Public Act 094-0957
 
SB2778 Enrolled LRB094 19017 RAS 54509 b

    AN ACT concerning higher 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
Volunteer Emergency Worker Higher Education Protection Act.
 
    Section 5. Definitions. For the purposes of this Section:
    "Institution of higher education" means the University of
Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State
University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State
University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois
University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois
University, the public community colleges of this State, and
any other public universities, colleges, and community
colleges now or hereafter established or authorized by law.
    "Volunteer emergency worker" means a volunteer emergency
worker as defined in the Volunteer Emergency Worker Job
Protection Act.
 
    Section 10. Accommodation policy. Each public institution
of higher education must adopt a policy that reasonably
accommodates any student who is a volunteer emergency worker in
regard to absence from class caused by the performance of his
or her duties as a volunteer emergency worker. This policy
shall include a grievance procedure by which a student who
believes that he or she has been unreasonably denied this
accommodation may seek redress.
 
    Section 15. Publication of policy. Each institution of
higher education must publish the policy adopted under Section
10 of this Act in a handbook, manual, or other similar document
regularly provided to faculty and students.
 
    Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
Section 8.30 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 805/8.30 new)
    Sec. 8.30. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8
of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
implementation of any mandate created by the Volunteer
Emergency Worker Higher Education Protection Act.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on July
1, 2006.

Effective Date: 7/1/2006