99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB4925

 

Introduced , by Rep. Jim Durkin - C.D. Davidsmeyer

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 2405/10  from Ch. 23, par. 3441

    Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning residential schools for children with visual and hearing disabilities.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB4925LRB099 19018 KTG 43407 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities
5Act is amended by changing Section 10 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2405/10)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3441)
7    Sec. 10. Residential schools; visual and hearing
8disabilities.
9    (a) The Department of Human Services shall operate
10residential schools for the the education of children with
11visual and hearing disabilities who are unable to take
12advantage of the regular educational facilities provided in the
13community, and shall provide in connection therewith such
14academic, vocational, and related services as may be required.
15Children shall be eligible for admission to these schools only
16after proper diagnosis and evaluation, in accordance with
17procedures prescribed by the Department.
18    (a-5) The Superintendent of the Illinois School for the
19Deaf shall be the chief executive officer of, and shall be
20responsible for the day to day operations of, the School, and
21shall obtain educational and professional employees who are
22certified by the Illinois State Board of Education or licensed
23by the appropriate agency or entity to which licensing

 

 

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1authority has been delegated, as well as all other employees of
2the School, subject to the provisions of the Personnel Code and
3any applicable collective bargaining agreement. The
4Superintendent shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with
5the advice and consent of the Senate. In the case of a vacancy
6in the office of Superintendent during the recess of the
7Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until
8the next meeting of the Senate, when the Governor shall
9nominate some person to fill the office, and any person so
10nominated who is confirmed by the Senate shall hold office
11during the remainder of the term and until his or her successor
12is appointed and qualified. The Superintendent shall hold
13office (i) for a term expiring on June 30 of 2015, and every 4
14years thereafter and (ii) until the Superintendent's successor
15is appointed and qualified. The Superintendent shall devote his
16or her full time to the duties of the office, shall not serve
17in any other capacity during his or her term of office, and
18shall receive such compensation as the Governor shall
19determine. The Superintendent shall have an administrative
20certificate with a superintendent endorsement as provided for
21under Section 21-7.1 of the School Code, and shall have degrees
22in both educational administration and deaf education,
23together with at least 15 years of experience in either deaf
24education, the administration of deaf education, or a
25combination of the 2.
26    (a-10) The Superintendent of the Illinois School for the

 

 

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1Visually Impaired shall be the chief executive officer of, and
2shall be responsible for the day to day operations of, the
3School, and shall obtain educational and professional
4employees who are certified by the Illinois State Board of
5Education or licensed by the appropriate agency or entity to
6which licensing authority has been delegated, as well as all
7other employees of the School, subject to the provisions of the
8Personnel Code and any applicable collective bargaining
9agreement. The Superintendent shall be appointed by the
10Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. In
11the case of a vacancy in the office of Superintendent during
12the recess of the Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary
13appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when the
14Governor shall nominate some person to fill the office, and any
15person so nominated who is confirmed by the Senate shall hold
16office during the remainder of the term and until his or her
17successor is appointed and qualified. The Superintendent shall
18hold office (i) for a term expiring on June 30 of 2015, and
19every 4 years thereafter and (ii) until the Superintendent's
20successor is appointed and qualified. The Superintendent shall
21devote his or her full time to the duties of the office, shall
22not serve in any other capacity during his or her term of
23office, and shall receive such compensation as the Governor
24shall determine. The Superintendent shall have an
25administrative certificate with a superintendent endorsement
26as provided for under Section 21-7.1 of the School Code, and

 

 

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1shall have degrees in both educational administration and blind
2or visually impaired education, together with at least 15 years
3of experience in either blind or visually impaired education,
4the administration of blind or visually impaired education, or
5a combination of the 2.
6    (b) In administering the Illinois School for the Deaf, the
7Department shall adopt an admission policy which permits day or
8residential enrollment, when resources are sufficient, of
9children with hearing disabilities who are able to take
10advantage of the regular educational facilities provided in the
11community and thus unqualified for admission under subsection
12(a). In doing so, the Department shall establish an annual
13deadline by which shall be completed the enrollment of children
14qualified under subsection (a) for admission to the Illinois
15School for the Deaf. After the deadline, the Illinois School
16for the Deaf may enroll other children with hearing
17disabilities at the request of their parents or guardians if
18the Department determines there are sufficient resources to
19meet their needs as well as the needs of children enrolled
20before the deadline and children qualified under subsection (a)
21who may be enrolled after the deadline on an emergency basis.
22The Department shall adopt any rules and regulations necessary
23for the implementation of this subsection.
24    (c) In administering the Illinois School for the Visually
25Impaired, the Department shall adopt an admission policy that
26permits day or residential enrollment, when resources are

 

 

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1sufficient, of children with visual disabilities who are able
2to take advantage of the regular educational facilities
3provided in the community and thus unqualified for admission
4under subsection (a). In doing so, the Department shall
5establish an annual deadline by which the enrollment of
6children qualified under subsection (a) for admission to the
7Illinois School for the Visually Impaired shall be completed.
8After the deadline, the Illinois School for the Visually
9Impaired may enroll other children with visual disabilities at
10the request of their parents or guardians if the Department
11determines there are sufficient resources to meet their needs
12as well as the needs of children enrolled before the deadline
13and children qualified under subsection (a) who may be enrolled
14after the deadline on an emergency basis. The Department shall
15adopt any rules and regulations necessary for the
16implementation of this subsection.
17(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)