SJ0064 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0064 LRB099 23589 GRL 51078 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly recently passed Senate Bill 1582, which allows students kindergarten through 12th grade with an Individualized Education Plan, a student to staff ratio of five to one, or are attending Acacia Academy, Alexander Leigh, Marklund, Helping Hands Center, Connections Organization, or New Horizon Academy to be transported in a multi-function school activity bus for any curriculum-related activity except for transportation on regular bus routes from home to school or from school to home; and

WHEREAS, The use of multi-function school activity buses in Illinois has been based on the recommendations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and

WHEREAS, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that its data indicates that "pre-primary, elementary, and secondary schools should not use 12- or 15-passenger vans for transporting students because they do not provide the same level of safety as school buses meeting NHTSA's safety standards"; and

WHEREAS, The safe transportation of elementary and secondary education students is an important public policy issue; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Task Force on Modes of School Transportation for Elementary and Secondary Education, consisting of members appointed as follows: the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee, who shall serve as chair; the Secretary of State or his or her designee; the Secretary of Transportation or his or her designee; a member of the Illinois Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; a member of the Illinois Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; a member of the Illinois House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; a member of the Illinois House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; a representative of ED-RED; a representative of the Illinois Association of Private Special Education Centers; a representative of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools; a representative of the Illinois Education Association; a representative of the Illinois Federation of Teachers; a representative of the Illinois School Transportation Association; a representative of the Large Unit District Association; a representative of the Legislative Education Network of DuPage; a representative of the South Cooperative Organization for Public Education; and a representative of the Statewide School Management Association; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall conduct a thorough review of existing State and federal laws regarding the use of the various modes to transport elementary and secondary education students and develop concise and consistent information to be communicated by the State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Secretary of State to the public about the legal means by which elementary and secondary education students may be transported, such as the type of vehicle and the required equipment to transport elementary and secondary education students, the allowed purpose of the transportation and any other limits of transportation of elementary and secondary education students by vehicle type, the type of driver's license required to transport elementary and secondary education students, and the requirements for driver licensing and vehicle licensing and inspection; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall seek input from stakeholders and members of the public on the issues to be reviewed and reported on by the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation; the State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet at the request of the Task Force Chair, but shall meet a minimum of four times prior to September 1, 2017; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall present its legislative and administrative recommendations to the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Minority Leader of the House no later than September 1, 2017.