98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2564

 

Introduced , by Rep. Sandra M. Pihos

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/7-6  from Ch. 122, par. 7-6

    Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning boundary changes.


LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2564LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 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
57-6 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/7-6)  (from Ch. 122, par. 7-6)
7    Sec. 7-6. Petition filing; Notice; Hearing; Decision.
8    (a) Upon the the filing of a petition with the secretary of
9the regional board of school trustees under the provisions of
10Section 7-1 or 7-2 of this Act the secretary shall cause a copy
11of such petition to be given to each board of any district
12involved in the proposed boundary change and shall cause a
13notice thereof to be published once in a newspaper having
14general circulation within the area of the territory described
15in the petition for the proposed change of boundaries.
16    (b) When a joint hearing is required under the provisions
17of Section 7-2, the secretary also shall cause a copy of the
18notice to be sent to the regional board of school trustees of
19each region affected. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions
20of this Section, if the secretary of the regional board of
21school trustees with whom a petition is filed under Section 7-2
22fails, within 30 days after the filing of such petition, to
23cause notice thereof to be published and sent as required by

 

 

HB2564- 2 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1this Section, then the secretary of the regional board of
2school trustees of any other region affected may cause the
3required notice to be published and sent, and the joint hearing
4may be held in any region affected as provided in the notice so
5published.
6    (b-5) If a petition filed under subsection (a) of Section
77-1 or under Section 7-2 proposes to annex all the territory of
8a school district to another school district, the petition
9shall request the submission of a proposition at a regular
10scheduled election for the purpose of voting for or against the
11annexation of the territory described in the petition to the
12school district proposing to annex that territory. No petition
13filed or election held under this Article shall be null and
14void, invalidated, or deemed in noncompliance with the Election
15Code because of a failure to publish a notice with respect to
16the petition or referendum as required under subsection (g) of
17Section 28-2 of that Code for petitions that are not filed
18under this Article or Article 11E of this Code.
19    (c) When a petition contains more than 10 signatures the
20petition shall designate a committee of 10 of the petitioners
21as attorney in fact for all petitioners, any 7 of whom may make
22binding stipulations on behalf of all petitioners as to any
23question with respect to the petition or hearing or joint
24hearing, and the regional board of school trustees, or regional
25boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing may
26accept such stipulation in lieu of evidence or proof of the

 

 

HB2564- 3 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1matter stipulated. The committee of petitioners shall have the
2same power to stipulate to accountings or waiver thereof
3between school districts; however, the regional board of school
4trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a
5joint hearing may refuse to accept such stipulation. Those
6designated as the committee of 10 shall serve in that capacity
7until such time as the regional superintendent of schools or
8the committee of 10 determines that, because of death,
9resignation, transfer of residency from the territory, or
10failure to qualify, the office of a particular member of the
11committee of 10 is vacant. Upon determination that a vacancy
12exists, the remaining members shall appoint a petitioner to
13fill the designated vacancy on the committee of 10. The
14appointment of any new members by the committee of 10 shall be
15made by a simple majority vote of the remaining designated
16members.
17    (d) The petition may be amended to withdraw not to exceed a
18total of 10% of the territory in the petition at any time prior
19to the hearing or joint hearing; provided that the petition
20shall after amendment comply with the requirements as to the
21number of signatures required on an original petition.
22    (e) The petitioners shall pay the expenses of publishing
23the notice and of any transcript taken at the hearing or joint
24hearing; and in case of an appeal from the decision of the
25regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school
26trustees in cases of a joint hearing, or State Superintendent

 

 

HB2564- 4 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1of Education in cases determined under subsection (l) of this
2Section, the appellants shall pay the cost of preparing the
3record for appeal.
4    (f) The notice shall state when the petition was filed, the
5description of the territory, the prayer of the petition and
6the return day on which the hearing or joint hearing upon the
7petition will be held which shall not be more than 15 nor less
8than 10 days after the publication of notice.
9    (g) On such return day or on a day to which the regional
10board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees
11in cases of a joint hearing shall continue the hearing or joint
12hearing the regional board of school trustees, or regional
13boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing shall
14hear the petition but may adjourn the hearing or joint hearing
15from time to time or may continue the matter for want of
16sufficient notice or other good cause.
17    (h) Prior to the hearing or joint hearing the secretary of
18the regional board of school trustees shall submit to the
19regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school
20trustees in cases of a joint hearing maps showing the districts
21involved, a written report of financial and educational
22conditions of districts involved and the probable effect of the
23proposed changes. The reports and maps submitted shall be made
24a part of the record of the proceedings of the regional board
25of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in
26cases of a joint hearing. A copy of the report and maps

 

 

HB2564- 5 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1submitted shall be sent by the secretary of the regional board
2of school trustees to each board of the districts involved, not
3less than 5 days prior to the day upon which the hearing or
4joint hearing is to be held.
5    (i) The regional board of school trustees, or regional
6boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing shall
7hear evidence as to the school needs and conditions of the
8territory in the area within and adjacent thereto and as to the
9ability of the districts affected to meet the standards of
10recognition as prescribed by the State Board of Education, and
11shall take into consideration the division of funds and assets
12which will result from the change of boundaries and shall
13determine whether it is to the best interests of the schools of
14the area and the educational welfare of the pupils that such
15change in boundaries be granted, and in case non-high school
16territory is contained in the petition the normal high school
17attendance pattern of the children shall be taken into
18consideration. If the non-high school territory overlies an
19elementary district, a part of which is in a high school
20district, such territory may be annexed to such high school
21district even though not contiguous to the high school
22district. However, upon resolution by the regional board of
23school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases
24of a joint hearing the secretary or secretaries thereof shall
25conduct the hearing or joint hearing upon any boundary petition
26and present a transcript of such hearing to the trustees who

 

 

HB2564- 6 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1shall base their decision upon the transcript, maps and
2information and any presentation of counsel.
3    (j) At the hearing or joint hearing any resident of the
4territory described in the petition or any resident in any
5district affected by the proposed change of boundaries may
6appear in person or by an attorney in support of the petition
7or to object to the granting of the petition and may present
8evidence in support of his position.
9    (k) At the conclusion of the hearing, other than a joint
10hearing, the regional superintendent of schools as ex officio
11member of the regional board of school trustees shall within 30
12days enter an order either granting or denying the petition and
13shall deliver to the committee of petitioners, if any, and any
14person who has filed his appearance in writing at the hearing
15and any attorney who appears for any person and any objector
16who testifies at the hearing and the regional superintendent of
17schools a certified copy of its order.
18    (l) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
19Section, if within 9 months after a petition is submitted under
20the provisions of Section 7-1 the petition is not approved or
21denied by the regional board of school trustees and the order
22approving or denying that petition entered and a copy thereof
23served as provided in this Section, the school boards or
24registered voters of the districts affected that submitted the
25petition (or the committee of 10, or an attorney acting on its
26behalf, if designated in the petition) may submit a copy of the

 

 

HB2564- 7 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1petition directly to the State Superintendent of Education for
2approval or denial. The copy of the petition as so submitted
3shall be accompanied by a record of all proceedings had with
4respect to the petition up to the time the copy of the petition
5is submitted to the State Superintendent of Education
6(including a copy of any notice given or published, any
7certificate or other proof of publication, copies of any maps
8or written report of the financial and educational conditions
9of the school districts affected if furnished by the secretary
10of the regional board of school trustees, copies of any
11amendments to the petition and stipulations made, accepted or
12refused, a transcript of any hearing or part of a hearing held,
13continued or adjourned on the petition, and any orders entered
14with respect to the petition or any hearing held thereon). The
15school boards, registered voters or committee of 10 submitting
16the petition and record of proceedings to the State
17Superintendent of Education shall give written notice by
18certified mail, return receipt requested to the regional board
19of school trustees and to the secretary of that board that the
20petition has been submitted to the State Superintendent of
21Education for approval or denial, and shall furnish a copy of
22the notice so given to the State Superintendent of Education.
23The cost of assembling the record of proceedings for submission
24to the State Superintendent of Education shall be the
25responsibility of the school boards, registered voters or
26committee of 10 that submits the petition and record of

 

 

HB2564- 8 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1proceedings to the State Superintendent of Education. When a
2petition is submitted to the State Superintendent of Education
3in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph:
4        (1) The regional board of school trustees loses all
5    jurisdiction over the petition and shall have no further
6    authority to hear, approve, deny or otherwise act with
7    respect to the petition.
8        (2) All jurisdiction over the petition and the right
9    and duty to hear, approve, deny or otherwise act with
10    respect to the petition is transferred to and shall be
11    assumed and exercised by the State Superintendent of
12    Education.
13        (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall not be
14    required to repeat any proceedings that were conducted in
15    accordance with the provisions of this Section prior to the
16    time jurisdiction over the petition is transferred to him,
17    but the State Superintendent of Education shall be required
18    to give and publish any notices and hold or complete any
19    hearings that were not given, held or completed by the
20    regional board of school trustees or its secretary as
21    required by this Section prior to the time jurisdiction
22    over the petition is transferred to the State
23    Superintendent of Education.
24        (4) If so directed by the State Superintendent of
25    Education, the regional superintendent of schools shall
26    submit to the State Superintendent of Education and to such

 

 

HB2564- 9 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1    school boards as the State Superintendent of Education
2    shall prescribe accurate maps and a written report of the
3    financial and educational conditions of the districts
4    affected and the probable effect of the proposed boundary
5    changes.
6        (5) The State Superintendent is authorized to conduct
7    further hearings, or appoint a hearing officer to conduct
8    further hearings, on the petition even though a hearing
9    thereon was held as provided in this Section prior to the
10    time jurisdiction over the petition is transferred to the
11    State Superintendent of Education.
12        (6) The State Superintendent of Education or the
13    hearing officer shall hear evidence and approve or deny the
14    petition and shall enter an order to that effect and
15    deliver and serve the same as required in other cases to be
16    done by the regional board of school trustees and the
17    regional superintendent of schools as an ex officio member
18    of that board.
19    (m) Within 10 days after the conclusion of a joint hearing
20required under the provisions of Section 7-2, each regional
21board of school trustees shall meet together and render a
22decision with regard to the joint hearing on the petition. If
23the regional boards of school trustees fail to enter a joint
24order either granting or denying the petition, the regional
25superintendent of schools for the educational service region in
26which the joint hearing is held shall enter an order denying

 

 

HB2564- 10 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1the petition, and within 30 days after the conclusion of the
2joint hearing shall deliver a copy of the order denying the
3petition to the regional boards of school trustees of each
4region affected, to the committee of petitioners, if any, to
5any person who has filed his appearance in writing at the
6hearing and to any attorney who appears for any person at the
7joint hearing. If the regional boards of school trustees enter
8a joint order either granting or denying the petition, the
9regional superintendent of schools for the educational service
10region in which the joint hearing is held shall, within 30 days
11of the conclusion of the hearing, deliver a copy of the joint
12order to those same committees and persons as are entitled to
13receive copies of the regional superintendent's order in cases
14where the regional boards of school trustees have failed to
15enter a joint order.
16    (n) Within 10 days after service of a copy of the order
17granting or denying the petition, any person so served may
18petition for a rehearing and, upon sufficient cause being
19shown, a rehearing may be granted. The filing of a petition for
20rehearing shall operate as a stay of enforcement until the
21regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school
22trustees in cases of a joint hearing, or State Superintendent
23of Education in cases determined under subsection (l) of this
24Section enter the final order on such petition for rehearing.
25    (o) If a petition filed under subsection (a) of Section 7-1
26or under Section 7-2 is required under the provisions of

 

 

HB2564- 11 -LRB098 08947 NHT 39080 b

1subsection (b-5) of this Section 7-6 to request submission of a
2proposition at a regular scheduled election for the purpose of
3voting for or against the annexation of the territory described
4in the petition to the school district proposing to annex that
5territory, and if the petition is granted or approved by the
6regional board or regional boards of school trustees or by the
7State Superintendent of Education, the proposition shall be
8placed on the ballot at the next regular scheduled election.
9(Source: P.A. 94-1019, eff. 7-10-06.)