Sen. Melinda Bush

Filed: 4/14/2015

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 224

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 224 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
57-6 and 7-14 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 filing of a petition with the secretary of the
9regional 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

 

 

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1of Section 7-2, the secretary also shall cause a copy of the
2notice to be sent to the regional board of school trustees of
3each region affected. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions
4of this Section, if the secretary of the regional board of
5school trustees with whom a petition is filed under Section 7-2
6fails, within 30 days after the filing of such petition, to
7cause notice thereof to be published and sent as required by
8this Section, then the secretary of the regional board of
9school trustees of any other region affected may cause the
10required notice to be published and sent, and the joint hearing
11may be held in any region affected as provided in the notice so
12published.
13    (b-5) If a petition filed under subsection (a) of Section
147-1 or under Section 7-2 proposes to annex all the territory of
15a school district to another school district, the petition
16shall request the submission of a proposition at a regular
17scheduled election for the purpose of voting for or against the
18annexation of the territory described in the petition to the
19school district proposing to annex that territory. No petition
20filed or election held under this Article shall be null and
21void, invalidated, or deemed in noncompliance with the Election
22Code because of a failure to publish a notice with respect to
23the petition or referendum as required under subsection (g) of
24Section 28-2 of that Code for petitions that are not filed
25under this Article or Article 11E of this Code.
26    (c) When a petition contains more than 10 signatures the

 

 

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1petition shall designate a committee of 10 of the petitioners
2as attorney in fact for all petitioners, any 7 of whom may make
3binding stipulations on behalf of all petitioners as to any
4question with respect to the petition or hearing or joint
5hearing, and the regional board of school trustees, or regional
6boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing may
7accept such stipulation in lieu of evidence or proof of the
8matter stipulated. The committee of petitioners shall have the
9same power to stipulate to accountings or waiver thereof
10between school districts; however, the regional board of school
11trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a
12joint hearing may refuse to accept such stipulation. Those
13designated as the committee of 10 shall serve in that capacity
14until such time as the regional superintendent of schools or
15the committee of 10 determines that, because of death,
16resignation, transfer of residency from the territory, or
17failure to qualify, the office of a particular member of the
18committee of 10 is vacant. Upon determination that a vacancy
19exists, the remaining members shall appoint a petitioner to
20fill the designated vacancy on the committee of 10. The
21appointment of any new members by the committee of 10 shall be
22made by a simple majority vote of the remaining designated
23members.
24    (d) The petition may be amended to withdraw not to exceed a
25total of 10% of the territory in the petition at any time prior
26to the hearing or joint hearing; provided that the petition

 

 

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1shall after amendment comply with the requirements as to the
2number of signatures required on an original petition.
3    (e) The petitioners shall pay the expenses of publishing
4the notice and of any transcript taken at the hearing or joint
5hearing; and in case of an appeal from the decision of the
6regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school
7trustees in cases of a joint hearing, or State Superintendent
8of Education in cases determined under subsection (l) of this
9Section, the appellants shall pay the cost of preparing the
10record for appeal.
11    (f) The notice shall state when the petition was filed, the
12description of the territory, the prayer of the petition and
13the return day on which the hearing or joint hearing upon the
14petition will be held which shall not be more than 15 nor less
15than 10 days after the publication of notice.
16    (g) On such return day or on a day to which the regional
17board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees
18in cases of a joint hearing shall continue the hearing or joint
19hearing the regional board of school trustees, or regional
20boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing shall
21hear the petition but may adjourn the hearing or joint hearing
22from time to time or may continue the matter for want of
23sufficient notice or other good cause.
24    (h) Prior to the hearing or joint hearing the secretary of
25the regional board of school trustees shall submit to the
26regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school

 

 

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1trustees in cases of a joint hearing maps showing the districts
2involved, a written report of financial and educational
3conditions of districts involved and the probable effect of the
4proposed changes. The reports and maps submitted shall be made
5a part of the record of the proceedings of the regional board
6of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in
7cases of a joint hearing. A copy of the report and maps
8submitted shall be sent by the secretary of the regional board
9of school trustees to each board of the districts involved, not
10less than 5 days prior to the day upon which the hearing or
11joint hearing is to be held.
12    (i) The regional board of school trustees, or regional
13boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing shall
14hear evidence as to the school needs and conditions of the
15territory in the area within and adjacent thereto and the
16effect detachment will have on those needs and conditions and
17as to the ability of the districts affected to meet the
18standards of recognition as prescribed by the State Board of
19Education, and shall take into consideration the division of
20funds and assets which will result from the change of
21boundaries and shall determine whether it is to the best
22interests of the schools of the area and the direct educational
23welfare of the pupils that such change in boundaries be
24granted, and in case non-high school territory is contained in
25the petition the normal high school attendance pattern of the
26children shall be taken into consideration. If the non-high

 

 

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1school territory overlies an elementary district, a part of
2which is in a high school district, such territory may be
3annexed to such high school district even though not contiguous
4to the high school district. However, upon resolution by the
5regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school
6trustees in cases of a joint hearing the secretary or
7secretaries thereof shall conduct the hearing or joint hearing
8upon any boundary petition and present a transcript of such
9hearing to the trustees who shall base their decision upon the
10transcript, maps and information and any presentation of
11counsel.
12        (1) When considering the effect the detachment will
13    have on the direct educational welfare of the pupils, the
14    regional board of school trustees or the regional boards of
15    school trustees shall consider a comparison of the school
16    report cards for the schools of the affected districts and
17    the school district report cards for the affected districts
18    only if there is no more than a 3% difference in the
19    minority, low socio-economic, and non-English speaking
20    student populations of the relevant schools of the
21    districts.
22        (2) The community of interest of the petitioners and
23    their children and the effect detachment will have on the
24    whole child may be considered only if the regional board of
25    school trustees or the regional boards of school trustees
26    first determine that there would be a significant direct

 

 

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1    educational benefit to the petitioners' children if the
2    change in boundaries were allowed.
3        (3) The regional board of school trustees or the
4    regional boards of school trustees may consider the
5    difference in the distances from the petitioning area to
6    the current schools and the petitioned-for schools only if
7    the difference is at least 10 miles shorter to one of the
8    petitioned-for schools.
9        (4) The regional board of school trustees or the
10    regional boards of school trustees may not grant a petition
11    if doing so will increase the percentage of minority, low
12    socio-economic, or non-English speaking students at the
13    school or the district from which the petitioning territory
14    will be detached and will decrease the percentage of those
15    students at the school or district to which the territory
16    will be attached.
17        (5) The regional board of school trustees or the
18    regional boards of school trustees may not consider whether
19    changing the boundaries will increase the property values
20    of the petitioners' property.
21    (j) At the hearing or joint hearing any resident of the
22territory described in the petition or any resident in any
23district affected by the proposed change of boundaries may
24appear in person or by an attorney in support of the petition
25or to object to the granting of the petition and may present
26evidence in support of his position.

 

 

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1    (k) At the conclusion of the hearing, other than a joint
2hearing, the regional superintendent of schools as ex officio
3member of the regional board of school trustees shall within 30
4days enter an order either granting or denying the petition and
5shall deliver to the committee of petitioners, if any, and any
6person who has filed his appearance in writing at the hearing
7and any attorney who appears for any person and any objector
8who testifies at the hearing and the regional superintendent of
9schools a certified copy of its order.
10    (l) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
11Section, if within 9 months after a petition is submitted under
12the provisions of Section 7-1 the petition is not approved or
13denied by the regional board of school trustees and the order
14approving or denying that petition entered and a copy thereof
15served as provided in this Section, the school boards or
16registered voters of the districts affected that submitted the
17petition (or the committee of 10, or an attorney acting on its
18behalf, if designated in the petition) may submit a copy of the
19petition directly to the State Superintendent of Education for
20approval or denial. The copy of the petition as so submitted
21shall be accompanied by a record of all proceedings had with
22respect to the petition up to the time the copy of the petition
23is submitted to the State Superintendent of Education
24(including a copy of any notice given or published, any
25certificate or other proof of publication, copies of any maps
26or written report of the financial and educational conditions

 

 

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1of the school districts affected if furnished by the secretary
2of the regional board of school trustees, copies of any
3amendments to the petition and stipulations made, accepted or
4refused, a transcript of any hearing or part of a hearing held,
5continued or adjourned on the petition, and any orders entered
6with respect to the petition or any hearing held thereon). The
7school boards, registered voters or committee of 10 submitting
8the petition and record of proceedings to the State
9Superintendent of Education shall give written notice by
10certified mail, return receipt requested to the regional board
11of school trustees and to the secretary of that board that the
12petition has been submitted to the State Superintendent of
13Education for approval or denial, and shall furnish a copy of
14the notice so given to the State Superintendent of Education.
15The cost of assembling the record of proceedings for submission
16to the State Superintendent of Education shall be the
17responsibility of the school boards, registered voters or
18committee of 10 that submits the petition and record of
19proceedings to the State Superintendent of Education. When a
20petition is submitted to the State Superintendent of Education
21in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph:
22        (1) The regional board of school trustees loses all
23    jurisdiction over the petition and shall have no further
24    authority to hear, approve, deny or otherwise act with
25    respect to the petition.
26        (2) All jurisdiction over the petition and the right

 

 

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1    and duty to hear, approve, deny or otherwise act with
2    respect to the petition is transferred to and shall be
3    assumed and exercised by the State Superintendent of
4    Education.
5        (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall not be
6    required to repeat any proceedings that were conducted in
7    accordance with the provisions of this Section prior to the
8    time jurisdiction over the petition is transferred to him,
9    but the State Superintendent of Education shall be required
10    to give and publish any notices and hold or complete any
11    hearings that were not given, held or completed by the
12    regional board of school trustees or its secretary as
13    required by this Section prior to the time jurisdiction
14    over the petition is transferred to the State
15    Superintendent of Education.
16        (4) If so directed by the State Superintendent of
17    Education, the regional superintendent of schools shall
18    submit to the State Superintendent of Education and to such
19    school boards as the State Superintendent of Education
20    shall prescribe accurate maps and a written report of the
21    financial and educational conditions of the districts
22    affected and the probable effect of the proposed boundary
23    changes.
24        (5) The State Superintendent is authorized to conduct
25    further hearings, or appoint a hearing officer to conduct
26    further hearings, on the petition even though a hearing

 

 

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1    thereon was held as provided in this Section prior to the
2    time jurisdiction over the petition is transferred to the
3    State Superintendent of Education.
4        (6) The State Superintendent of Education or the
5    hearing officer shall hear evidence and approve or deny the
6    petition and shall enter an order to that effect and
7    deliver and serve the same as required in other cases to be
8    done by the regional board of school trustees and the
9    regional superintendent of schools as an ex officio member
10    of that board.
11    (m) Within 10 days after the conclusion of a joint hearing
12required under the provisions of Section 7-2, each regional
13board of school trustees shall meet together and render a
14decision with regard to the joint hearing on the petition. If
15the regional boards of school trustees fail to enter a joint
16order either granting or denying the petition, the regional
17superintendent of schools for the educational service region in
18which the joint hearing is held shall enter an order denying
19the petition, and within 30 days after the conclusion of the
20joint hearing shall deliver a copy of the order denying the
21petition to the regional boards of school trustees of each
22region affected, to the committee of petitioners, if any, to
23any person who has filed his appearance in writing at the
24hearing and to any attorney who appears for any person at the
25joint hearing. If the regional boards of school trustees enter
26a joint order either granting or denying the petition, the

 

 

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1regional superintendent of schools for the educational service
2region in which the joint hearing is held shall, within 30 days
3of the conclusion of the hearing, deliver a copy of the joint
4order to those same committees and persons as are entitled to
5receive copies of the regional superintendent's order in cases
6where the regional boards of school trustees have failed to
7enter a joint order.
8    (n) Within 10 days after service of a copy of the order
9granting or denying the petition, any person so served may
10petition for a rehearing and, upon sufficient cause being
11shown, a rehearing may be granted. The filing of a petition for
12rehearing shall operate as a stay of enforcement until the
13regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school
14trustees in cases of a joint hearing, or State Superintendent
15of Education in cases determined under subsection (l) of this
16Section enter the final order on such petition for rehearing.
17    (o) If a petition filed under subsection (a) of Section 7-1
18or under Section 7-2 is required under the provisions of
19subsection (b-5) of this Section 7-6 to request submission of a
20proposition at a regular scheduled election for the purpose of
21voting for or against the annexation of the territory described
22in the petition to the school district proposing to annex that
23territory, and if the petition is granted or approved by the
24regional board or regional boards of school trustees or by the
25State Superintendent of Education, the proposition shall be
26placed on the ballot at the next regular scheduled election.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 94-1019, eff. 7-10-06.)
 
2    (105 ILCS 5/7-14)  (from Ch. 122, par. 7-14)
3    Sec. 7-14. Bonded indebtedness-Tax rate.
4    (a) Beginning on January 1, 2015, whenever the boundaries
5of any school district are changed by the attachment or
6detachment of territory, the territory that is detached shall
7remain liable for its proportionate share of the bonded
8indebtedness and financial obligations to the Capital
9Development Board of the school district from which the
10territory is detached. The annexing district shall not, except
11pursuant to the approval of a resolution by the school board of
12the annexing district prior to the effective date of the change
13of boundaries, assume or be responsible for any of the bonded
14indebtedness or financial obligations to the Capital
15Development Board of the district from which the territory is
16detached. If the annexing district does not assume the
17detaching territory's proportionate share of the bonded
18indebtedness of the district from which the territory is
19detaching, a tax rate for that bonded indebtedness shall be
20determined in the manner provided in Section 19-7 of this Code,
21and the county clerk or clerks shall annually extend taxes for
22each bond outstanding on the effective date of the change of
23boundaries against all of the taxable property situated within
24the territory that is detached and within the detaching
25district. After the effective date of the change of boundaries,

 

 

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1all of the property situated within the annexing school
2district, including the detaching territory, shall be liable
3for the bonded indebtedness and financial obligations to the
4Capital Development Board of that district as it exists on the
5effective date of the change of boundaries and any date
6thereafter. Except as provided in subsection (b), whenever the
7boundaries of any school district are changed by the annexation
8or detachment of territory, each such district as it exists on
9and after such action shall assume the bonded indebtedness, as
10well as financial obligations to the Capital Development Board
11pursuant to Section 35-15 (now repealed) of this Code, of all
12the territory included therein after such change. The tax rate
13for bonded indebtedness shall be determined in the manner
14provided in Section 19-7 of this Act, except the County Clerk
15shall annually extend taxes against all the taxable property
16situated in the county and contained in each such district as
17it exists after the action. Notwithstanding the provisions of
18this subsection, if the boundaries of a school district are
19changed by annexation or detachment of territory after June 30,
201987, and prior to September 15, 1987, and if the school
21district to which territory is being annexed has no outstanding
22bonded indebtedness on the date such annexation occurs, then
23the annexing school district shall not be liable for any bonded
24indebtedness of the district from which the territory is
25detached, and the school district from which the territory is
26detached shall remain liable for all of its bonded

 

 

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1indebtedness.
2    (b) Whenever a school district with bonded indebtedness has
3become dissolved under this Article and its territory annexed
4to another district, the annexing district or districts shall
5not, except by action pursuant to resolution of the school
6board of the annexing district prior to the effective date of
7the annexation, assume the bonded indebtedness of the dissolved
8district; nor, except by action pursuant to resolution of the
9school board of the dissolving district, shall the territory of
10the dissolved district assume the bonded indebtedness of the
11annexing district or districts. If the annexing district or
12districts do not assume the bonded indebtedness of the
13dissolved district, a tax rate for the bonded indebtedness
14shall be determined in the manner provided in Section 19-7, and
15the county clerk or clerks shall annually extend taxes for each
16outstanding bond issue against all the taxable property that
17was situated within the boundaries of the district as the
18boundaries existed at the time of the issuance of each bond
19issue regardless of whether the property is still contained in
20that same district at the time of the extension of the taxes by
21the county clerk or clerks.
22    (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 19-18 of this
23Code, upon resolution of the school board, the county clerk
24must extend taxes to pay the principal of and interest on any
25bonds issued exclusively to refund any bonded indebtedness of
26the annexing school district against all of the taxable

 

 

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1property that was situated within the boundaries of the
2annexing district as the boundaries existed at the time of the
3issuance of the bonded indebtedness being refunded and not
4against any of the taxable property in the dissolved school
5district, provided that (i) the net interest rate on the
6refunding bonds may not exceed the net interest rate on the
7refunded bonds, (ii) the final maturity date of the refunding
8bonds may not extend beyond the final maturity date of the
9refunded bonds, and (iii) the tax levy to pay the refunding
10bonds in any levy year may not exceed the tax levy that would
11have been required to pay the refunded bonds for that levy
12year. The provisions of this subsection (c) are applicable to
13school districts that were dissolved and their territory
14annexed to another school district pursuant to a referendum
15held in April of 2003. The provisions of this subsection (c),
16other than this sentence, are inoperative 2 years after the
17effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General
18Assembly.
19(Source: P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07; 95-1025, eff. 1-6-09.)".