96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB3951

 

Introduced 11/4/2010, by Sen. Rickey R. Hendon

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/34-3  from Ch. 122, par. 34-3
105 ILCS 5/34-4  from Ch. 122, par. 34-4
105 ILCS 5/34-13.1

    Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides for the election (instead of appointment) of members of the Chicago Board of Education, with 2 members elected from a northern regional district, 2 members elected from a southern regional district, 2 members elected from a western regional district, and one member elected at large. Provides that successor Inspectors General shall be appointed by the Board instead of the Mayor. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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 Sections
534-3, 34-4, and 34-13.1 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/34-3)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-3)
7    Sec. 34-3. Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees; new
8Chicago Board of Education; members; term; vacancies.
9    (a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this
10amendatory Act of 1995, the terms of all members of the Chicago
11Board of Education holding office on that date are abolished
12and the Mayor shall appoint, without the consent or approval of
13the City Council, a 5 member Chicago School Reform Board of
14Trustees which shall take office upon the appointment of the
15fifth member. The Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees and
16its members shall serve until, and the terms of all members of
17the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees shall expire on,
18June 30, 1999 or upon the appointment of a new Chicago Board of
19Education as provided in subsection (b), whichever is later.
20Any vacancy in the membership of the Trustees shall be filled
21through appointment by the Mayor, without the consent or
22approval of the City Council, for the unexpired term. One of
23the members appointed by the Mayor to the Trustees shall be

 

 

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1designated by the Mayor to serve as President of the Trustees.
2The Mayor shall appoint a full-time, compensated chief
3executive officer, and his or her compensation as such chief
4executive officer shall be determined by the Mayor. The Mayor,
5at his or her discretion, may appoint the President to serve
6simultaneously as the chief executive officer.
7    (b) This subsection (b) applies until April 12, 2011.
8Within 30 days before the expiration of the terms of the
9members of the Chicago Reform Board of Trustees as provided in
10subsection (a), a new Chicago Board of Education consisting of
117 members shall be appointed by the Mayor to take office on the
12later of July 1, 1999 or the appointment of the seventh member.
13Three of the members initially so appointed under this
14subsection shall serve for terms ending June 30, 2002, 4 of the
15members initially so appointed under this subsection shall
16serve for terms ending June 30, 2003, and each member initially
17so appointed shall continue to hold office until his or her
18successor is appointed and qualified. Thereafter at the
19expiration of the term of any member a successor shall be
20appointed by the Mayor and shall hold office for a term of 4
21years, from July 1 of the year in which the term commences and
22until a successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancy in
23the membership of the Chicago Board of Education shall be
24filled through appointment by the Mayor for the unexpired term.
25No appointment to membership on the Chicago Board of Education
26that is made by the Mayor under this subsection shall require

 

 

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1the approval of the City Council, whether the appointment is
2made for a full term or to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term
3on the Board.
4    (b-5) On April 12, 2011, the terms of all members of the
5Chicago Board of Education appointed under subsection (b) of
6this Section are abolished when the new board, consisting of 7
7members, is elected by the electors of the school district as
8provided in this subsection (b-5) and takes office.
9    Beginning on April 12, 2011, the school district shall be
10governed by a school board consisting of 7 members. An election
11shall be held at the consolidated election in April of 2011 and
12every second year thereafter. Prior to the consolidated
13election in April of 2011, the State Board of Elections shall
14divide the school district into 3 regional districts, a
15northern regional district, a southern regional district, and a
16western regional district, each of which must be compact,
17contiguous, and substantially equal in population to each other
18district. Two members shall be elected from the northern
19regional district, 2 members shall be elected from the southern
20regional district, 2 members shall be elected from the western
21regional district, and one member shall be elected at large. In
222021, and in the year following each decennial census
23thereafter, the board shall reapportion the regional districts
24to reflect the results of the census, and shall divide the
25school district into 3 regional districts, a northern regional
26district, a southern regional district, and a western regional

 

 

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1district, each of which must be compact, contiguous, and
2substantially equal in population to each other district. The
3division of the school district into regional districts must be
4completed and formally approved by a majority of the members of
5the board in 2021 and in the year following each decennial
6census.
7    A petition for nomination of a regional district candidate
8for member of the board must be signed by at least 0.5% of the
9total number of registered voters in the regional district in
10which the person is a candidate for nomination. A petition for
11nomination of an at-large candidate for member of the board
12must be signed by at least 10% of the total number of
13registered voters in the school district.
14    Each member shall be elected for a term of 4 years,
15commencing on the second Tuesday in April of the year in which
16the member is elected, and until the member's successor is
17elected and has qualified, except that members of the board
18elected to terms commencing on April 12, 2011 shall organize on
19the date their terms commence, and on that date shall determine
20by lot 4 to serve for terms of 4 years and 3 to serve for terms
21of 2 years.
22    Each regional district member elected at the consolidated
23election in 2011 or thereafter must be a resident of the
24regional district he or she represents for at least one year
25immediately preceding his or her election, except that in the
26first consolidated election for each regional district

 

 

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1following reapportionment by the board, a candidate for the
2board may be elected from any regional district that contains a
3part of the regional district in which he or she resided at the
4time of the reapportionment and may be reelected if a resident
5of the new regional district he or she represents for one year
6prior to reelection.
7    On April 12, 2011 and within 28 days after each
8consolidated election thereafter, the board shall organize by
9electing its officers and fixing a time and place for the
10regular meetings. Upon organizing itself as provided in this
11subsection (b-5), the board shall enter upon the discharge of
12its duties.
13    Nomination papers filed under this Section are not valid
14unless the candidate named therein files with the secretary of
15the board or with a person designated by the board to receive
16nominating petitions a receipt from the county clerk showing
17that the candidate has filed a statement of economic interests
18as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. The
19receipt shall be so filed either previously during the calendar
20year in which the nomination papers were filed or within the
21period for the filing of nomination papers in accordance with
22the general election law.
23    Whenever a vacancy in the board occurs, the remaining
24members of the board shall notify the Mayor of that vacancy
25within 5 days after its occurrence and shall proceed to fill
26the vacancy until the next regular school election, at which

 

 

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1election a successor shall be elected to serve the remainder of
2the unexpired term. However, if the vacancy occurs with less
3than 28 months remaining in the term or if the vacancy occurs
4less than 88 days before the next regular school election, then
5the person so appointed shall serve the remainder of the
6unexpired term, and no election to fill the vacancy shall be
7held. The successor shall have the same residential and other
8qualifications as his or her predecessor. Should the remaining
9board members fail so to act within 45 days after the vacancy
10occurs, the Mayor shall within 30 days after the remaining
11members have failed to fill the vacancy, fill the vacancy as
12provided for herein. Upon the Mayor's failure to fill the
13vacancy, the vacancy shall be filled at the next regular school
14election. The successor shall have the same residential and
15other qualifications as his or her predecessor.
16    (b-10) The board shall elect annually from its number a
17president and vice-president, in such manner and at such time
18as the board determines by its rules. The officers so elected
19shall each perform the duties imposed upon their respective
20office by the rules of the board, provided that (i) the
21president shall preside at meetings of the board and vote as
22any other member but have no power of veto, and (ii) the vice
23president shall perform the duties of the president if that
24office is vacant or the president is absent or unable to act.
25The secretary of the Board shall be selected by the Board and
26shall be an employee of the Board rather than a member of the

 

 

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1Board, notwithstanding subsection (d) of Section 34-3.3. The
2duties of the secretary shall be imposed by the rules of the
3Board.
4    (c) The board may appoint a student to the board to serve
5in an advisory capacity. The student member shall serve for a
6term as determined by the board. The board may not grant the
7student member any voting privileges, but shall consider the
8student member as an advisor. The student member may not
9participate in or attend any executive session of the board.
10(Source: P.A. 94-231, eff. 7-14-05.)
 
11    (105 ILCS 5/34-4)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-4)
12    Sec. 34-4. Eligibility. To be eligible for election or
13appointment to the board, a person shall be a citizen of the
14United States, shall be a registered voter as provided in the
15Election Code, shall have been a resident of the city for at
16least 3 years immediately preceding his or her election or
17appointment, and shall not be a child sex offender as defined
18in Section 11-9.3 of the Criminal Code of 1961. Permanent
19removal from the city by any member of the board during his
20term of office constitutes a resignation therefrom and creates
21a vacancy in the board. With respect to board members
22representing a regional district, permanent removal from the
23regional district during his or her term of office constitutes
24a resignation therefrom and creates a vacancy in the board.
25Except for the President of the Chicago School Reform Board of

 

 

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1Trustees who may be paid compensation for his or her services
2as chief executive officer as determined by the Mayor as
3provided in subsection (a) of Section 34-3, board members shall
4serve without any compensation; provided, that board members
5shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred while in the
6performance of their duties upon submission of proper receipts
7or upon submission of a signed voucher in the case of an
8expense allowance evidencing the amount of such reimbursement
9or allowance to the president of the board for verification and
10approval. The board of education may continue to provide health
11care insurance coverage, employer pension contributions,
12employee pension contributions, and life insurance premium
13payments for an employee required to resign from an
14administrative, teaching, or career service position in order
15to qualify as a member of the board of education. They shall
16not hold other public office under the Federal, State or any
17local government other than that of Director of the Regional
18Transportation Authority, member of the economic development
19commission of a city having a population exceeding 500,000,
20notary public or member of the National Guard, and by accepting
21any such office while members of the board, or by not resigning
22any such office held at the time of being elected or appointed
23to the board within 30 days after such election or appointment,
24shall be deemed to have vacated their membership in the board.
25(Source: P.A. 93-309, eff. 1-1-04.)
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/34-13.1)
2    Sec. 34-13.1. Inspector General.
3    (a) The Inspector General and his office in existence on
4the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995 shall be
5transferred to the jurisdiction of the board upon appointment
6of the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees. The Inspector
7General shall have the authority to conduct investigations into
8allegations of or incidents of waste, fraud, and financial
9mismanagement in public education within the jurisdiction of
10the board by a local school council member or an employee,
11contractor, or member of the board or involving school projects
12managed or handled by the Public Building Commission. The
13Inspector General shall make recommendations to the board about
14the investigations. The Inspector General in office on the
15effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996 shall serve for a
16term expiring on June 30, 1998. His or her successors in office
17shall each be appointed by the Mayor, without the consent or
18approval of the City Council, for 4 year terms expiring on June
1930th of an even numbered year; however, beginning on April 12,
202011, successors shall be appointed by the board instead of the
21Mayor. If the Inspector General leaves office or if a vacancy
22in that office otherwise occurs, the Mayor shall appoint,
23without the consent or approval of the City Council, a
24successor to serve under this Section for the remainder of the
25unexpired term; however, beginning on April 12, 2011,
26successors shall be appointed by the board instead of the

 

 

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1Mayor. The Inspector General shall be independent of the
2operations of the board and the School Finance Authority, and
3shall perform other duties requested by the board.
4    (b) The Inspector General shall have access to all
5information and personnel necessary to perform the duties of
6the office. If the Inspector General determines that a possible
7criminal act has been committed or that special expertise is
8required in the investigation, he or she shall immediately
9notify the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County
10State's Attorney. All investigations conducted by the
11Inspector General shall be conducted in a manner that ensures
12the preservation of evidence for use in criminal prosecutions.
13    (c) At all times the Inspector General shall be granted
14access to any building or facility that is owned, operated, or
15leased by the board, the Public Building Commission, or the
16city in trust and for the use and benefit of the schools of the
17district.
18    (d) The Inspector General shall have the power to subpoena
19witnesses and compel the production of books and papers
20pertinent to an investigation authorized by this Code. Any
21person who (1) fails to appear in response to a subpoena; (2)
22fails to answer any question; (3) fails to produce any books or
23papers pertinent to an investigation under this Code; or (4)
24knowingly gives false testimony during an investigation under
25this Code, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
26    (e) The Inspector General shall provide to the board and

 

 

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1the Illinois General Assembly a summary of reports and
2investigations made under this Section for the previous fiscal
3year no later than January 1 of each year, except that the
4Inspector General shall provide the summary of reports and
5investigations made under this Section for the period
6commencing July 1, 1998 and ending April 30, 1999 no later than
7May 1, 1999. The summaries shall detail the final disposition
8of those recommendations. The summaries shall not contain any
9confidential or identifying information concerning the
10subjects of the reports and investigations. The summaries shall
11also include detailed recommended administrative actions and
12matters for consideration by the General Assembly.
13    (f) (Blank).
14    (g) (Blank).
15(Source: P.A. 89-15, eff. 5-30-95; 89-698, eff. 1-14-97.)
 
16    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
17becoming law.