Public Act 100-0550
 
HB3298 EnrolledLRB100 06272 MLM 16309 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 changing Section 
21B-40 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21B-40)
    Sec. 21B-40. Fees.
    (a) Beginning with the start of the new licensure system 
established pursuant to this Article, the following fees shall 
be charged to applicants:
        (1)  A $75 application fee for a Professional Educator 
    License or an Educator License with Stipulations. However, 
    beginning on January 1, 2015, the application fee for a 
    Professional Educator License and Educator License with 
    Stipulations shall be $100.
        (1.5) A $50 application fee for a Substitute Teaching 
    License. If the application for a Substitute Teaching 
    License is made and granted after July 1, 2017, the 
    licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee 
    within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall 
    be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if 
    the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of 
    Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the 
    Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full school days 
    within one year of issuance. 
        (2)  A $150 application fee for individuals who have not 
    been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator preparation 
    program at an Illinois institution of higher education and 
    are seeking any of the licenses set forth in subdivision 
    (1) of this subsection (a).
        (3)  A $50 application fee for each endorsement or 
    approval an individual holding a license wishes to add to 
    that license.
        (4)  A $10 per year registration fee for the course of 
    the validity cycle to register the license, which shall be 
    paid to the regional office of education having supervision 
    and control over the school in which the individual holding 
    the license is to be employed.  If the individual holding 
    the license is not yet employed, then the license may be 
    registered in any county in this State.  The registration 
    fee must be paid in its entirety the first time the 
    individual registers the license for a particular validity 
    period in a single region. No additional fee may be charged 
    for that validity period should the individual 
    subsequently register the license in additional regions. 
    An individual must register the license (i) immediately 
    after initial issuance of the license and (ii) at the 
    beginning of each renewal cycle if the individual has 
    satisfied the renewal requirements required under this 
    Code.
        Beginning on July 1, 2017, at the beginning of each 
    renewal cycle, individuals who hold a Substitute Teaching 
    License may apply for a reimbursement of the registration 
    fee within 18 months of renewal and shall be issued that 
    reimbursement by the State Board of Education from funds 
    appropriated for that purpose if the licensee provides 
    evidence to the State Board of Education that the licensee 
    has taught pursuant to the Substitute Teaching License at 
    least 10 full school days within one year of renewal. 
    (b) All application fees paid pursuant to subdivisions (1) 
through (3) of subsection (a) of this Section shall be 
deposited into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund and 
shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of 
Education to provide the technology and human resources 
necessary for the timely and efficient processing of 
applications and for the renewal of licenses. Funds available 
from the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund may also be 
used by the State Board of Education to support the recruitment 
and retention of educators, to support educator preparation 
programs as they seek national accreditation, and to provide 
professional development aligned with the requirements set 
forth in Section 21B-45 of this Code. A majority of the funds 
in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund must be dedicated 
to the timely and efficient processing of applications and for 
the renewal of licenses.  The Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving 
Fund is not subject to administrative charge transfers, 
authorized under Section 8h of the State Finance Act, from the 
Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund into any other fund of 
this State, and moneys in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving 
Fund shall not revert back to the General Revenue Fund at any 
time.
    The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the 
registration fees paid pursuant to subdivision (4) of 
subsection (a) of this Section into the institute fund 
established pursuant to Section 3-11 of this Code.
    (c)  The State Board of Education and each regional office 
of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience 
fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of license 
fees. This service or convenience fee shall not exceed the 
amount required by the credit card processing company or vendor 
that has entered into a contract with the State Board or 
regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee must 
be paid to that company or vendor.
    (d) If, at the time a certificate issued under Article 21 
of this Code is exchanged for a license issued under this 
Article, a person has paid registration fees for any years of 
the validity period of the certificate and these years have not 
expired when the certificate is exchanged, then those fees must 
be applied to the registration of the new license.

(Source: P.A. 98-610, eff. 12-27-13; 99-58, eff. 7-16-15; 
99-920, eff. 1-6-17.)

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

Effective Date:  11/8/2017