SB1656 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 08727 NHT 28895 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB1656

Introduced 2/20/2015, by Sen. Thomas Cullerton

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Higher Education Facility Naming Act. Prohibits the board of trustees of a public institution of higher education from entering into any severance agreement, contract buyout, or any other such agreement with the president or chancellor of the public institution of higher education if a condition of the agreement requires naming a building, program, road, park, or any other property owned by the public institution of higher education after or in honor of the departing president or chancellor. Provides that the board of trustees of a community college district must immediately provide public notice of any severance agreement, contract buyout, or any other such agreement entered into with the president or chancellor of a community college within the last 2 years before the effective date of the Act if a condition of the agreement requires naming a building, program, road, park, or any other property owned by the community college after or in honor of the departing president or chancellor. Requires notice to be provided by posting the naming agreement on the Internet website of the community college for 30 days. Provides that, within the 30-day period, a petition may be filed with the board objecting to the naming agreement, signed by 5% of the eligible voters that reside within the community college district, and if such a petition is filed, the naming agreement is null and void. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Higher Education Facility Naming Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Community college" means a community college included in the definition of "Community Colleges" under the Public Community College Act.

"Community college board" means the board of trustees of a community college district.

"Community college district" means a community college district included in the definition of "Community College Districts" under the Public Community College Act.

"Public institution of higher education" means any of the public institutions of higher education included in the definition of "public institutions of higher education" under the Board of Higher Education Act.

Section 10. Prohibition.

(a) The board of trustees of a public institution of higher education may not enter into any severance agreement, contract buyout, or any other such agreement with the president or chancellor of the public institution of higher education if a condition of the agreement requires naming a building, program, road, park, or any other property owned by the public institution of higher education after or in honor of the departing president or chancellor.

(b) A community college board must immediately provide public notice of any severance agreement, contract buyout, or any other such agreement entered into with the president or chancellor of a community college within the last 2 years before the effective date of this Act if a condition of the agreement requires naming a building, program, road, park, or any other property owned by the community college after or in honor of the departing president or chancellor. Notice must be provided by posting the naming agreement on the Internet website of the community college for 30 days.

Within the 30-day period, a petition may be filed with the community college board objecting to the naming agreement set forth in this subsection (b). The petition must be signed by 5% of the eligible voters that reside within the community college district. If such a petition is filed, the naming agreement set forth in this subsection (b) is null and void.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.