99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB5985

 

Introduced , by Rep. Reginald Phillips

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/10-22.6  from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6

    Amends the School Code. With respect to the suspension or expulsion of pupils, provides that if a firearm generally used for hunting purposes is found to be in a student's vehicle and the student has not faced prior disciplinary action for bringing a weapon to school, then the school board may not expel the student (rather than requiring expulsion for a period of not less than one year). Provides that the school board may suspend the student for no more than 3 days instead. Provides that these provisions do not apply to a handgun as defined in the Firearm Concealed Carry Act or any firearm located outside of the student's vehicle on school property.


LRB099 19657 NHT 44054 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5985LRB099 19657 NHT 44054 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
510-22.6 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/10-22.6)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6)
7    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 99-456)
8    Sec. 10-22.6. Suspension or expulsion of pupils; school
9searches.
10    (a) To expel pupils guilty of gross disobedience or
11misconduct, including gross disobedience or misconduct
12perpetuated by electronic means, and no action shall lie
13against them for such expulsion. Expulsion shall take place
14only after the parents have been requested to appear at a
15meeting of the board, or with a hearing officer appointed by
16it, to discuss their child's behavior. Such request shall be
17made by registered or certified mail and shall state the time,
18place and purpose of the meeting. The board, or a hearing
19officer appointed by it, at such meeting shall state the
20reasons for dismissal and the date on which the expulsion is to
21become effective. If a hearing officer is appointed by the
22board he shall report to the board a written summary of the
23evidence heard at the meeting and the board may take such

 

 

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1action thereon as it finds appropriate. An expelled pupil may
2be immediately transferred to an alternative program in the
3manner provided in Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil
4must not be denied transfer because of the expulsion, except in
5cases in which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the
6safety of students or staff in the alternative program.
7    (b) To suspend or by policy to authorize the superintendent
8of the district or the principal, assistant principal, or dean
9of students of any school to suspend pupils guilty of gross
10disobedience or misconduct, or to suspend pupils guilty of
11gross disobedience or misconduct on the school bus from riding
12the school bus, and no action shall lie against them for such
13suspension. The board may by policy authorize the
14superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
15principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend pupils
16guilty of such acts for a period not to exceed 10 school days.
17If a pupil is suspended due to gross disobedience or misconduct
18on a school bus, the board may suspend the pupil in excess of
1910 school days for safety reasons. Any suspension shall be
20reported immediately to the parents or guardian of such pupil
21along with a full statement of the reasons for such suspension
22and a notice of their right to a review. The school board must
23be given a summary of the notice, including the reason for the
24suspension and the suspension length. Upon request of the
25parents or guardian the school board or a hearing officer
26appointed by it shall review such action of the superintendent

 

 

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1or principal, assistant principal, or dean of students. At such
2review the parents or guardian of the pupil may appear and
3discuss the suspension with the board or its hearing officer.
4If a hearing officer is appointed by the board he shall report
5to the board a written summary of the evidence heard at the
6meeting. After its hearing or upon receipt of the written
7report of its hearing officer, the board may take such action
8as it finds appropriate. A pupil who is suspended in excess of
920 school days may be immediately transferred to an alternative
10program in the manner provided in Article 13A or 13B of this
11Code. A pupil must not be denied transfer because of the
12suspension, except in cases in which such transfer is deemed to
13cause a threat to the safety of students or staff in the
14alternative program.
15    (c) The Department of Human Services shall be invited to
16send a representative to consult with the board at such meeting
17whenever there is evidence that mental illness may be the cause
18for expulsion or suspension.
19    (d) The board may expel a student for a definite period of
20time not to exceed 2 calendar years, as determined on a case by
21case basis. A student who is determined to have brought one of
22the following objects to school, any school-sponsored activity
23or event, or any activity or event that bears a reasonable
24relationship to school shall be expelled for a period of not
25less than one year:
26        (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection

 

 

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1    (d), a A firearm. For the purposes of this Section,
2    "firearm" means any gun, rifle, shotgun, weapon as defined
3    by Section 921 of Title 18 of the United States Code,
4    firearm as defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners
5    Identification Card Act, or firearm as defined in Section
6    24-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. The expulsion period
7    under this subdivision (1) may be modified by the
8    superintendent, and the superintendent's determination may
9    be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
10        (2) A knife, brass knuckles or other knuckle weapon
11    regardless of its composition, a billy club, or any other
12    object if used or attempted to be used to cause bodily
13    harm, including "look alikes" of any firearm as defined in
14    subdivision (1) of this subsection (d). The expulsion
15    requirement under this subdivision (2) may be modified by
16    the superintendent, and the superintendent's determination
17    may be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
18    If a firearm generally used for hunting purposes is found
19to be in a student's vehicle and the student has not faced
20prior disciplinary action under this subsection (d), then the
21board may not expel the student. Instead, the board may suspend
22the student for no more than 3 days. This paragraph does not
23apply to a handgun as defined in the Firearm Concealed Carry
24Act or any firearm located outside of the student's vehicle on
25school property.
26    Expulsion or suspension shall be construed in a manner

 

 

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1consistent with the Federal Individuals with Disabilities
2Education Act. A student who is subject to suspension or
3expulsion as provided in this Section may be eligible for a
4transfer to an alternative school program in accordance with
5Article 13A of the School Code. The provisions of this
6subsection (d) apply in all school districts, including special
7charter districts and districts organized under Article 34.
8    (d-5) The board may suspend or by regulation authorize the
9superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
10principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend a
11student for a period not to exceed 10 school days or may expel
12a student for a definite period of time not to exceed 2
13calendar years, as determined on a case by case basis, if (i)
14that student has been determined to have made an explicit
15threat on an Internet website against a school employee, a
16student, or any school-related personnel, (ii) the Internet
17website through which the threat was made is a site that was
18accessible within the school at the time the threat was made or
19was available to third parties who worked or studied within the
20school grounds at the time the threat was made, and (iii) the
21threat could be reasonably interpreted as threatening to the
22safety and security of the threatened individual because of his
23or her duties or employment status or status as a student
24inside the school. The provisions of this subsection (d-5)
25apply in all school districts, including special charter
26districts and districts organized under Article 34 of this

 

 

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1Code.
2    (e) To maintain order and security in the schools, school
3authorities may inspect and search places and areas such as
4lockers, desks, parking lots, and other school property and
5equipment owned or controlled by the school, as well as
6personal effects left in those places and areas by students,
7without notice to or the consent of the student, and without a
8search warrant. As a matter of public policy, the General
9Assembly finds that students have no reasonable expectation of
10privacy in these places and areas or in their personal effects
11left in these places and areas. School authorities may request
12the assistance of law enforcement officials for the purpose of
13conducting inspections and searches of lockers, desks, parking
14lots, and other school property and equipment owned or
15controlled by the school for illegal drugs, weapons, or other
16illegal or dangerous substances or materials, including
17searches conducted through the use of specially trained dogs.
18If a search conducted in accordance with this Section produces
19evidence that the student has violated or is violating either
20the law, local ordinance, or the school's policies or rules,
21such evidence may be seized by school authorities, and
22disciplinary action may be taken. School authorities may also
23turn over such evidence to law enforcement authorities. The
24provisions of this subsection (e) apply in all school
25districts, including special charter districts and districts
26organized under Article 34.

 

 

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1    (f) Suspension or expulsion may include suspension or
2expulsion from school and all school activities and a
3prohibition from being present on school grounds.
4    (g) A school district may adopt a policy providing that if
5a student is suspended or expelled for any reason from any
6public or private school in this or any other state, the
7student must complete the entire term of the suspension or
8expulsion in an alternative school program under Article 13A of
9this Code or an alternative learning opportunities program
10under Article 13B of this Code before being admitted into the
11school district if there is no threat to the safety of students
12or staff in the alternative program. This subsection (g)
13applies to all school districts, including special charter
14districts and districts organized under Article 34 of this
15Code.
16(Source: P.A. 96-633, eff. 8-24-09; 96-998, eff. 7-2-10;
1797-340, eff. 1-1-12; 97-495, eff. 1-1-12; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12;
1897-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)
 
19    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 99-456)
20    Sec. 10-22.6. Suspension or expulsion of pupils; school
21searches.
22    (a) To expel pupils guilty of gross disobedience or
23misconduct, including gross disobedience or misconduct
24perpetuated by electronic means, pursuant to subsection (b-20)
25of this Section, and no action shall lie against them for such

 

 

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1expulsion. Expulsion shall take place only after the parents
2have been requested to appear at a meeting of the board, or
3with a hearing officer appointed by it, to discuss their
4child's behavior. Such request shall be made by registered or
5certified mail and shall state the time, place and purpose of
6the meeting. The board, or a hearing officer appointed by it,
7at such meeting shall state the reasons for dismissal and the
8date on which the expulsion is to become effective. If a
9hearing officer is appointed by the board he shall report to
10the board a written summary of the evidence heard at the
11meeting and the board may take such action thereon as it finds
12appropriate. If the board acts to expel a pupil, the written
13expulsion decision shall detail the specific reasons why
14removing the pupil from the learning environment is in the best
15interest of the school. The expulsion decision shall also
16include a rationale as to the specific duration of the
17expulsion. An expelled pupil may be immediately transferred to
18an alternative program in the manner provided in Article 13A or
1913B of this Code. A pupil must not be denied transfer because
20of the expulsion, except in cases in which such transfer is
21deemed to cause a threat to the safety of students or staff in
22the alternative program.
23    (b) To suspend or by policy to authorize the superintendent
24of the district or the principal, assistant principal, or dean
25of students of any school to suspend pupils guilty of gross
26disobedience or misconduct, or to suspend pupils guilty of

 

 

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1gross disobedience or misconduct on the school bus from riding
2the school bus, pursuant to subsections (b-15) and (b-20) of
3this Section, and no action shall lie against them for such
4suspension. The board may by policy authorize the
5superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
6principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend pupils
7guilty of such acts for a period not to exceed 10 school days.
8If a pupil is suspended due to gross disobedience or misconduct
9on a school bus, the board may suspend the pupil in excess of
1010 school days for safety reasons.
11     Any suspension shall be reported immediately to the
12parents or guardian of a pupil along with a full statement of
13the reasons for such suspension and a notice of their right to
14a review. The school board must be given a summary of the
15notice, including the reason for the suspension and the
16suspension length. Upon request of the parents or guardian the
17school board or a hearing officer appointed by it shall review
18such action of the superintendent or principal, assistant
19principal, or dean of students. At such review the parents or
20guardian of the pupil may appear and discuss the suspension
21with the board or its hearing officer. If a hearing officer is
22appointed by the board he shall report to the board a written
23summary of the evidence heard at the meeting. After its hearing
24or upon receipt of the written report of its hearing officer,
25the board may take such action as it finds appropriate. If a
26student is suspended pursuant to this subsection (b), the board

 

 

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1shall, in the written suspension decision, detail the specific
2act of gross disobedience or misconduct resulting in the
3decision to suspend. The suspension decision shall also include
4a rationale as to the specific duration of the suspension. A
5pupil who is suspended in excess of 20 school days may be
6immediately transferred to an alternative program in the manner
7provided in Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil must not
8be denied transfer because of the suspension, except in cases
9in which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the
10safety of students or staff in the alternative program.
11    (b-5) Among the many possible disciplinary interventions
12and consequences available to school officials, school
13exclusions, such as out-of-school suspensions and expulsions,
14are the most serious. School officials shall limit the number
15and duration of expulsions and suspensions to the greatest
16extent practicable, and it is recommended that they use them
17only for legitimate educational purposes. To ensure that
18students are not excluded from school unnecessarily, it is
19recommended that school officials consider forms of
20non-exclusionary discipline prior to using out-of-school
21suspensions or expulsions.
22    (b-10) Unless otherwise required by federal law or this
23Code, school boards may not institute zero-tolerance policies
24by which school administrators are required to suspend or expel
25students for particular behaviors.
26    (b-15) Out-of-school suspensions of 3 days or less may be

 

 

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1used only if the student's continuing presence in school would
2pose a threat to school safety or a disruption to other
3students' learning opportunities. For purposes of this
4subsection (b-15), "threat to school safety or a disruption to
5other students' learning opportunities" shall be determined on
6a case-by-case basis by the school board or its designee.
7School officials shall make all reasonable efforts to resolve
8such threats, address such disruptions, and minimize the length
9of suspensions to the greatest extent practicable.
10    (b-20) Unless otherwise required by this Code,
11out-of-school suspensions of longer than 3 days, expulsions,
12and disciplinary removals to alternative schools may be used
13only if other appropriate and available behavioral and
14disciplinary interventions have been exhausted and the
15student's continuing presence in school would either (i) pose a
16threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of
17the school community or (ii) substantially disrupt, impede, or
18interfere with the operation of the school. For purposes of
19this subsection (b-20), "threat to the safety of other
20students, staff, or members of the school community" and
21"substantially disrupt, impede, or interfere with the
22operation of the school" shall be determined on a case-by-case
23basis by school officials. For purposes of this subsection
24(b-20), the determination of whether "appropriate and
25available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been
26exhausted" shall be made by school officials. School officials

 

 

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1shall make all reasonable efforts to resolve such threats,
2address such disruptions, and minimize the length of student
3exclusions to the greatest extent practicable. Within the
4suspension decision described in subsection (b) of this Section
5or the expulsion decision described in subsection (a) of this
6Section, it shall be documented whether other interventions
7were attempted or whether it was determined that there were no
8other appropriate and available interventions.
9    (b-25) Students who are suspended out-of-school for longer
10than 4 school days shall be provided appropriate and available
11support services during the period of their suspension. For
12purposes of this subsection (b-25), "appropriate and available
13support services" shall be determined by school authorities.
14Within the suspension decision described in subsection (b) of
15this Section, it shall be documented whether such services are
16to be provided or whether it was determined that there are no
17such appropriate and available services.
18    A school district may refer students who are expelled to
19appropriate and available support services.
20    A school district shall create a policy to facilitate the
21re-engagement of students who are suspended out-of-school,
22expelled, or returning from an alternative school setting.
23    (b-30) A school district shall create a policy by which
24suspended pupils, including those pupils suspended from the
25school bus who do not have alternate transportation to school,
26shall have the opportunity to make up work for equivalent

 

 

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1academic credit. It shall be the responsibility of a pupil's
2parent or guardian to notify school officials that a pupil
3suspended from the school bus does not have alternate
4transportation to school.
5    (c) The Department of Human Services shall be invited to
6send a representative to consult with the board at such meeting
7whenever there is evidence that mental illness may be the cause
8for expulsion or suspension.
9    (c-5) School districts shall make reasonable efforts to
10provide ongoing professional development to teachers,
11administrators, school board members, school resource
12officers, and staff on the adverse consequences of school
13exclusion and justice-system involvement, effective classroom
14management strategies, culturally responsive discipline, and
15developmentally appropriate disciplinary methods that promote
16positive and healthy school climates.
17    (d) The board may expel a student for a definite period of
18time not to exceed 2 calendar years, as determined on a case by
19case basis. A student who is determined to have brought one of
20the following objects to school, any school-sponsored activity
21or event, or any activity or event that bears a reasonable
22relationship to school shall be expelled for a period of not
23less than one year:
24        (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection
25    (d), a A firearm. For the purposes of this Section,
26    "firearm" means any gun, rifle, shotgun, weapon as defined

 

 

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1    by Section 921 of Title 18 of the United States Code,
2    firearm as defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners
3    Identification Card Act, or firearm as defined in Section
4    24-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. The expulsion period
5    under this subdivision (1) may be modified by the
6    superintendent, and the superintendent's determination may
7    be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
8        (2) A knife, brass knuckles or other knuckle weapon
9    regardless of its composition, a billy club, or any other
10    object if used or attempted to be used to cause bodily
11    harm, including "look alikes" of any firearm as defined in
12    subdivision (1) of this subsection (d). The expulsion
13    requirement under this subdivision (2) may be modified by
14    the superintendent, and the superintendent's determination
15    may be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
16    If a firearm generally used for hunting purposes is found
17to be in a student's vehicle and the student has not faced
18prior disciplinary action under this subsection (d), then the
19board may not expel the student. Instead, the board may suspend
20the student for no more than 3 days. This paragraph does not
21apply to a handgun as defined in the Firearm Concealed Carry
22Act or any firearm located outside of the student's vehicle on
23school property.
24    Expulsion or suspension shall be construed in a manner
25consistent with the Federal Individuals with Disabilities
26Education Act. A student who is subject to suspension or

 

 

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1expulsion as provided in this Section may be eligible for a
2transfer to an alternative school program in accordance with
3Article 13A of the School Code.
4    (d-5) The board may suspend or by regulation authorize the
5superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
6principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend a
7student for a period not to exceed 10 school days or may expel
8a student for a definite period of time not to exceed 2
9calendar years, as determined on a case by case basis, if (i)
10that student has been determined to have made an explicit
11threat on an Internet website against a school employee, a
12student, or any school-related personnel, (ii) the Internet
13website through which the threat was made is a site that was
14accessible within the school at the time the threat was made or
15was available to third parties who worked or studied within the
16school grounds at the time the threat was made, and (iii) the
17threat could be reasonably interpreted as threatening to the
18safety and security of the threatened individual because of his
19or her duties or employment status or status as a student
20inside the school.
21    (e) To maintain order and security in the schools, school
22authorities may inspect and search places and areas such as
23lockers, desks, parking lots, and other school property and
24equipment owned or controlled by the school, as well as
25personal effects left in those places and areas by students,
26without notice to or the consent of the student, and without a

 

 

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1search warrant. As a matter of public policy, the General
2Assembly finds that students have no reasonable expectation of
3privacy in these places and areas or in their personal effects
4left in these places and areas. School authorities may request
5the assistance of law enforcement officials for the purpose of
6conducting inspections and searches of lockers, desks, parking
7lots, and other school property and equipment owned or
8controlled by the school for illegal drugs, weapons, or other
9illegal or dangerous substances or materials, including
10searches conducted through the use of specially trained dogs.
11If a search conducted in accordance with this Section produces
12evidence that the student has violated or is violating either
13the law, local ordinance, or the school's policies or rules,
14such evidence may be seized by school authorities, and
15disciplinary action may be taken. School authorities may also
16turn over such evidence to law enforcement authorities.
17    (f) Suspension or expulsion may include suspension or
18expulsion from school and all school activities and a
19prohibition from being present on school grounds.
20    (g) A school district may adopt a policy providing that if
21a student is suspended or expelled for any reason from any
22public or private school in this or any other state, the
23student must complete the entire term of the suspension or
24expulsion in an alternative school program under Article 13A of
25this Code or an alternative learning opportunities program
26under Article 13B of this Code before being admitted into the

 

 

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1school district if there is no threat to the safety of students
2or staff in the alternative program.
3    (h) School officials shall not advise or encourage students
4to drop out voluntarily due to behavioral or academic
5difficulties.
6    (i) A student may not be issued a monetary fine or fee as a
7disciplinary consequence, though this shall not preclude
8requiring a student to provide restitution for lost, stolen, or
9damaged property.
10    (j) Subsections (a) through (i) of this Section shall apply
11to elementary and secondary schools, charter schools, special
12charter districts, and school districts organized under
13Article 34 of this Code.
14(Source: P.A. 99-456, eff. 9-15-16.)
 
15    Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes
16changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text
17that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section
18represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does
19not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes
20made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other
21Public Act.