HB2631eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2631 Engrossed LRB098 08991 NHT 39126 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 adding Section 29-20 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/29-20 new)

Sec. 29-20. Transportation for school districts with coterminous boundaries. Any 2 or more school districts that share the same boundaries may combine transportation activities to, in addition to the variety of economic, environmental, and traffic safety benefits, achieve savings to these school districts as well as this State. For any school districts electing to combine such transportation, the State Board of Education shall reimburse the school districts in an amount in addition to any other transportation reimbursement or other moneys owed to the school districts. In calculating this reimbursement, the State Board of Education shall reimburse school districts in the year following the year in which savings were achieved in an amount deemed equal to 75% of the actual or estimated savings achieved by this State from any reductions in other reimbursement the consolidation achieved. This additional reimbursement must be divided between or among the school districts by a percentage equal to the percentage of the total student population made up by each district's population. School districts may jointly enter into any contract not otherwise prohibited by this Article with other coterminous school districts or transportation providers to achieve these savings. In applying for reimbursement under this Section, school districts shall use forms prescribed by the State Board of Education, accompanied by any information requested by the State Board of Education or deemed useful by the school districts, including historic transportation information, mileage reductions, or information provided by vendors or consultants.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2013.