HR0492

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, In Illinois, over 300,000 children under the age 
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of 18 are living with and being cared for by more than 100,000 
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grandparents; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Grandparent caregivers, the majority of whom are 
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single women ranging in age from 30 to 90 with an average 
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annual income of $15,000 to $25,000 typically raise one to 2 
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grandchildren and have been doing so for 5 years or longer; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Factors contributing to the growing number of 
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grandparents raising grandchildren include, but are not 
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limited to, alcohol and drug abuse, neglect, abuse, 
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abandonment, death of a parent, HIV/AIDS, divorce, 
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unemployment, poverty, parental incarceration, teen pregnancy, 
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and welfare reform; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Many grandparents provide care for children 
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without legal custody or guardianship; to establish a legal 
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relationship with the children, the caregiver must institute a 
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long, costly, and emotionally difficult legal proceeding 
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against the parents, one of whom is their child; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Many relatives do not qualify for legal assistance 
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due to age, income, type of case, or attorney conflict; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Article X of the Illinois Constitution states that 
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it is a fundamental goal of the State that every child have the 
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right to a free public education; and

 
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    WHEREAS, $11.6 billion was paid in local property taxes to 
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school districts in 2005; grandparents assuming responsibility 
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for a child are funding their local schools through property 
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taxes either paid directly or through their rent; and

 

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    WHEREAS, Some school districts have required grandparents 
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to have legal custody or guardianship for regular education 
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students; in these instances, school districts have 
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misinterpreted Section 10-20.12b of the School Code, which 
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gives rights to a non-parent raising a child for whom they do 
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not have legal custody to register the child in school; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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affirm that every child, under the Illinois Constitution, has 
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the right to a free public education; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the State Superintendent of Education issue 
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a policy statement, no later than July 1, 2007, to all school 
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districts in the State clarifying Section 10-20.12b of the 
 


 






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School Code; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That the policy statement shall clarify that 
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legal guardianship is not needed to register a child in school 
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and that an attestation of residency is sufficient for 
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registration; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to 
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the State Superintendent of Education.