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Public Act 096-1524
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| SB2843 Enrolled | LRB096 16940 MJR 32253 b |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections |
22-65 and 10-23.13 as follows:
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(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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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.
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(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 |