101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2235

 

Introduced , by Rep. Dan Caulkins

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
50 ILCS 705/10.22
105 ILCS 5/10-20.68

     Amends the Illinois Police Training Act to provide that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board may offer a school resource officer course to a qualified retired law enforcement officer. Provides that nothing in the school resource officer course provision prohibits a school resource officer or qualified retired law enforcement officer from carrying a firearm. Amends the School Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2021, a school or school district may employ a qualified retired law enforcement officer who obtains a certificate of completion or approved waiver under the Illinois Police Training Act to carry out the duties of a school resource officer. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.


LRB101 08666 AXK 53750 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2235LRB101 08666 AXK 53750 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 Illinois Police Training Act is amended by
5changing Section 10.22 as follows:
 
6    (50 ILCS 705/10.22)
7    Sec. 10.22. School resource officers.
8    (a) The Board shall develop or approve a course for school
9resource officers as defined in Section 10-20.68 10-20.67 of
10the School Code.
11    (b) The school resource officer course shall be developed
12within one year after January 1, 2019 (the effective date of
13Public Act 100-984) this amendatory Act of the 100th General
14Assembly and shall be created in consultation with
15organizations demonstrating expertise and or experience in the
16areas of youth and adolescent developmental issues,
17educational administrative issues, prevention of child abuse
18and exploitation, youth mental health treatment, and juvenile
19advocacy.
20    (c) The Board shall develop a process allowing law
21enforcement agencies to request a waiver of this training
22requirement for any specific individual assigned as a school
23resource officer. Applications for these waivers may be

 

 

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1submitted by a local law enforcement agency chief administrator
2for any officer whose prior training and experience may qualify
3for a waiver of the training requirement of this subsection
4(c). The Board may issue a waiver at its discretion, based
5solely on the prior training and experience of an officer.
6    (d) Upon completion, the employing agency shall be issued a
7certificate attesting to a specific officer's completion of the
8school resource officer training. Additionally, a letter of
9approval shall be issued to the employing agency for any
10officer who is approved for a training waiver under this
11subsection (d).
12    (e) The Board may offer the school resource officer course
13developed under this Section to a qualified retired law
14enforcement officer, as defined under the federal Law
15Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004, for the purpose of
16employment at a school or school district and may issue, for
17such purpose, a certificate or waiver in the same manner as
18provided under this Section for any other officer.
19    (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
20contrary, nothing in this Section prohibits a school resource
21officer or qualified retired law enforcement officer from
22carrying a firearm.
23(Source: P.A. 100-984, eff. 1-1-19; revised 10-22-18.)
 
24    Section 10. The School Code is amended by renumbering and
25changing Section 10-20.67, as added by Public Act 100-984, as

 

 

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1follows:
 
2    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.68)
3    Sec. 10-20.68 10-20.67. School resource officer.
4    (a) In this Section, "school resource officer" means a law
5enforcement officer who has been primarily assigned to a school
6or school district under an agreement with a local law
7enforcement agency.
8    (b) Beginning January 1, 2021, any law enforcement agency
9that provides a school resource officer under this Section
10shall provide to the school district a certificate of
11completion, or approved waiver, issued by the Illinois Law
12Enforcement Training Standards Board under Section 10.22 of the
13Illinois Police Training Act indicating that the subject
14officer has completed the requisite course of instruction in
15the applicable subject areas within one year of assignment, or
16has prior experience and training which satisfies this
17requirement.
18    (c) In an effort to defray the related costs, any law
19enforcement agency that provides a school resource officer
20should apply for grant funding through the federal Community
21Oriented Policing Services grant program.
22    (d) Beginning January 1, 2021, a school or school district
23may employ a qualified retired law enforcement officer, as
24defined under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act
25of 2004, who obtains a certificate of completion or approved

 

 

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1waiver under Section 10.22 of the Illinois Police Training Act
2to carry out the duties of a school resource officer.
3    (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
4contrary, nothing in this Section prohibits a school resource
5officer or qualified retired law enforcement officer from
6carrying a firearm.
7(Source: P.A. 100-984, eff. 1-1-19; revised 10-22-18.)
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.