HB4066 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 18125 RLC 25394 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4066

Introduced 4/20/2021, by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

50 ILCS 705/7	from Ch. 85, par. 507
50 ILCS 705/7.1 new
50 ILCS 705/10.25 new

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Establishes the Critical Race Theory Academy, which shall be operated by a board of 5 members appointed by the Governor. Provides that the board shall appoint members to the Academy Curriculum Committee and the members shall include critical race scholars, critical sociologists, critical educational leaders, critical community organizers, members of the General Assembly, law enforcement officer policy makers, and invested community members. Requires the Committee to create curricula for the Academy for both police academy candidates and police officers. Provides that all candidates that begin courses at a certified school on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act are required to complete the Academy before graduation from the certified school and current police officers must complete Academy continuing education yearly. Provides that the Academy may collaborate with colleges and universities to establish earned college credit for successful completion of the Academy. Provides that, until that time the General Assembly appropriates funds for the operation of the Academy, the Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall provide administrative and other support to the Critical Race Theory Academy, including providing sufficient funds to enable the Academy to fully operate. Provides that, if the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board would approve any licensure scheme for police officers, no police officer may be licensed until he or she has successfully completed at least one year's worth of continuing education requirements at the Academy. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Police Training Act is amended by changing Section 7 and by adding Sections 7.1 and 10.25 as follows:

(50 ILCS 705/7) (from Ch. 85, par. 507)

Sec. 7. Rules and standards for schools. The Board shall adopt rules and minimum standards for such schools which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

a. The curriculum for probationary police officers which shall be offered by all certified schools shall include, but not be limited to, courses of procedural justice, arrest and use and control tactics, search and seizure, including temporary questioning, civil rights, human rights, human relations, cultural competency, including implicit bias and racial and ethnic sensitivity, criminal law, law of criminal procedure, constitutional and proper use of law enforcement authority, vehicle and traffic law including uniform and non-discriminatory enforcement of the Illinois Vehicle Code, traffic control and accident investigation, techniques of obtaining physical evidence, court testimonies, statements, reports, firearms training, training in the use of electronic control devices, including the psychological and physiological effects of the use of those devices on humans, first-aid (including cardiopulmonary resuscitation), training in the administration of opioid antagonists as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of Section 5-23 of the Substance Use Disorder Act, handling of juvenile offenders, recognition of mental conditions and crises, including, but not limited to, the disease of addiction, which require immediate assistance and response and methods to safeguard and provide assistance to a person in need of mental treatment, recognition of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and self-neglect of adults with disabilities and older adults, as defined in Section 2 of the Adult Protective Services Act, crimes against the elderly, law of evidence, the hazards of high-speed police vehicle chases with an emphasis on alternatives to the high-speed chase, and physical training. The curriculum shall include specific training in techniques for immediate response to and investigation of cases of domestic violence and of sexual assault of adults and children, including cultural perceptions and common myths of sexual assault and sexual abuse as well as interview techniques that are age sensitive and are trauma informed, victim centered, and victim sensitive. The curriculum shall include training in techniques designed to promote effective communication at the initial contact with crime victims and ways to comprehensively explain to victims and witnesses their rights under the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act and the Crime Victims Compensation Act. The curriculum shall also include training in effective recognition of and responses to stress, trauma, and post-traumatic stress experienced by police officers that is consistent with Section 25 of the Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act in a peer setting, including recognizing signs and symptoms of work-related cumulative stress, issues that may lead to suicide, and solutions for intervention with peer support resources. The curriculum shall include a block of instruction addressing the mandatory reporting requirements under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. The curriculum shall also include a block of instruction aimed at identifying and interacting with persons with autism and other developmental or physical disabilities, reducing barriers to reporting crimes against persons with autism, and addressing the unique challenges presented by cases involving victims or witnesses with autism and other developmental disabilities. The curriculum shall include training in the detection and investigation of all forms of human trafficking. The curriculum shall also include instruction in trauma-informed responses designed to ensure the physical safety and well-being of a child of an arrested parent or immediate family member; this instruction must include, but is not limited to: (1) understanding the trauma experienced by the child while maintaining the integrity of the arrest and safety of officers, suspects, and other involved individuals; (2) de-escalation tactics that would include the use of force when reasonably necessary; and (3) inquiring whether a child will require supervision and care. The curriculum for permanent police officers shall include, but not be limited to: (1) refresher and in-service training in any of the courses listed above in this subparagraph, (2) advanced courses in any of the subjects listed above in this subparagraph, (3) training for supervisory personnel, and (4) specialized training in subjects and fields to be selected by the board. The training in the use of electronic control devices shall be conducted for probationary police officers, including University police officers.

b. Minimum courses of study, attendance requirements and equipment requirements.

c. Minimum requirements for instructors.

d. Minimum basic training requirements, which a probationary police officer must satisfactorily complete before being eligible for permanent employment as a local law enforcement officer for a participating local governmental agency. Those requirements shall include training in first aid (including cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

e. Minimum basic training requirements, which a probationary county corrections officer must satisfactorily complete before being eligible for permanent employment as a county corrections officer for a participating local governmental agency.

f. Minimum basic training requirements which a probationary court security officer must satisfactorily complete before being eligible for permanent employment as a court security officer for a participating local governmental agency. The Board shall establish those training requirements which it considers appropriate for court security officers and shall certify schools to conduct that training.

A person hired to serve as a court security officer must obtain from the Board a certificate (i) attesting to his or her successful completion of the training course; (ii) attesting to his or her satisfactory completion of a training program of similar content and number of hours that has been found acceptable by the Board under the provisions of this Act; or (iii) attesting to the Board's determination that the training course is unnecessary because of the person's extensive prior law enforcement experience.

Individuals who currently serve as court security officers shall be deemed qualified to continue to serve in that capacity so long as they are certified as provided by this Act within 24 months of June 1, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-685). Failure to be so certified, absent a waiver from the Board, shall cause the officer to forfeit his or her position.

All individuals hired as court security officers on or after June 1, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-685) shall be certified within 12 months of the date of their hire, unless a waiver has been obtained by the Board, or they shall forfeit their positions.

The Sheriff's Merit Commission, if one exists, or the Sheriff's Office if there is no Sheriff's Merit Commission, shall maintain a list of all individuals who have filed applications to become court security officers and who meet the eligibility requirements established under this Act. Either the Sheriff's Merit Commission, or the Sheriff's Office if no Sheriff's Merit Commission exists, shall establish a schedule of reasonable intervals for verification of the applicants' qualifications under this Act and as established by the Board.

g. Minimum in-service training requirements, which a police officer must satisfactorily complete every 3 years. Those requirements shall include constitutional and proper use of law enforcement authority, procedural justice, civil rights, human rights, mental health awareness and response, officer wellness, reporting child abuse and neglect, and cultural competency.

h. Minimum in-service training requirements, which a police officer must satisfactorily complete at least annually. Those requirements shall include: (1) law updates and use of force training, which shall include scenario based training, or similar training approved by the Board; and (2) after the completion and adoption of the initial continuing education curriculum under Section 7.1, continuing education at the Critical Race Theory Academy.

(Source: P.A. 100-121, eff. 1-1-18; 100-247, eff. 1-1-18; 100-759, eff. 1-1-19; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 100-910, eff. 1-1-19; 101-18, eff. 1-1-20; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-215, eff. 1-1-20; 101-224, eff. 8-9-19; 101-375, eff. 8-16-19; 101-564, eff. 1-1-20; revised 9-10-19.)

(50 ILCS 705/7.1 new)

Sec. 7.1. Critical Race Theory Academy.

(a) As used in this Section, "Academy" means the Critical Race Theory Academy.

(b) The Critical Race Theory Academy is established to educate and train law enforcement officers and candidates for law enforcement officers about critical race theory and other race-related issues and situations.

(c) The Governor shall appoint, not later than 45 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, a 5-member board of the Academy. The board shall designate a chairperson from the board's membership. If a vacancy occurs in the board membership, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

The board may employ staff members and educators to assist it in performing its duties. The employees shall serve at the board's pleasure.

(d) The board shall meet at least monthly and at other times as called by the chairperson.

(e) Not later than 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the board shall appoint members to the Academy Curriculum Committee. Over half of Committee members shall be critical race scholars, critical sociologists, and critical educational leaders. The other members shall include critical community organizers, members of the General Assembly, law enforcement officer policy makers, and invested community members.

The Committee shall create a curriculum for the Academy, including requirements for at least 60 hours of community engagement within the districts they may serve or currently serve in order to build customized relationship with community members, and an annual Critical Race Theory Conference for former candidates to demonstrate what they have learned by conducting presentations and presenting their written assignments or working paper research from the Academy. Curriculum shall also be created for yearly continuing education for permanent police officers and part-time police officers, including those in all leadership positions.

The Committee shall finalize and approve, by a majority vote of members on the Committee, the initial curricula under this Section and the board shall adopt the finalized initial curricula no later than July 1, 2022. Changes to the initial curricula shall be made by the Committee and adopted by the board.

(f) All candidates that first begin coursework at a certified school on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly are required to complete the Academy before graduation from the certified school. The Academy may collaborate with colleges and universities to establish earned college credit for successful completion of the Academy.

(g) Until that time the General Assembly appropriates funds for the operation of the Academy, the Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall provide administrative and other support to the Critical Race Theory Academy, including providing sufficient funds to enable the Academy to fully operate as provided in this Section.

(50 ILCS 705/10.25 new)

Sec. 10.25. Critical Race Theory Academy; licensure of police officers. If the Board would approve any licensure scheme for police officers, no police officer may be licensed until he or she has successfully completed at least one year's worth of continuing education requirements at the Critical Race Theory Academy.

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