Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 096-1524
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Public Act 096-1524


 

Public Act 1524 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY



 


 
Public Act 096-1524
 
SB2843 EnrolledLRB096 16940 MJR 32253 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
22-65 and 10-23.13 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/22-65 new)
    Sec. 22-65. The Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual
Abuse of Children. The Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual
Abuse of Children is created within the Department of Children
and Family Services. The Task Force shall consist of all of the
following members:
        (1) One member of the General Assembly and one member
    of the public, appointed by the President of the Senate.
        (2) One member of the General Assembly and one member
    of the public, appointed by the Minority Leader of the
    Senate.
        (3) One member of the General Assembly and one member
    of the public, appointed by the Speaker of the House of
    Representatives.
        (4) One member of the General Assembly and one member
    of the public, appointed by the Minority Leader of the
    House of Representatives.
        (5) The Director of Children and Family Services or his
    or her designee.
        (6) The State Superintendent of Education or his or her
    designee.
        (7) The Director of Public Health or his or her
    designee.
        (8) The Executive Director of the Illinois Violence
    Prevention Authority or his or her designee.
        (9) A representative of an agency that leads the
    collaboration of the investigation, prosecution, and
    treatment of child sexual and physical abuse cases,
    appointed by the Director of Children and Family Services.
        (10) A representative of an organization representing
    law enforcement, appointed by the Director of State Police.
        (11) A representative of a statewide professional
    teachers' organization, appointed by the head of that
    organization.
        (12) A representative of a different statewide
    professional teachers' organization, appointed by the head
    of that organization.
        (13) A representative of an organization involved in
    the prevention of child abuse in this State, appointed by
    the Director of Children and Family Services.
        (14) A representative of an organization representing
    school management in this State, appointed by the State
    Superintendent of Education.
        (15) Erin Merryn, for whom Section 10-23.13 of this
    Code is named.
    Members of the Task Force must be individuals who are
actively involved in the fields of the prevention of child
abuse and neglect and child welfare. The appointment of members
must reflect the geographic diversity of the State.
    The Task Force shall elect a presiding officer by a
majority vote of the membership of the Task Force. The Task
Force shall meet at the call of the presiding officer.
    The Task Force shall make recommendations for reducing
child sexual abuse in Illinois. In making those
recommendations, the Task Force shall:
        (1) gather information concerning child sexual abuse
    throughout the State;
        (2) receive reports and testimony from individuals,
    State and local agencies, community-based organizations,
    and other public and private organizations;
        (3) create goals for State policy that would prevent
    child sexual abuse; and
        (4) submit a final report with its recommendations to
    the Office of the Governor and the General Assembly by
    January 1, 2012.
    The recommendations may include proposals for specific
statutory changes and methods to foster cooperation among State
agencies and between the State and local government.
    The Task Force shall consult with employees of the
Department of Children and Family Services, the Criminal
Justice Information Agency, the Department of State Police, the
Illinois State Board of Education, and any other State agency
or department as necessary to accomplish the Task Force's
responsibilities under this Section.
    The members of the Task Force shall serve without
compensation and shall not be reimbursed for their expenses.
    The Task Force shall be abolished upon submission of the
final report to the Office of the Governor and the General
Assembly.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.13 new)
    Sec. 10-23.13. Policies addressing sexual abuse. To adopt
and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse of children that
may include age-appropriate curriculum for students in pre-K
through 5th grade; training for school personnel on child
sexual abuse; educational information to parents or guardians
provided in the school handbook on the warning signs of a child
being abused, along with any needed assistance, referral, or
resource information; available counseling and resources for
students affected by sexual abuse; and emotional and
educational support for a child of abuse to continue to be
successful in school.
    Any policy adopted may address without limitation:
        (1) methods for increasing teacher, student, and
    parent awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse of
    children, including knowledge of likely warning signs
    indicating that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse;
        (2) actions that a child who is a victim of sexual
    abuse should take to obtain assistance and intervention;
    and
        (3) available counseling options for students affected
    by sexual abuse.
    This Section may be referred to as Erin's Law.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 2/14/2011