HB6954 Engrossed

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    AN ACT concerning school students. 

 
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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 Department of Transportation Law of the 
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Civil Administrative Code is amended by adding Section 2705-317 
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as follows:
 
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    (20 ILCS 2705/2705-317 new)

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    Sec. 2705-317. Safe Routes to School Construction Program.
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    (a) Upon enactment of a federal transportation bill with a 
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dedicated fund available to states for safe routes to schools, 
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the Department, in cooperation with the State Board of 
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Education and the Department of State Police, shall establish 
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and administer a Safe Routes to School Construction Program for 
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the construction of bicycle and pedestrian safety and 
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traffic-calming projects using the federal Safe Routes to 
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Schools Program funds.
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    (b) The Department shall make construction grants

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available to local governmental agencies under the Safe Routes 
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to School
Construction Program based on the results of a 
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statewide competition
that requires submission of Safe Routes 
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to School proposals for funding
and that rates those proposals 
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on all of the following factors:

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        (1) Demonstrated needs of the grant applicant.

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        (2) Potential of the proposal for reducing child 
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injuries and
fatalities.

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        (3) Potential of the proposal for encouraging 
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increased
walking and bicycling among students.

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        (4) Identification of safety hazards.

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        (5) Identification of current and potential walking 
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and
bicycling routes to school.

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        (6) Consultation and support for projects by 
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school-based
associations, local traffic engineers, local 
 


 






HB6954 Engrossed
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elected officials, law
enforcement agencies, and school 
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officials.

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    With respect to the use of federal Safe Routes to Schools 
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Program funds, prior to
the award of a construction grant or 
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the use of those funds for a Safe Routes
to
School
project 
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encompassing a highway, the Department shall
consult with and 
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obtain approval from the Department of State Police
and the 
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highway authority with jurisdiction to ensure that the Safe 
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Routes to School proposal is consistent with a
statewide 
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pedestrian safety statistical analysis.

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    (c) On March 30, 2005 and each March 30th thereafter, the 
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Department shall submit a report to the General Assembly 
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listing
and describing the projects funded under the Safe 
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Routes to School
Construction Program.

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    (d) The Department shall study the effectiveness of
the 
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Safe Routes to School Construction Program, with particular 
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emphasis on the
Program's effectiveness in reducing traffic 
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accidents and its contribution
to improving safety and reducing 
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the number of child injuries and
fatalities in the vicinity of 
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a Safe Routes to School project. The Department shall
submit a 
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report to the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2005

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regarding the results of the study.

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    (e) The Department, the State Board of Education,
and the 
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Department of State Police may adopt any rules necessary to

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implement this Section.

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