Public Act 094-0426
 		





SB0069 Enrolled
LRB094 04244 NHT 34268 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 
27-23 as follows:
 



    (105 ILCS 5/27-23)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-23)



    Sec. 27-23. Motor Vehicle Code. The curriculum in all 
public schools
shall include a course dealing with the content 
of Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15,
and 16 of the Illinois Vehicle 
Code, the rules and regulations adopted pursuant
to those 
Chapters insofar as they pertain to the operation of motor 
vehicles,
and the portions of the Litter Control Act relating 
to the operation of motor
vehicles. Instruction shall be given 
in safety education in each grade, 1
through 8, equivalent to 1 
class period each week, and in at least 1 of the
years in 
grades 10 through 12. The course of instruction required of 
each
eligible student at the high school level shall consist of 
a minimum of 30
clock hours of classroom instruction taught by 
a certified high school teacher
who has acquired special 
qualifications as required for participation under the
terms of 
Section 27-24.2 of this Act. Each school district maintaining

grades 9 through 12: (i)  shall provide the classroom course for 
each public
and non-public high school student resident of the 
school district who either
has received a passing grade in at 
least 8 courses during the previous 2
semesters or has received 
a waiver of that requirement from the local
superintendent of 
schools (with respect to a public high school student) or
chief 
school administrator (with respect to a non-public high school 
student),
as provided in Section 27-24.2, and for each 
out-of-school resident of the
district between the age of 15 
and 21 years who requests the classroom course,
and (ii) may 
provide such classroom course for any resident of the district

over age 55 who requests the classroom course, but only if 
space therein
remains available after all eligible public and 
non-public high school student
residents and out-of-school 
residents between the age of 15 and 21 who request
such course 
have registered therefor, and only if such resident of the 
district
over age 55 has not previously been licensed as a 
driver under the laws of this
or any other state or country.  
Each school district (i) shall provide an
approved course in 
practice driving consisting of a minimum of 6 clock hours of

individual behind-the-wheel instruction or its equivalent in a 
car, as
determined by the State Board of Education, for each 
eligible resident of the
district between the age of 15 and 21 
years who has started an approved high
school classroom driver 
education course on request, and (ii) may provide such
approved 
course in practice driving for any resident of the district 
over age
55 on request and without regard to whether or not 
such resident has started
any high school classroom driver 
education course, but only if space therein
remains available 
after all eligible residents of the district between the ages

of 15 and 21 years who have started an approved classroom 
driver education
course and who request such course in practice 
driving have registered
therefor, and only if such resident of 
the district over age 55 has not
previously been licensed as a 
driver under the laws of this or any other state
or country. 
Subject to rules and regulations of the State Board of 
Education,
the district may charge a reasonable fee, not to 
exceed
$50, to students who
participate in the course, unless a 
student is unable to pay for such a course,
in which event the 
fee for such a student shall be waived. The total amount from 
driver education fees and reimbursement from the State for 
driver education must not exceed the total cost of the driver 
education program in any year and must be deposited into the 
school district's driver education fund as a separate line item 
budget entry.  All moneys deposited into the school district's 
driver education fund must be used solely for the funding of a 
high school driver education program approved by the State 
Board of Education that uses instructors certified by the State 
Board of Education.  If
; provided, that if a
district provides 
the classroom or practice driving course or both of such

courses to any residents of the district over age 55, the 
district may charge
such residents a fee in any amount up to 
but not exceeding the actual cost of
the course or courses in 
which such residents participate. The course of
instruction 
given in grades 10 through 12 shall include an emphasis on the

development of knowledge, attitudes, habits and skills 
necessary for the safe
operation of motor vehicles including 
motorcycles insofar as they can be taught
in the classroom, and 
in addition the course shall include instruction on
special 
hazards existing at, and required extra safety and driving 
precautions
that must be observed at, emergency situations, 
highway construction and
maintenance zones, and
railroad 
crossings and the approaches thereto.

(Source: P.A. 92-497, eff. 11-29-01.)