools in such township shall no longer have or
21exercise any powers and duties with respect to the school
22district governed by such school board or with respect to the
23school business, operations or assets of such school district;
24and (2) all books and records of the township trustees
25relating to the school business and affairs of such school
26district shall be transferred and delivered to the school

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1and records of the trustees of schools and all moneys,
2securities, loanable funds, and other assets relating to the
3school business and affairs of the school district shall be
4transferred and delivered to the school board; and (3) all
5legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly
6held by the trustees of schools in any common school lands,
7school buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the
8school board and all rights of property and causes of action
9pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
10lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
11operation of law to and shall vest in the school board.
12    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) of this Section
13and upon final judgment, including the exhaustion of all
14appeals or a settlement between all parties, regarding claims
15set forth in the case of Township Trustees of Schools Township
1638 North, Range 12 East v. Lyons Township High School District
17No. 204 case N. 13 CH 23386 pending in 2018 in the Circuit
18Court of Cook County, Illinois, County Department, Chancery
19Division, and all related pending claims, the school board of
20Lyons Township High School District 204 may commence, by
21proper resolution, to withdraw from the jurisdiction and
22authority of the trustees of schools of Lyons Township and the
23township treasurer, provided that the school board shall, upon
24the adoption and passage of the resolution, elect or appoint
25its own school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this
26Code. Upon the adoption and passage of the resolution and the

 

 

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1election or appointment by the school board of its own school
2treasurer commencing with the first day of the succeeding
3fiscal year, but not prior to July 1, 2019: (1) the trustees of
4schools in the township 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, allowing for a reasonable period of time not to
12exceed 90 days to liquidate any pooled investments; and (3)
13all legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly
14held by the trustees of schools in any common school lands,
15school buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the
16school board and all rights of property and causes of action
17pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
18lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
19operation of law to and shall vest in the school board. The
20changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the
21100th General Assembly are prospective only, starting from the
22effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
23Assembly, and shall not affect any legal action pending on the
24effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
25Assembly in the Illinois courts in which Lyons Township High
26School District 204 is a listed party.

 

 

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1    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school boards
2of Glenbrook High School District 225, Northbrook Elementary
3School District 27, Northbrook School District 28, Sunset
4Ridge School District 29, Northbrook/Glenview School District
530, West Northfield School District 31, and Glenview Community
6Consolidated School District 34 may, by proper resolution,
7withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees
8of schools of Northfield and Maine Townships and the township
9treasurer, provided that the school board shall, upon the
10adoption and passage of the resolution, elect or appoint its
11own school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this Code.
12Upon the adoption and passage of the resolution and the
13election or appointment by the school board of its own school
14treasurer: (1) the trustees of schools in the township or
15townships shall no longer have or exercise any powers or
16duties with respect to the school district or with respect to
17the school business, operations, or assets of the school
18district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of schools
19and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other assets
20relating to the school business and affairs of the school
21district shall be transferred and delivered to the school
22board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title, and
23interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
24common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used
25and occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
26causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the

 

 

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1common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
2transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
3board.
4    (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the
5offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of any
6township located in a Class II county school unit shall be
7abolished as provided in this subsection if all of the
8following conditions are met:
9        (1) During the same 30 day period, each school board
10    of each elementary and unit school district that is
11    subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
12    treasurer and trustees of schools of the township in which
13    those offices are sought to be abolished gives written
14    notice by certified mail, return receipt requested to the
15    township treasurer and trustees of schools of that
16    township of the date of a meeting of the school board, to
17    be held not more than 90 nor less than 60 days after the
18    date when the notice is given, at which meeting the school
19    board is to consider and vote upon the question of whether
20    there shall be submitted to the electors of the school
21    district a proposition to abolish the offices of township
22    treasurer and trustee of schools of that township. None of
23    the notices given under this paragraph to the township
24    treasurer and trustees of schools of a township shall be
25    deemed sufficient or in compliance with the requirements
26    of this paragraph unless all of those notices are given

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1    of schools of the township in which those offices were
2    sought to be abolished shall not be abolished, unless and
3    until the proceedings detailed in paragraphs (1) through
4    (3) of this subsection and the conditions set forth in
5    this paragraph are met.
6    If the proposition to abolish the offices of township
7treasurer and trustee of schools of a township is deemed to
8have passed at the consolidated election as provided in this
9subsection, those offices shall be deemed abolished by
10operation of law effective on January 1 of the calendar year
11immediately following the calendar year in which that
12consolidated election is held, provided that if after the
13election, the trustees of schools by resolution elect to
14abolish the offices of township treasurer and trustee of
15schools effective on July 1 immediately following the
16election, then the offices shall be abolished on July 1
17immediately following the election. On the date that the
18offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of a
19township are deemed abolished by operation of law, the school
20board of each elementary and unit school district and the
21school board of each high school district that is subject to
22the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
23trustees of schools of that township at the time those offices
24are abolished: (i) shall appoint its own school treasurer as
25provided in Section 8-1; and (ii) unless the term of the
26contract of a township treasurer expires on the date that the

 

 

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

 

 

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1and the board of trustees shall thereupon notify each school
2board required to pay a proportionate share of that unfunded
3liability of the aggregate amount of the unfunded liability so
4determined. The amount so paid to the Illinois Municipal
5Retirement Fund by each of those school districts shall be
6credited to the account of the township in that Fund. For each
7elementary school, high school and unit school district under
8the jurisdiction and authority of a township treasurer and
9trustees of schools of a township in which those offices are
10abolished as provided in this subsection, each such district's
11proportionate share of the aggregate compensation payable to
12the former township treasurer as provided in this paragraph
13and each such district's proportionate share of the aggregate
14amount of the unfunded liability payable to the Illinois
15Municipal Retirement Fund as provided in this paragraph shall
16be computed in accordance with the ratio that the number of
17pupils in average daily attendance in each such district for
18the school year last ending prior to the date on which the
19offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of that
20township are abolished bears to the aggregate number of pupils
21in average daily attendance in all of those districts as so
22reported for that school year.
23    Upon abolition of the offices of township treasurer and
24trustee of schools of a township as provided in this
25subsection: (i) the regional board of school trustees, in its
26corporate capacity, shall be deemed the successor in interest

 

 

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1to the former trustees of schools of that township with
2respect to the common school lands and township loanable funds
3of the township; (ii) all right, title and interest existing
4or vested in the former trustees of schools of that township in
5the common school lands and township loanable funds of the
6township, and all records, moneys, securities and other
7assets, rights of property and causes of action pertaining to
8or constituting a part of those common school lands or
9township loanable funds, shall be transferred to and deemed
10vested by operation of law in the regional board of school
11trustees, which shall hold legal title to, manage and operate
12all common school lands and township loanable funds of the
13township, receive the rents, issues and profits therefrom, and
14have and exercise with respect thereto the same powers and
15duties as are provided by this Code to be exercised by regional
16boards of school trustees when acting as township land
17commissioners in counties having at least 220,000 but fewer
18than 2,000,000 inhabitants; (iii) the regional board of school
19trustees shall select to serve as its treasurer with respect
20to the common school lands and township loanable funds of the
21township a person from time to time also serving as the
22appointed school treasurer of any school district that was
23subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
24treasurer and trustees of schools of that township at the time
25those offices were abolished, and the person selected to also
26serve as treasurer of the regional board of school trustees

 

 

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1shall have his compensation for services in that capacity
2fixed by the regional board of school trustees, to be paid from
3the township loanable funds, and shall make to the regional
4board of school trustees the reports required to be made by
5treasurers of township land commissioners, give bond as
6required by treasurers of township land commissioners, and
7perform the duties and exercise the powers of treasurers of
8township land commissioners; (iv) the regional board of school
9trustees shall designate in the manner provided by Section
108-7, insofar as applicable, a depositary for its treasurer,
11and the proceeds of all rents, issues and profits from the
12common school lands and township loanable funds of that
13township shall be deposited and held in the account maintained
14for those purposes with that depositary and shall be expended
15and distributed therefrom as provided in Section 15-24 and
16other applicable provisions of this Code; and (v) whenever
17there is vested in the trustees of schools of a township at the
18time that office is abolished under this subsection the legal
19title to any school buildings or school sites used or occupied
20for school purposes by any elementary school, high school or
21unit school district subject to the jurisdiction and authority
22of those trustees of school at the time that office is
23abolished, the legal title to those school buildings and
24school sites shall be deemed transferred by operation of law
25to and invested in the school board of that school district, in
26its corporate capacity under Section 10-22.35B of this Code,

 

 

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1the same to be held, sold, exchanged leased or otherwise
2transferred in accordance with applicable provisions of this
3Code.
4    Notwithstanding Section 2-3.25g of this Code, a waiver of
5a mandate established under this Section may not be requested.
6    (d) Within 3 years after the effective date of this
7amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, all remaining
8Class II county school units shall, by proper resolution,
9withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees
10of schools of the township and the township treasurer. Each
11school board shall, upon the adoption and passage of this
12resolution, either (1) elect or appoint its own school
13treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this Code, or (2) enter
14into a contractual or intergovernmental agreement for these
15services. The office of township trustees shall dissolve upon
16the passage of the school board resolution or, if no action is
17taken, 3 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act
18of the 103rd General Assembly.
19    Upon adoption and passage of the resolution and the
20election or appointment by the school board of its own school
21treasurer, the signing of the contractual or intergovernmental
22agreement, or upon the statutory dissolution of the office of
23township trustees: (1) the trustees of schools in the township
24or townships shall no longer have or exercise any powers or
25duties with respect to the school district or with respect to
26the school business, operations, or assets of the school

 

 

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1district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of schools
2and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other assets
3relating to the school business and affairs of the school
4district shall be transferred and delivered to the school
5board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title, and
6interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
7common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used
8and occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
9causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the
10common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
11transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
12board.
13(Source: P.A. 103-144, eff. 6-30-23.)