102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB5176

 

Introduced 1/27/2022, by Rep. Lance Yednock

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
40 ILCS 5/16-133  from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-133
40 ILCS 5/16-136.4  from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-136.4
105 ILCS 5/2-3.192 new
105 ILCS 5/10-17  from Ch. 122, par. 10-17
105 ILCS 5/10-20.44
105 ILCS 5/27-23.7
105 ILCS 5/2-3.103 rep.
105 ILCS 5/10-20.26 rep.

    Amends the School Code. Sets forth various limitations on State Board of Education reporting. Removes the requirement that a school district submit a statement of affairs. Requires only the Chicago school district (rather than each school district, charter school, and nonpublic, non-sectarian elementary or secondary school) to file its policy on bullying with the State Board of Education. Repeals provisions concerning a salary and benefit survey and a report of teacher dismissals. Amends the Illinois Pension Code to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately.


LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5176LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 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 Pension Code is amended by
5changing Sections 16-133 and 16-136.4 as follows:
 
6    (40 ILCS 5/16-133)  (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-133)
7    Sec. 16-133. Retirement annuity; amount.
8    (a) The amount of the retirement annuity shall be (i) in
9the case of a person who first became a teacher under this
10Article before July 1, 2005, the larger of the amounts
11determined under paragraphs (A) and (B) below, or (ii) in the
12case of a person who first becomes a teacher under this Article
13on or after July 1, 2005, the amount determined under the
14applicable provisions of paragraph (B):
15        (A) An amount consisting of the sum of the following:
16            (1) An amount that can be provided on an
17        actuarially equivalent basis by the member's
18        accumulated contributions at the time of retirement;
19        and
20            (2) The sum of (i) the amount that can be provided
21        on an actuarially equivalent basis by the member's
22        accumulated contributions representing service prior
23        to July 1, 1947, and (ii) the amount that can be

 

 

HB5176- 2 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1        provided on an actuarially equivalent basis by the
2        amount obtained by multiplying 1.4 times the member's
3        accumulated contributions covering service subsequent
4        to June 30, 1947; and
5            (3) If there is prior service, 2 times the amount
6        that would have been determined under subparagraph (2)
7        of paragraph (A) above on account of contributions
8        which would have been made during the period of prior
9        service creditable to the member had the System been
10        in operation and had the member made contributions at
11        the contribution rate in effect prior to July 1, 1947.
12        This paragraph (A) does not apply to a person who
13    first becomes a teacher under this Article on or after
14    July 1, 2005.
15        (B) An amount consisting of the greater of the
16    following:
17            (1) For creditable service earned before July 1,
18        1998 that has not been augmented under Section
19        16-129.1: 1.67% of final average salary for each of
20        the first 10 years of creditable service, 1.90% of
21        final average salary for each year in excess of 10 but
22        not exceeding 20, 2.10% of final average salary for
23        each year in excess of 20 but not exceeding 30, and
24        2.30% of final average salary for each year in excess
25        of 30; and
26            For creditable service earned on or after July 1,

 

 

HB5176- 3 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1        1998 by a member who has at least 24 years of
2        creditable service on July 1, 1998 and who does not
3        elect to augment service under Section 16-129.1: 2.2%
4        of final average salary for each year of creditable
5        service earned on or after July 1, 1998 but before the
6        member reaches a total of 30 years of creditable
7        service and 2.3% of final average salary for each year
8        of creditable service earned on or after July 1, 1998
9        and after the member reaches a total of 30 years of
10        creditable service; and
11            For all other creditable service: 2.2% of final
12        average salary for each year of creditable service; or
13            (2) 1.5% of final average salary for each year of
14        creditable service plus the sum $7.50 for each of the
15        first 20 years of creditable service.
16    The amount of the retirement annuity determined under this
17    paragraph (B) shall be reduced by 1/2 of 1% for each month
18    that the member is less than age 60 at the time the
19    retirement annuity begins. However, this reduction shall
20    not apply (i) if the member has at least 35 years of
21    creditable service, or (ii) if the member retires on
22    account of disability under Section 16-149.2 of this
23    Article with at least 20 years of creditable service, or
24    (iii) if the member (1) has earned during the period
25    immediately preceding the last day of service at least one
26    year of contributing creditable service as an employee of

 

 

HB5176- 4 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    a department as defined in Section 14-103.04, (2) has
2    earned at least 5 years of contributing creditable service
3    as an employee of a department as defined in Section
4    14-103.04, (3) retires on or after January 1, 2001, and
5    (4) retires having attained an age which, when added to
6    the number of years of his or her total creditable
7    service, equals at least 85. Portions of years shall be
8    counted as decimal equivalents.
9    (b) For purposes of this Section, except as provided in
10subsection (b-5), final average salary shall be the average
11salary for the highest 4 consecutive years within the last 10
12years of creditable service as determined under rules of the
13board.
14     The minimum final average salary shall be considered to
15be $2,400 per year.
16    In the determination of final average salary for members
17other than elected officials and their appointees when such
18appointees are allowed by statute, that part of a member's
19salary for any year beginning after June 30, 1979 which
20exceeds the member's annual full-time salary rate with the
21same employer for the preceding year by more than 20% shall be
22excluded. The exclusion shall not apply in any year in which
23the member's creditable earnings are less than 50% of the
24preceding year's mean salary for downstate teachers as
25determined by a the survey of school district salaries
26provided in Section 2-3.103 of the School Code.

 

 

HB5176- 5 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    (b-5) A teacher who retires on or after June 1, 2021 and
2for whom the 2020-2021 school year is used in the calculation
3of the member's final average salary shall use the higher of
4the following for the purpose of determining the member's
5final average salary:
6        (A) the amount otherwise calculated under subsection
7    (b); or
8        (B) an amount calculated by the System using the
9    average salary for the 4 highest years within the last 10
10    years of creditable service as determined under the rules
11    of the board.
12    (c) In determining the amount of the retirement annuity
13under paragraph (B) of this Section, a fractional year shall
14be granted proportional credit.
15    (d) The retirement annuity determined under paragraph (B)
16of this Section shall be available only to members who render
17teaching service after July 1, 1947 for which member
18contributions are required, and to annuitants who re-enter
19under the provisions of Section 16-150.
20    (e) The maximum retirement annuity provided under
21paragraph (B) of this Section shall be 75% of final average
22salary.
23    (f) A member retiring after the effective date of this
24amendatory Act of 1998 shall receive a pension equal to 75% of
25final average salary if the member is qualified to receive a
26retirement annuity equal to at least 74.6% of final average

 

 

HB5176- 6 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1salary under this Article or as proportional annuities under
2Article 20 of this Code.
3(Source: P.A. 102-16, eff. 6-17-21.)
 
4    (40 ILCS 5/16-136.4)  (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-136.4)
5    Sec. 16-136.4. Single-sum retirement benefit.
6    (a) A member who has less than 5 years of creditable
7service shall be entitled, upon written application to the
8board, to receive a retirement benefit payable in a single sum
9upon or after the member's attainment of age 65. However, the
10benefit shall not be paid while the member is employed as a
11teacher in the schools included under this Article or Article
1217, unless the System is required by federal law to make
13payment due to the member's age.
14    (b) The retirement benefit shall consist of a single sum
15that is the actuarial equivalent of a life annuity consisting
16of 1.67% of the member's final average salary for each year of
17creditable service. In determining the amount of the benefit,
18a fractional year shall be granted proportional credit.
19    For the purposes of this Section, final average salary
20shall be the average salary of the member's highest 4
21consecutive years of service as determined under rules of the
22board. For a member with less than 4 consecutive years of
23service, final average salary shall be the average salary
24during the member's entire period of service. In the
25determination of final average salary for members other than

 

 

HB5176- 7 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1elected officials and their appointees when such appointees
2are allowed by statute, that part of a member's salary which
3exceeds the member's annual full-time salary rate with the
4same employer for the preceding year by more than 20% shall be
5excluded. The exclusion shall not apply in any year in which
6the member's creditable earnings are less than 50% of the
7preceding year's mean salary for downstate teachers as
8determined by a the survey of school district salaries
9provided in Section 2-3.103 of the School Code.
10    (c) The retirement benefit determined under this Section
11shall be available to all members who render teaching service
12after July 1, 1947 for which member contributions are
13required.
14    (d) Upon acceptance of the retirement benefit, all of the
15member's accrued rights and credits in the System are
16forfeited. Receipt of a single-sum retirement benefit under
17this Section does not make a person an "annuitant" for the
18purposes of this Article, nor a "benefit recipient" for the
19purposes of Sections 16-153.1 through 16-153.4.
20(Source: P.A. 91-887, eff. 7-6-00.)
 
21    Section 10. The School Code is amended by adding Section
222-3.192 and by changing Sections 10-17, 10-20.44, and 27-23.7
23as follows:
 
24    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.192 new)

 

 

HB5176- 8 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    Sec. 2-3.192. Limitations on reporting.
2    (a) The State Board of Education shall merge its grant
3periodic report and electronic expenditure report required to
4be submitted by school districts into one report that is due at
5the close of the second quarter and fourth quarter. However,
6if a district needs reimbursement for expenses before the
7close of the second quarter or fourth quarter, then the
8district may elect to submit the report more frequently.
9    (b) Single facility districts and districts in which
10attendance centers do not duplicate grade levels shall be
11excluded from the State Board's comparability documentation
12and site-based expense report for Title I, Part A of the
13federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
14    (c) The State Board may not conduct a survey of unfilled
15teaching positions that asks for the same information that is
16contained in the list of unfilled teaching positions
17maintained by a regional superintendent of schools under
18Section 3-14.25.
19    (d) The State Board shall merge its financial reporting,
20which includes the budget, evidence-based spending plan, audit
21and annual financial report, maintenance of effort for special
22education report, and teacher salary and benefits report, into
232 documents, one of which shall be a budget, which shall
24reflect a spending plan, and one of which shall be an audit and
25annual financial report, which shall reflect actual expenses
26at the close of a fiscal year.

 

 

HB5176- 9 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    (e) With respect to the NCLB/ESSA Monitoring Instrument,
2the State Board shall require a comment and proof indicator
3only for items in which a district responds with an answer of
4"no" and shall use a check box format for district
5administrators to acknowledge compliance when completing ESSA
6grant applications.
7    (f) With respect to issues of compliance with State or
8federal requirements in grant applications and reports, the
9State Board shall include compliance statements for district
10administrators to acknowledge by selecting a check box instead
11of requiring draft statements.
12    (g) The State Board shall eliminate all outdated
13categories and reports from its Web Application Security
14System (IWAS), including IDEA Part B Flow-through, IDEA Part B
15Preschool, ARRA Education Jobs Supplemental Funds, ARRA IDEA
16Part B Flow-through, ARRA IDEA Part B Preschool, the ARRA NCLB
17Consolidated Application, the Foster Care Transportation Plan,
18the GATA Risk Assessment, the NCLB Consolidated Application,
19Preschool for All Cont. 0-3 EC, Preschool for All Cont. 3-5 EC,
20the Teacher Quality-Teacher Residencies RFP, the Title I
21District Plan, the Reduction in Force Survey, the Survey of
22Learning Conditions, the End of the Year Report, the Teacher
23Salary Study, and ISBE Dash. The State Board may not include
24categories and reports in IWAS that are not applicable to a
25school district.
26    (h) The State Board shall merge its budget form and

 

 

HB5176- 10 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1evidence-based funding spending plan into one report.
2    (i) The State Board shall merge its audit report, annual
3financial report, district financial report, report of
4contracts exceeding $25,000, and employee salary and benefits
5report into one report.
6    (j) The State Board's maintenance of effort report shall
7draw data from the merged report under subsection (i). The
8maintenance of effort report shall require a verification
9process rather than require district administrators to provide
10data for the report.
11    (k) The State Board shall categorize school energy
12efficiency grants and school maintenance grants as grants, not
13surveys, in reports concerning those grants.
14    (l) The State Board may send notices regarding reporting
15deadlines only to districts that have not already completed
16their reporting.
 
17    (105 ILCS 5/10-17)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-17)
18    Sec. 10-17. Statement of affairs.
19    (a) In Class I or Class II county school units the school
20board may use either a cash basis or accrual system of
21accounting; however, any board so electing to use the accrual
22system may not change to a cash basis without the permission of
23the State Board of Education.
24    School Boards using either a cash basis or accrual system
25of accounting shall maintain records showing the assets,

 

 

HB5176- 11 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1liabilities and fund balances in such minimum forms as may be
2prescribed by the State Board of Education. Such boards shall
3make available to the public a statement as provided in
4subsection (b) of the affairs of the district prior to
5December 1 annually by submitting the statement of affairs in
6such form as may be prescribed by the State Board of Education
7for posting on the State Board of Education's Internet website
8and , by having copies of the statement of affairs available in
9the main administrative office of the district. , and by
10publishing in a newspaper of general circulation published in
11the school district an annual statement of affairs summary
12containing at a minimum all of the following information:
13        (1) A summary statement of operations for all funds of
14    the district, as excerpted from the statement of affairs
15    filed with the State Board of Education. The summary
16    statement must include a listing of all moneys received by
17    the district, indicating the total amounts, in the
18    aggregate, each fund of the district received, with a
19    general statement concerning the source of receipts.
20        (2) Except as provided in subdivision (3) of this
21    subsection (a), a listing of all moneys paid out by the
22    district where the total amount paid during the fiscal
23    year exceeds $2,500 in the aggregate per person, giving
24    the name of each person to whom moneys were paid and the
25    total paid to each person.
26        (3) A listing of all personnel, by name, with an

 

 

HB5176- 12 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    annual fiscal year gross payment in the categories set
2    forth in subdivisions 1 and 2 of subsection (c) of this
3    Section.
4In this Section, "newspaper of general circulation" means a
5newspaper of general circulation published in the school
6district, or, if no newspaper is published in the school
7district, a newspaper published in the county where the school
8district is located or, if no newspaper is published in the
9county, a newspaper published in the educational service
10region where the regional superintendent of schools has
11supervision and control of the school district. The submission
12to the State Board of Education shall include an assurance
13that the statement of affairs has been made available in the
14main administrative office of the school district and that the
15required notice has been published in accordance with this
16Section.
17    After December 15 annually, upon 10 days prior written
18notice to the school district, the State Board of Education
19may discontinue the processing of payments to the State
20Comptroller's office on behalf of any school district that is
21not in compliance with the requirements imposed by this
22Section. The State Board of Education shall resume the
23processing of payments to the State Comptroller's Office on
24behalf of the school district once the district is in
25compliance with the requirements imposed by this Section.
26    The State Board of Education must post, on or before

 

 

HB5176- 13 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1January 15, all statements of affairs timely received from
2school districts.
3    (b) When any school district is the administrative
4district for several school districts operating under a joint
5agreement as authorized by this Code, no receipts or
6disbursements accruing, received or paid out by that school
7district as such an administrative district shall be included
8in the statement of affairs of the district required by this
9Section. However, that district shall have prepared and made
10available to the public, in accordance with subsection (a) of
11this Section, in the same manner and subject to the same
12requirements as are provided in this Section for the statement
13of affairs of that district, a statement showing the cash
14receipts and disbursements by funds (or the revenue, expenses
15and financial position, if the accrual system of accounting is
16used) of the district as such administrative district, in the
17form prescribed by the State Board of Education. The costs of
18publishing the notice and summary of this separate statement
19prepared by such an administrative district shall be
20apportioned among and paid by the participating districts in
21the same manner as other costs and expenses accruing to those
22districts jointly. School districts on a cash basis shall have
23prepared and made available to the public, in accordance with
24subsection (a) of this Section, a statement showing the cash
25receipts and disbursements by funds in the form prescribed by
26the State Board of Education.

 

 

HB5176- 14 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    School districts using the accrual system of accounting
2shall have prepared and made available to the public, in
3accordance with subsection (a) of this Section, a statement of
4revenue and expenses and a statement of financial position in
5the form prescribed by the State Board of Education.
6    In Class II county school units such statement shall be
7prepared and made available to the public, in accordance with
8subsection (a) of this Section, by the township treasurer of
9the unit within which such districts are located, except with
10respect to the school board of any school district that no
11longer is subject to the jurisdiction and authority of a
12township treasurer or trustees of schools of a township
13because the district has withdrawn from the jurisdiction and
14authority of the township treasurer and trustees of schools of
15the township or because those offices have been abolished as
16provided in subsection (b) or (c) of Section 5-1, and as to
17each such school district the statement required by this
18Section shall be prepared and made available to the public, in
19accordance with subsection (a) of this Section, by the school
20board of such district in the same manner as required for
21school boards of school districts situated in Class I county
22school units.
23    (c) (Blank). The statement of affairs required pursuant to
24this Section shall contain such information as may be required
25by the State Board of Education, including:
26        1. Annual fiscal year gross payment for certificated

 

 

HB5176- 15 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    personnel to be shown by name, listing each employee in
2    one of the following categories:
3            (a) Under $25,000
4            (b) $25,000 to $39,999
5            (c) $40,000 to $59,999
6            (d) $60,000 to $89,999
7            (e) $90,000 and over
8        2. Annual fiscal year payment for non-certificated
9    personnel to be shown by name, listing each employee in
10    one of the following categories:
11            (a) Under $25,000
12            (b) $25,000 to $39,999
13            (c) $40,000 to $59,999
14            (d) $60,000 and over
15        3. In addition to wages and salaries all other moneys
16    in the aggregate paid to recipients of $1,000 or more,
17    giving the name of the person, firm or corporation and the
18    total amount received by each.
19        4. Approximate size of school district in square
20    miles.
21        5. Number of school attendance centers.
22        6. Numbers of employees as follows:
23            (a) Full-time certificated employees;
24            (b) Part-time certificated employees;
25            (c) Full-time non-certificated employees;
26            (d) Part-time non-certificated employees.

 

 

HB5176- 16 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1        7. Numbers of pupils as follows:
2            (a) Enrolled by grades;
3            (b) Total enrolled;
4            (c) Average daily attendance.
5        8. Assessed valuation as follows:
6            (a) Total of the district;
7            (b) Per pupil in average daily attendance.
8        9. Tax rate for each district fund.
9        10. District financial obligation at the close of the
10    fiscal year as follows:
11            (a) Teachers' orders outstanding;
12            (b) Anticipation warrants outstanding for each
13        fund.
14        11. Total bonded debt at the close of the fiscal year.
15        12. Percent of bonding power obligated currently.
16        13. Value of capital assets of the district including:
17            (a) Land;
18            (b) Buildings;
19            (c) Equipment.
20        14. Total amount of investments each fund.
21        15. Change in net cash position from the previous
22    report period for each district fund.
23    A In addition to the above report, a report of
24expenditures in the aggregate paid on behalf of recipients of
25$500 or more, giving the name of the person, firm or
26corporation and the total amount received by each shall be

 

 

HB5176- 17 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1available in the school district office for public inspection.
2This listing shall include all wages, salaries and
3expenditures over $500 expended from any revolving fund
4maintained by the district. Any resident of the school
5district may receive a copy of this report, upon request, by
6paying a reasonable charge to defray the costs of preparing
7such copy.
8    (d) This Section does not apply to cities having a
9population exceeding 500,000.
10(Source: P.A. 94-875, eff. 7-1-06.)
 
11    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.44)
12    Sec. 10-20.44. Report on contracts.
13    (a) This Section applies to all school districts,
14including a school district organized under Article 34 of this
15Code.
16    (b) A school board must list on the district's Internet
17website, if any, all contracts over $25,000 and any contract
18that the school board enters into with an exclusive bargaining
19representative.
20    (c) Each year, in conjunction with the submission of the
21Statement of Affairs to the State Board of Education prior to
22December 1, provided for in Section 10-17, each school
23district shall submit to the State Board of Education an
24annual report on all contracts over $25,000 awarded by the
25school district during the previous fiscal year. The report

 

 

HB5176- 18 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1shall include at least the following:
2        (1) the total number of all contracts awarded by the
3    school district;
4        (2) the total value of all contracts awarded;
5        (3) the number of contracts awarded to minority-owned
6    businesses, women-owned businesses, and businesses owned
7    by persons with disabilities, as defined in the Business
8    Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with
9    Disabilities Act, and locally owned businesses; and
10        (4) the total value of contracts awarded to
11    minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, and
12    businesses owned by persons with disabilities, as defined
13    in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and
14    Persons with Disabilities Act, and locally owned
15    businesses.
16    The report shall be made available to the public,
17including publication on the school district's Internet
18website, if any.
19(Source: P.A. 100-391, eff. 8-25-17.)
 
20    (105 ILCS 5/27-23.7)
21    Sec. 27-23.7. Bullying prevention.
22    (a) The General Assembly finds that a safe and civil
23school environment is necessary for students to learn and
24achieve and that bullying causes physical, psychological, and
25emotional harm to students and interferes with students'

 

 

HB5176- 19 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1ability to learn and participate in school activities. The
2General Assembly further finds that bullying has been linked
3to other forms of antisocial behavior, such as vandalism,
4shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school, fighting,
5using drugs and alcohol, sexual harassment, and sexual
6violence. Because of the negative outcomes associated with
7bullying in schools, the General Assembly finds that school
8districts, charter schools, and non-public, non-sectarian
9elementary and secondary schools should educate students,
10parents, and school district, charter school, or non-public,
11non-sectarian elementary or secondary school personnel about
12what behaviors constitute prohibited bullying.
13    Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color,
14religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status,
15physical or mental disability, military status, sexual
16orientation, gender-related identity or expression,
17unfavorable discharge from military service, association with
18a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual
19or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing
20characteristic is prohibited in all school districts, charter
21schools, and non-public, non-sectarian elementary and
22secondary schools. No student shall be subjected to bullying:
23        (1) during any school-sponsored education program or
24    activity;
25        (2) while in school, on school property, on school
26    buses or other school vehicles, at designated school bus

 

 

HB5176- 20 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    stops waiting for the school bus, or at school-sponsored
2    or school-sanctioned events or activities;
3        (3) through the transmission of information from a
4    school computer, a school computer network, or other
5    similar electronic school equipment; or
6        (4) through the transmission of information from a
7    computer that is accessed at a nonschool-related location,
8    activity, function, or program or from the use of
9    technology or an electronic device that is not owned,
10    leased, or used by a school district or school if the
11    bullying causes a substantial disruption to the
12    educational process or orderly operation of a school. This
13    item (4) applies only in cases in which a school
14    administrator or teacher receives a report that bullying
15    through this means has occurred and does not require a
16    district or school to staff or monitor any
17    nonschool-related activity, function, or program.
18    (a-5) Nothing in this Section is intended to infringe upon
19any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of
20religion or religiously based views protected under the First
21Amendment to the United States Constitution or under Section 3
22of Article I of the Illinois Constitution.
23    (b) In this Section:
24    "Bullying" includes "cyber-bullying" and means any severe
25or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including
26communications made in writing or electronically, directed

 

 

HB5176- 21 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably
2predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
3        (1) placing the student or students in reasonable fear
4    of harm to the student's or students' person or property;
5        (2) causing a substantially detrimental effect on the
6    student's or students' physical or mental health;
7        (3) substantially interfering with the student's or
8    students' academic performance; or
9        (4) substantially interfering with the student's or
10    students' ability to participate in or benefit from the
11    services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
12    Bullying, as defined in this subsection (b), may take
13various forms, including without limitation one or more of the
14following: harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking,
15physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft,
16public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation
17for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is
18meant to be illustrative and non-exhaustive.
19    "Cyber-bullying" means bullying through the use of
20technology or any electronic communication, including without
21limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images,
22sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in
23whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system,
24photoelectronic system, or photooptical system, including
25without limitation electronic mail, Internet communications,
26instant messages, or facsimile communications.

 

 

HB5176- 22 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1"Cyber-bullying" includes the creation of a webpage or weblog
2in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or
3the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of
4posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation
5creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of
6bullying in this Section. "Cyber-bullying" also includes the
7distribution by electronic means of a communication to more
8than one person or the posting of material on an electronic
9medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the
10distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated
11in the definition of bullying in this Section.
12    "Policy on bullying" means a bullying prevention policy
13that meets the following criteria:
14        (1) Includes the bullying definition provided in this
15    Section.
16        (2) Includes a statement that bullying is contrary to
17    State law and the policy of the school district, charter
18    school, or non-public, non-sectarian elementary or
19    secondary school and is consistent with subsection (a-5)
20    of this Section.
21        (3) Includes procedures for promptly reporting
22    bullying, including, but not limited to, identifying and
23    providing the school e-mail address (if applicable) and
24    school telephone number for the staff person or persons
25    responsible for receiving such reports and a procedure for
26    anonymous reporting; however, this shall not be construed

 

 

HB5176- 23 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    to permit formal disciplinary action solely on the basis
2    of an anonymous report.
3        (4) Consistent with federal and State laws and rules
4    governing student privacy rights, includes procedures for
5    promptly informing parents or guardians of all students
6    involved in the alleged incident of bullying and
7    discussing, as appropriate, the availability of social
8    work services, counseling, school psychological services,
9    other interventions, and restorative measures.
10        (5) Contains procedures for promptly investigating and
11    addressing reports of bullying, including the following:
12            (A) Making all reasonable efforts to complete the
13        investigation within 10 school days after the date the
14        report of the incident of bullying was received and
15        taking into consideration additional relevant
16        information received during the course of the
17        investigation about the reported incident of bullying.
18            (B) Involving appropriate school support personnel
19        and other staff persons with knowledge, experience,
20        and training on bullying prevention, as deemed
21        appropriate, in the investigation process.
22            (C) Notifying the principal or school
23        administrator or his or her designee of the report of
24        the incident of bullying as soon as possible after the
25        report is received.
26            (D) Consistent with federal and State laws and

 

 

HB5176- 24 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1        rules governing student privacy rights, providing
2        parents and guardians of the students who are parties
3        to the investigation information about the
4        investigation and an opportunity to meet with the
5        principal or school administrator or his or her
6        designee to discuss the investigation, the findings of
7        the investigation, and the actions taken to address
8        the reported incident of bullying.
9        (6) Includes the interventions that can be taken to
10    address bullying, which may include, but are not limited
11    to, school social work services, restorative measures,
12    social-emotional skill building, counseling, school
13    psychological services, and community-based services.
14        (7) Includes a statement prohibiting reprisal or
15    retaliation against any person who reports an act of
16    bullying and the consequences and appropriate remedial
17    actions for a person who engages in reprisal or
18    retaliation.
19        (8) Includes consequences and appropriate remedial
20    actions for a person found to have falsely accused another
21    of bullying as a means of retaliation or as a means of
22    bullying.
23        (9) Is based on the engagement of a range of school
24    stakeholders, including students and parents or guardians.
25        (10) Is posted on the school district's, charter
26    school's, or non-public, non-sectarian elementary or

 

 

HB5176- 25 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    secondary school's existing Internet website, is included
2    in the student handbook, and, where applicable, posted
3    where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are
4    currently posted in the school and provided periodically
5    throughout the school year to students and faculty, and is
6    distributed annually to parents, guardians, students, and
7    school personnel, including new employees when hired.
8        (11) As part of the process of reviewing and
9    re-evaluating the policy under subsection (d) of this
10    Section, contains a policy evaluation process to assess
11    the outcomes and effectiveness of the policy that
12    includes, but is not limited to, factors such as the
13    frequency of victimization; student, staff, and family
14    observations of safety at a school; identification of
15    areas of a school where bullying occurs; the types of
16    bullying utilized; and bystander intervention or
17    participation. The school district, charter school, or
18    non-public, non-sectarian elementary or secondary school
19    may use relevant data and information it already collects
20    for other purposes in the policy evaluation. The
21    information developed as a result of the policy evaluation
22    must be made available on the Internet website of the
23    school district, charter school, or non-public,
24    non-sectarian elementary or secondary school. If an
25    Internet website is not available, the information must be
26    provided to school administrators, school board members,

 

 

HB5176- 26 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1    school personnel, parents, guardians, and students.
2        (12) Is consistent with the policies of the school
3    board, charter school, or non-public, non-sectarian
4    elementary or secondary school.
5    "Restorative measures" means a continuum of school-based
6alternatives to exclusionary discipline, such as suspensions
7and expulsions, that: (i) are adapted to the particular needs
8of the school and community, (ii) contribute to maintaining
9school safety, (iii) protect the integrity of a positive and
10productive learning climate, (iv) teach students the personal
11and interpersonal skills they will need to be successful in
12school and society, (v) serve to build and restore
13relationships among students, families, schools, and
14communities, (vi) reduce the likelihood of future disruption
15by balancing accountability with an understanding of students'
16behavioral health needs in order to keep students in school,
17and (vii) increase student accountability if the incident of
18bullying is based on religion, race, ethnicity, or any other
19category that is identified in the Illinois Human Rights Act.
20    "School personnel" means persons employed by, on contract
21with, or who volunteer in a school district, charter school,
22or non-public, non-sectarian elementary or secondary school,
23including without limitation school and school district
24administrators, teachers, school social workers, school
25counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, cafeteria
26workers, custodians, bus drivers, school resource officers,

 

 

HB5176- 27 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1and security guards.
2    (c) (Blank).
3    (d) Each school district, charter school, and non-public,
4non-sectarian elementary or secondary school shall create,
5maintain, and implement a policy on bullying. A school
6district organized under Article 34, must file its , which
7policy must be filed with the State Board of Education. The
8policy or implementing procedure shall include a process to
9investigate whether a reported act of bullying is within the
10permissible scope of the district's or school's jurisdiction
11and shall require that the district or school provide the
12victim with information regarding services that are available
13within the district and community, such as counseling, support
14services, and other programs. School personnel available for
15help with a bully or to make a report about bullying shall be
16made known to parents or legal guardians, students, and school
17personnel. Every 2 years, each school district, charter
18school, and non-public, non-sectarian elementary or secondary
19school shall conduct a review and re-evaluation of its policy
20and make any necessary and appropriate revisions. A school
21district organized under Article 34 must file its The policy
22must be filed with the State Board of Education after being
23updated. The State Board of Education shall monitor and
24provide technical support for the implementation of policies
25created under this subsection (d).
26    (e) This Section shall not be interpreted to prevent a

 

 

HB5176- 28 -LRB102 25187 CMG 34452 b

1victim from seeking redress under any other available civil or
2criminal law.
3(Source: P.A. 102-197, eff. 7-30-21; 102-241, eff. 8-3-21;
4revised 10-18-21.)
 
5    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.103 rep.)
6    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.26 rep.)
7    Section 15. The School Code is amended by repealing
8Sections 2-3.103 and 10-20.26.
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.