Public Act 103-0504
 
SB2039 EnrolledLRB103 27611 RJT 53987 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 
2-3.163 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.163)
    Sec. 2-3.163. PUNS Prioritization of Urgency of Need for 
Services database information for students and parents or 
guardians.
    (a) The General Assembly makes all of the following 
findings:
        (1) Pursuant to Section 10-26 of the Department of 
    Human Services Act, the The Department of Human Services 
    maintains a statewide database known as the PUNS database 
    Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services that 
    records information about individuals with intellectual 
    disabilities or developmental disabilities who are 
    potentially in need of services.
        (2) The Department of Human Services uses the data on 
    PUNS Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services to 
    select individuals for services as funding becomes 
    available, to develop proposals and materials for 
    budgeting, and to plan for future needs.
        (3) The PUNS database Prioritization of Urgency of 
    Need for Services is available for children and adults 
    with intellectual disabilities or a developmental 
    disabilities disability who have an unmet service needs 
    need anticipated in the next 5 years. The PUNS database is 
    also available for children with intellectual disabilities 
    or developmental disabilities with unmet service needs. 
        (4) Registration to be included on the PUNS database 
    Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services is the 
    first step toward receiving getting developmental 
    disabilities services in this State. A child or an adult 
    who is If individuals are not on the PUNS database will not 
    be Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services waiting 
    list, they are not in queue for State developmental 
    disabilities services.
        (5) Lack of awareness and information about the PUNS 
    database results in underutilization or delays in 
    registration for the PUNS database by students with 
    intellectual disabilities or developmental disabilities 
    and their parents or guardians  Prioritization of Urgency 
    of Need for Services may be underutilized by children and 
    their parents or guardians due to lack of awareness or 
    lack of information.
    (a-5)  The purpose of this Section is to ensure that each 
student with an intellectual disability or a developmental 
disability who has an individualized education program ("IEP") 
and the student's parents or guardian are informed about the 
PUNS database, where to register for the PUNS database, and 
whom they can contact for information about the PUNS database 
and the PUNS database registration process. This Section is 
not intended to change the PUNS database registration process 
established by the Department of Human Services or to impose 
any responsibility on the State Board of Education or a school 
district to register students for the PUNS database. 
    (a-10) As used in this Section, "PUNS" means the 
Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services database or 
PUNS database developed and maintained by the Department of 
Human Services pursuant to Section 10-26 of the Department of 
Human Services Act. 
    (b)  The State Board of Education may work in consultation 
with the Department of Human Services and with school 
districts to ensure that inform all students with intellectual 
disabilities or developmental disabilities and their parents 
or guardians are informed about the PUNS Prioritization of 
Urgency of Need for Services database, as described in 
subsections (c), (c-5), and (d) of this Section. 
    (c) The  Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human 
Services, in consultation with the and State Board of 
Education, shall develop and implement an online, 
computer-based training program for at least one designated 
employee in  every public school in this State to educate the 
designated employee or employees him or her about the PUNS 
Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services database and 
steps required to register students for the PUNS database, 
including the documentation and information parents or 
guardians will need for the registration process to be taken 
to ensure children and adolescents are enrolled.  The training 
shall include instruction on identifying and contacting for at 
least one designated employee in every public school in 
contacting the appropriate developmental disabilities 
Independent Service Coordination agency ("ISC") to register 
students for the PUNS database enroll children and adolescents 
in the database. The training of the designated employee or 
employees shall also include information about organizations 
and programs available in this State that offer assistance to 
families in understanding the PUNS database and navigating the 
PUNS database registration process. Each school district shall 
post on its public website and include in its student handbook 
the names of the  designated trained employee or employees in 
each school within the school district. At least one 
designated employee in every public school shall ensure the 
opportunity to enroll in the Prioritization of Urgency of Need 
for Services database is discussed during annual 
individualized education program (IEP) meetings for all 
children and adolescents believed to have a developmental 
disability.
    (c-5) During the student's annual IEP review meeting, if 
the student has an intellectual disability or a developmental 
disability, the student's IEP team shall determine the 
student's PUNS database registration status based upon 
information provided by the student's parents or guardian or 
by the student. If it is determined that the student is not 
registered for the PUNS database or if it is unclear whether 
the student is registered for the PUNS database, the parents 
or guardian and the student shall be referred to a designated 
employee of the public school who has completed the training 
described in subsection (c). The designated trained employee 
shall provide the student's parents or guardian and the 
student with the name, location, and contact information of 
the appropriate ISC to contact in order to register the 
student for the PUNS database. The designated trained employee 
shall also identify for the parents or guardian and the 
student the information and documentation they will need to 
complete the PUNS database registration process with the ISC, 
and shall also provide information to the parents or guardian 
and the student about organizations and programs available in 
this State that offer information to families about the PUNS 
database and the PUNS database registration process.
    (d) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the 
Department of Human Services, through school districts, shall 
provide to the parents and guardians of each student with an 
IEP students a copy of the latest version of the Department of 
Human Services's guide titled "Understanding PUNS: A Guide to 
Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services" each year at 
the annual review meeting for the student's individualized 
education program, including the consideration required in 
subsection (e) of this Section.

    (e) (Blank).  The Department of Human Services shall 
consider the length of time spent on the Prioritization of 
Urgency of Need for Services waiting list, in addition to 
other factors considered, when selecting individuals on the 
list for services.
(Source: P.A. 102-57, eff. 7-9-21.)