SB0116 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 04019 LNS 14043 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB0116

Introduced 1/17/2025, by Sen. Terri Bryant

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/2A-1.2	from Ch. 46, par. 2A-1.2
10 ILCS 5/2A-56 new
10 ILCS 5/10-6	from Ch. 46, par. 10-6
10 ILCS 5/10-9	from Ch. 46, par. 10-9
10 ILCS 5/22-1	from Ch. 46, par. 22-1
10 ILCS 5/22-7	from Ch. 46, par. 22-7
105 ILCS 5/1A-1	from Ch. 122, par. 1A-1
105 ILCS 5/1A-2	from Ch. 122, par. 1A-2
105 ILCS 5/1A-2.1	from Ch. 122, par. 1A-2.1
105 ILCS 5/1A-4	from Ch. 122, par. 1A-4

Amends the Election Code and the School Code. Provides for 5 additional members of the State Board of Education to be elected at the general election in 2028 and every 4 years thereafter. Provides that one member shall be elected from each judicial district. Provides that the 5 members shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis. Provides that a petition for nomination of a candidate for member of the State Board shall be signed by at least 0.5% of the total number of registered voters in the judicial district. Provides that beginning on the date when the 5 members initially elected take office, a majority of the State Board shall constitute a quorum. Makes related changes.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Sections 2A-1.2, 10-6, 10-9, 22-1, and 22-7 and by adding Section 2A-56 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/2A-1.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 2A-1.2)

Sec. 2A-1.2. Consolidated schedule of elections; offices designated.

(a) At the general election in the appropriate even-numbered years, the following offices shall be filled or shall be on the ballot as otherwise required by this Code:

(1) Elector of President and Vice President of the United States.

(2) United States Senator and United States Representative.

(3) State Executive Branch elected officers.

(4) State Senator and State Representative.

(5) County elected officers, including State's Attorney, County Board member, County Commissioners, and elected President of the County Board or County Chief Executive.

(6) Circuit Court Clerk.

(7) Regional Superintendent of Schools, except in counties or educational service regions in which that office has been abolished.

(8) Judges of the Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Courts, on the question of retention, to fill vacancies and newly created judicial offices.

(9) (Blank).

(10) Trustee of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and elected Trustee of other Sanitary Districts.

(11) Special District elected officers, not otherwise designated in this Section, where the statute creating or authorizing the creation of the district requires an annual election and permits or requires election of candidates of political parties.

(12) Beginning with the 2024 general election, the elected members of the Chicago Board of Education; the election of members of the Chicago Board of Education shall be a nonpartisan election as provided for under this Code and may be conducted on a separate ballot.

(13) Beginning on November 7, 2028, 5 members of the State Board of Education.

(b) At the general primary election:

(1) in each even-numbered year candidates of political parties shall be nominated for those offices to be filled at the general election in that year, except where pursuant to law nomination of candidates of political parties is made by caucus.

(2) in the appropriate even-numbered years the political party offices of State central committeeperson, township committeeperson, ward committeeperson, and precinct committeeperson shall be filled and delegates and alternate delegates to the National nominating conventions shall be elected as may be required pursuant to this Code. In the even-numbered years in which a Presidential election is to be held, candidates in the Presidential preference primary shall also be on the ballot.

(3) in each even-numbered year, where the municipality has provided for annual elections to elect municipal officers pursuant to Section 6(f) or Section 7 of Article VII of the Constitution, pursuant to the Illinois Municipal Code or pursuant to the municipal charter, the offices of such municipal officers shall be filled at an election held on the date of the general primary election, provided that the municipal election shall be a nonpartisan election where required by the Illinois Municipal Code. For partisan municipal elections in even-numbered years, a primary to nominate candidates for municipal office to be elected at the general primary election shall be held on the Tuesday 6 weeks preceding that election.

(4) in each school district which has adopted the provisions of Article 33 of the School Code, successors to the members of the board of education whose terms expire in the year in which the general primary is held shall be elected.

(c) At the consolidated election in the appropriate odd-numbered years, the following offices shall be filled:

(1) Municipal officers, provided that in municipalities in which candidates for alderperson or other municipal office are not permitted by law to be candidates of political parties, the runoff election where required by law, or the nonpartisan election where required by law, shall be held on the date of the consolidated election; and provided further, in the case of municipal officers provided for by an ordinance providing the form of government of the municipality pursuant to Section 7 of Article VII of the Constitution, such offices shall be filled by election or by runoff election as may be provided by such ordinance;

(2) Village and incorporated town library directors;

(3) City boards of stadium commissioners;

(4) Commissioners of park districts;

(5) Trustees of public library districts;

(6) Special District elected officers, not otherwise designated in this Section, where the statute creating or authorizing the creation of the district permits or requires election of candidates of political parties;

(7) Township officers, including township park commissioners, township library directors, and boards of managers of community buildings, and Multi-Township Assessors;

(8) Highway commissioners and road district clerks;

(9) Members of school boards in school districts which adopt Article 33 of the School Code;

(10) The directors and chair of the Chain O Lakes - Fox River Waterway Management Agency;

(11) Forest preserve district commissioners elected under Section 3.5 of the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act;

(12) Elected members of school boards, school trustees, directors of boards of school directors, trustees of county boards of school trustees (except in counties or educational service regions having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants) and members of boards of school inspectors, except school boards in school districts that adopt Article 33 of the School Code;

(13) Members of Community College district boards;

(14) Trustees of Fire Protection Districts;

(15) Commissioners of the Springfield Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority;

(16) Elected Trustees of Tuberculosis Sanitarium Districts;

(17) Elected Officers of special districts not otherwise designated in this Section for which the law governing those districts does not permit candidates of political parties.

(d) At the consolidated primary election in each odd-numbered year, candidates of political parties shall be nominated for those offices to be filled at the consolidated election in that year, except where pursuant to law nomination of candidates of political parties is made by caucus, and except those offices listed in paragraphs (12) through (17) of subsection (c).

At the consolidated primary election in the appropriate odd-numbered years, the mayor, clerk, treasurer, and alderpersons shall be elected in municipalities in which candidates for mayor, clerk, treasurer, or alderperson are not permitted by law to be candidates of political parties, subject to runoff elections to be held at the consolidated election as may be required by law, and municipal officers shall be nominated in a nonpartisan election in municipalities in which pursuant to law candidates for such office are not permitted to be candidates of political parties.

At the consolidated primary election in the appropriate odd-numbered years, municipal officers shall be nominated or elected, or elected subject to a runoff, as may be provided by an ordinance providing a form of government of the municipality pursuant to Section 7 of Article VII of the Constitution.

(e) (Blank).

(f) At any election established in Section 2A-1.1, public questions may be submitted to voters pursuant to this Code and any special election otherwise required or authorized by law or by court order may be conducted pursuant to this Code.

Notwithstanding the regular dates for election of officers established in this Article, whenever a referendum is held for the establishment of a political subdivision whose officers are to be elected, the initial officers shall be elected at the election at which such referendum is held if otherwise so provided by law. In such cases, the election of the initial officers shall be subject to the referendum.

Notwithstanding the regular dates for election of officials established in this Article, any community college district which becomes effective by operation of law pursuant to Section 6-6.1 of the Public Community College Act, as now or hereafter amended, shall elect the initial district board members at the next regularly scheduled election following the effective date of the new district.

(g) At any election established in Section 2A-1.1, if in any precinct there are no offices or public questions required to be on the ballot under this Code then no election shall be held in the precinct on that date.

(h) There may be conducted a referendum in accordance with the provisions of Division 6-4 of the Counties Code.

(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-177, eff. 6-1-22; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-691, eff. 12-17-21.)

(10 ILCS 5/2A-56 new)

Sec. 2A-56. State Board of Education; time of election. Five members of the State Board of Education shall be elected at the general election in 2028 and at the general election every 4 years thereafter.

(10 ILCS 5/10-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 10-6)

Sec. 10-6. Time and manner of filing. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, certificates of nomination and nomination papers for the nomination of candidates for offices to be filled by electors of the entire State, or any district not entirely within a county, or for congressional, state legislative, or judicial offices, or elected members of the State Board of Education, shall be presented to the principal office of the State Board of Elections not more than 169 nor less than 162 days previous to the day of election for which the candidates are nominated. The State Board of Elections shall endorse the certificates of nomination or nomination papers, as the case may be, and the date and hour of presentment to it. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, all other certificates for the nomination of candidates shall be filed with the county clerk of the respective counties not more than 169 but at least 162 days previous to the day of such election. Certificates of nomination and nomination papers for the nomination of candidates for school district offices to be filled at consolidated elections shall be filed with the county clerk or county board of election commissioners of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located not more than 141 nor less than 134 days before the consolidated election. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, certificates of nomination and nomination papers for the nomination of candidates for the other offices of political subdivisions to be filled at regular elections other than the general election shall be filed with the local election official of such subdivision:

(1) (blank);

(2) not more than 141 nor less than 134 days prior to the consolidated election; or

(3) not more than 141 nor less than 134 days prior to the general primary in the case of municipal offices to be filled at the general primary election; or

(4) not more than 127 nor less than 120 days before the consolidated primary in the case of municipal offices to be elected on a nonpartisan basis pursuant to law (including, without limitation, those municipal offices subject to Articles 4 and 5 of the Municipal Code); or

(5) not more than 141 nor less than 134 days before the municipal primary in even numbered years for such nonpartisan municipal offices where annual elections are provided; or

(6) in the case of petitions for the office of multi-township assessor, such petitions shall be filed with the election authority not more than 113 nor less than 134 days before the consolidated election.

However, where a political subdivision's boundaries are co-extensive with or are entirely within the jurisdiction of a municipal board of election commissioners, the certificates of nomination and nomination papers for candidates for such political subdivision offices shall be filed in the office of such Board.

(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 103-600, eff. 7-1-24.)

(10 ILCS 5/10-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 10-9)

Sec. 10-9. The following electoral boards are designated for the purpose of hearing and passing upon the objector's petition described in Section 10-8.

1. The State Board of Elections will hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for State offices, nominations of candidates for the elected members of the State Board of Education, nominations of candidates for congressional or legislative offices that are in more than one county or are wholly located within a single county with a population of less than 3,000,000 and judicial offices of districts, subcircuits, or circuits situated in more than one county, nominations of candidates for the offices of State's attorney or regional superintendent of schools to be elected from more than one county, and petitions for proposed amendments to the Constitution of the State of Illinois as provided for in Section 3 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

2. The county officers electoral board of a county with a population of less than 3,000,000 to hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for county offices and judicial offices of a district, subcircuit, or circuit coterminous with or less than a county, for any school district offices, for the office of multi-township assessor where candidates for such office are nominated in accordance with this Code, and for all special district offices, shall be composed of the county clerk, or an assistant designated by the county clerk, the State's attorney of the county or an Assistant State's Attorney designated by the State's Attorney, and the clerk of the circuit court, or an assistant designated by the clerk of the circuit court, of the county, of whom the county clerk or his designee shall be the chair, except that in any county which has established a county board of election commissioners that board shall constitute the county officers electoral board ex-officio. If a school district is located in 2 or more counties, the county officers electoral board of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located shall hear and pass upon objections to nominations of candidates for school district office in that school district.

2.5. The county officers electoral board of a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more to hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for county offices, candidates for congressional offices and representatives in the General Assembly if the district is wholly within a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more, unless the district is wholly or partially within the jurisdiction of a municipal board of election commissioners, and judicial offices of a district, subcircuit, or circuit coterminous with or less than a county, for any school district offices, for the office of multi-township assessor where candidates for such office are nominated in accordance with this Code, for all special district offices, and for candidates for the Senate, shall be composed of the county clerk, or an assistant designated by the county clerk, the State's Attorney of the county or an Assistant State's Attorney designated by the State's Attorney, and the clerk of the circuit court, or an assistant designated by the clerk of the circuit court, of the county, of whom the county clerk or his designee shall be the chair, except that, in any county which has established a county board of election commissioners, that board shall constitute the county officers electoral board ex-officio. If a school district is located in 2 or more counties, the county officers electoral board of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located shall hear and pass upon objections to nominations of candidates for school district office in that school district.

3. The municipal officers electoral board to hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for officers of municipalities shall be composed of the mayor or president of the board of trustees of the city, village or incorporated town, and the city, village or incorporated town clerk, and one member of the city council or board of trustees, that member being designated who is eligible to serve on the electoral board and has served the greatest number of years as a member of the city council or board of trustees, of whom the mayor or president of the board of trustees shall be the chair.

4. The township officers electoral board to pass upon objections to the nominations of township officers shall be composed of the township supervisor, the town clerk, and that eligible town trustee elected in the township who has had the longest term of continuous service as town trustee, of whom the township supervisor shall be the chair.

5. The education officers electoral board to hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for offices in community college districts shall be composed of the presiding officer of the community college district board, who shall be the chair, the secretary of the community college district board and the eligible elected community college board member who has the longest term of continuous service as a board member.

6. In all cases, however, where the Congressional, Legislative, or Representative district is wholly or partially within the jurisdiction of a single municipal board of election commissioners in Cook County and in all cases where the school district or special district is wholly within the jurisdiction of a municipal board of election commissioners and in all cases where the municipality or township is wholly or partially within the jurisdiction of a municipal board of election commissioners, the board of election commissioners shall ex-officio constitute the electoral board.

For special districts situated in more than one county, the county officers electoral board of the county in which the principal office of the district is located has jurisdiction to hear and pass upon objections. For purposes of this Section, "special districts" means all political subdivisions other than counties, municipalities, townships and school and community college districts.

In the event that any member of the appropriate board is a candidate for the office with relation to which the objector's petition is filed, he shall not be eligible to serve on that board and shall not act as a member of the board and his place shall be filled as follows:

a. In the county officers electoral board by the county treasurer, and if he or she is ineligible to serve, by the sheriff of the county.

b. In the municipal officers electoral board by the eligible elected city council or board of trustees member who has served the second greatest number of years as a city council or board of trustees member.

c. In the township officers electoral board by the eligible elected town trustee who has had the second longest term of continuous service as a town trustee.

d. In the education officers electoral board by the eligible elected community college district board member who has had the second longest term of continuous service as a board member.

In the event that the chair of the electoral board is ineligible to act because of the fact that he or she is a candidate for the office with relation to which the objector's petition is filed, then the substitute chosen under the provisions of this Section shall be the chair; In this case, the officer or board with whom the objector's petition is filed, shall transmit the certificate of nomination or nomination papers as the case may be, and the objector's petition to the substitute chair of the electoral board.

When 2 or more eligible individuals, by reason of their terms of service on a city council or board of trustees, township board of trustees, or community college district board, qualify to serve on an electoral board, the one to serve shall be chosen by lot.

Any vacancies on an electoral board not otherwise filled pursuant to this Section shall be filled by public members appointed by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court for the county wherein the electoral board hearing is being held upon notification to the Chief Judge of such vacancies. The Chief Judge shall be so notified by a member of the electoral board or the officer or board with whom the objector's petition was filed. In the event that none of the individuals designated by this Section to serve on the electoral board are eligible, the chair of an electoral board shall be designated by the Chief Judge.

(Source: P.A. 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)

(10 ILCS 5/22-1) (from Ch. 46, par. 22-1)

Sec. 22-1. Abstracts of votes. Within 21 days after the close of the election at which candidates for offices hereinafter named in this Section are voted upon, the election authorities of the respective counties shall open the returns and make abstracts of the votes on a separate sheet for each of the following:

A. For Governor and Lieutenant Governor;

B. For State officers;

C. For presidential electors;

D. For United States Senators and Representatives to Congress;

E. For judges of the Supreme Court;

F. For judges of the Appellate Court;

G. For judges of the circuit court;

H. For Senators and Representatives to the General Assembly;

I. For State's Attorneys elected from 2 or more counties;

J. For amendments to the Constitution, and for other propositions submitted to the electors of the entire State;

K. For county officers and for propositions submitted to the electors of the county only;

L. For Regional Superintendent of Schools;

M. For trustees of Sanitary Districts; and

N. For Trustee of a Regional Board of School Trustees; and .

O. For elected members of the State Board of Education.

Each sheet shall report the returns by precinct or ward.

Multiple originals of each of the sheets shall be prepared and one of each shall be turned over to the chair of the county central committee of each of the then existing established political parties, as defined in Section 10-2, or his duly authorized representative immediately after the completion of the entries on the sheets and before the totals have been compiled.

The foregoing abstracts shall be preserved by the election authority in its office.

Whenever any county clerk is unable to canvass the vote, the deputy county clerk or a designee of the county clerk shall serve in his or her place.

The powers and duties of the election authority canvassing the votes are limited to those specified in this Section.

No person who is shown by the election authority's proclamation to have been elected at the consolidated election or general election as a write-in candidate shall take office unless that person has first filed with the certifying office or board a statement of candidacy pursuant to Section 7-10 or Section 10-5, a statement pursuant to Section 7-10.1, and a receipt for filing a statement of economic interests in relation to the unit of government to which he or she has been elected. For officers elected at the consolidated election, the certifying officer shall notify the election authority of the receipt of those documents, and the county clerk shall issue the certification of election under the provisions of Section 22-18.

(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

(10 ILCS 5/22-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 22-7)

Sec. 22-7. Canvass of votes; declaration and proclamation of result. The State Board of Elections, shall proceed within 31 days after the election, and sooner if all the returns are received, to canvass the votes given for United States Senators and Representatives to Congress, State executive officers, elected members of the State Board of Education, judges of the Supreme Court, judges of the Appellate Court, judges of the Circuit Court, Senators, Representatives to the General Assembly, State's Attorneys and Regional Superintendents of Schools elected from 2 or more counties, respectively, and the persons having the highest number of votes for the respective offices shall be declared duly elected, but if it appears that more than the number of persons to be elected have the highest and an equal number of votes for the same office, the electoral board shall decide by lot which of such persons shall be elected; and to each person duly elected, the Governor shall give a certificate of election or commission, as the case may require, and shall cause proclamation to be made of the result of the canvass, and they shall at the same time and in the same manner, canvass the vote cast upon amendments to the Constitution, and upon other propositions submitted to the electors of the entire State; and the Governor shall cause to be made such proclamation of the result of the canvass as the statutes elsewhere provide. The State Board of Elections shall transmit to the State Comptroller a list of the persons elected to the various offices. The State Board of Elections shall also transmit to the Supreme Court the names of persons elected to judgeships in adversary elections and the names of judges who fail to win retention in office.

No person who is shown by the canvassing board's proclamation to have been elected at the consolidated election or general election as a write-in candidate shall take office unless that person has first filed with the certifying office or board a statement of candidacy pursuant to Section 7-10 or Section 10-5, a statement pursuant to Section 7-10.1, and a receipt for filing a statement of economic interests in relation to the unit of government to which he or she has been elected. For officers elected at the consolidated election, the certifying officer shall notify the election authority of the receipt of those documents, and the county clerk shall issue the certification of election under the provisions of Section 22-18.

(Source: P.A. 93-847, eff. 7-30-04; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)

Section 10. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 1A-1, 1A-2, 1A-2.1, and 1A-4 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/1A-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 1A-1)

Sec. 1A-1. Members and terms.

(a) (Blank).

(b) The State Board of Education shall consist of 5 members initially to be elected under this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly and 8 appointed members and a chairperson, who shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate from a pattern of regional representation as follows: 2 appointees shall be selected from among those counties of the State other than Cook County and the 5 counties contiguous to Cook County, one of whom must represent the educator community; 2 appointees shall be selected from Cook County, one of whom shall be a resident of the City of Chicago and one of whom shall be a resident of that part of Cook County which lies outside the city limits of Chicago and of whom one must represent the educator community; 2 appointees shall be selected from among the 5 counties of the State that are contiguous to Cook County, one of whom must represent the educator community; and 3 members shall be selected as members-at-large (one of which shall be the chairperson). With respect to the educator community appointments, no more than one member may be employed as a district superintendent, principal, school business official, or teacher and no more than one may be employed by the same school district or school. The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly apply to appointments made after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly. The Governor who takes office on the second Monday of January after his or her election shall be the person who nominates members to fill vacancies whose terms begin after that date and before the term of the next Governor begins.

The term of each member of the State Board of Education whose term expires on January 12, 2005 shall instead terminate on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. Of these 3 seats, (i) the member initially appointed pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly whose seat was vacant on April 27, 2004 shall serve until the second Wednesday of January, 2009 and (ii) the other 2 members initially appointed pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly shall serve until the second Wednesday of January, 2007.

The term of the member of the State Board of Education whose seat was vacant on April 27, 2004 and whose term expires on January 10, 2007 shall instead terminate on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The member initially appointed pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly to fill this seat shall be the chairperson and shall serve until the second Wednesday of January, 2007.

The term of the member of the State Board of Education whose seat was vacant on May 28, 2004 but after April 27, 2004 and whose term expires on January 10, 2007 shall instead terminate on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The member initially appointed pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly to fill this seat shall serve until the second Wednesday of January, 2007.

The term of the other member of the State Board of Education whose term expires on January 10, 2007 shall instead terminate on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The member initially appointed pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly to fill this seat shall serve until the second Wednesday of January, 2007.

The term of the member of the State Board of Education whose term expires on January 14, 2009 and who was selected from among the 5 counties of the State that are contiguous to Cook County and is a resident of Lake County shall instead terminate on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The member initially appointed pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly to fill this seat shall serve until the second Wednesday of January, 2009.

Upon expiration of the terms of the members initially appointed under this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and members whose terms were not terminated by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, their respective successors shall be appointed for terms of 4 years, from the second Wednesday in January of each odd numbered year and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified.

(c) Of the 4 members, excluding the chairperson, whose terms expire on the second Wednesday of January, 2007 and every 4 years thereafter, one of those members must be an at-large member and at no time may more than 2 of those members be from one political party. Of the 4 members whose terms expire on the second Wednesday of January, 2009 and every 4 years thereafter, one of those members must be an at-large member and at no time may more than 2 of those members be from one political party. Party membership is defined as having voted in the primary of the party in the last primary before appointment.

(c-5) Five members of the State Board of Education shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis at the general election in 2028 and every 4 years thereafter. One member shall be elected from each of the judicial districts. A petition for nomination of a candidate for member of the State Board of Education shall be signed by at least 0.5% of the total number of registered voters in the judicial district in which the person is a candidate for nomination. Each of these members shall serve for a term of 4 years, from the second Wednesday of January until after the member's election and until the member's successor takes office.

(d) Vacancies in appointed terms shall be filled by appointment by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate for the extent of the unexpired term. If a vacancy in membership occurs at a time when the Senate is not in session, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when the Governor shall appoint a person to fill that membership for the remainder of its term. If the Senate is not in session when appointments for a full term are made, the appointments shall be made as in the case of vacancies.

(d-5) Beginning on the date when all of the new members initially to be elected under this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly have taken office, vacancies in elected terms shall be filled by appointment and confirmed by the remaining members of the State Board of Education. A person selected to fill a vacancy left by an elected member must meet all eligibility requirements for the position.

(Source: P.A. 100-1135, eff. 11-28-18.)

(105 ILCS 5/1A-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 1A-2)

Sec. 1A-2. Qualifications. In order to be a member The members of the State Board of Education, a person must be a citizen shall be citizens of the United States and a resident residents of the State of Illinois. To be an elected member, a person must also be a resident of the judicial district from which the person was elected. Appointed members and shall be selected as far as may be practicable on the basis of their knowledge of, or interest and experience in, problems of public education. No elected member of the State Board of Education may be employed by a public or nonpublic school; a college, including a community or junior college; a university; the State Board of Education; a regional office of education; or any other educational institution. No elected member of the State Board of Education may be a member of the governing board of a school district or a charter or nonpublic school. No member of the State Board of Education shall benefit from funds provided by the State Board of Education to an institution of higher learning, public or private, within Illinois, nor shall members be school trustees of a public or nonpublic college, university or technical institution within Illinois. No member shall be appointed to more than 2 4-year terms. No member may be elected to more than 2 consecutive 4-year terms. Members shall be reimbursed for all ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties as members of the Board. Expenses shall be approved by the Board and be consistent with the laws, policies, and requirements of the State of Illinois regarding such expenditures, plus any member may include in the member's his or her claim for expenses $50 per day for meeting days.

(Source: P.A. 100-1135, eff. 11-28-18.)

(105 ILCS 5/1A-2.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 1A-2.1)

Sec. 1A-2.1. Vacancies. The Governor may remove for incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office any member of the State Board of Education. A vacancy also exists on the State Board of Education when one or more of the following events occur:

1. A member dies.

2. A member files a written resignation with the Governor.

3. A member is adjudicated to be a person under legal disability under the Probate Act of 1975 or a person subject to involuntary admission under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.

4. For appointed members, a A member ceases to be a resident of the region from which the member he or she was appointed.

5. A member is convicted of an infamous crime or of any offense involving a violation of his or her duties under this Code.

6. A member fails to maintain the qualifications stated in Sections 1A-1 and 1A-2 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 100-1135, eff. 11-28-18.)

(105 ILCS 5/1A-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 1A-4)

Sec. 1A-4. Powers and duties of the Board.

A. (Blank).

B. The Board shall determine the qualifications of and appoint a chief education officer, to be known as the State Superintendent of Education, who may be proposed by the Governor and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and pursuant to a performance-based contract linked to statewide student performance and academic improvement within Illinois schools. Upon expiration or buyout of the contract of the State Superintendent of Education in office on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, a State Superintendent of Education shall be appointed by a State Board of Education that includes the 7 new Board members who were appointed to fill seats of members whose terms were terminated on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. Thereafter, a State Superintendent of Education must, at a minimum, be appointed at the beginning of each term of a Governor after that Governor has made appointments to the Board. A performance-based contract issued for the employment of a State Superintendent of Education entered into on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly must expire no later than February 1, 2007, and subsequent contracts must expire no later than February 1 each 4 years thereafter. No contract shall be extended or renewed beyond February 1, 2007 and February 1 each 4 years thereafter, but a State Superintendent of Education shall serve until his or her successor is appointed. Each contract entered into on or before January 8, 2007 with a State Superintendent of Education must provide that the State Board of Education may terminate the contract for cause, and the State Board of Education shall not thereafter be liable for further payments under the contract. With regard to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, it is the intent of the General Assembly that, beginning with the Governor who takes office on the second Monday of January, 2007, a State Superintendent of Education be appointed at the beginning of each term of a Governor after that Governor has made appointments to the Board. The State Superintendent of Education shall not serve as a member of the State Board of Education. The Board shall set the compensation of the State Superintendent of Education who shall serve as the Board's chief executive officer. The Board shall also establish the duties, powers and responsibilities of the State Superintendent, which shall be included in the State Superintendent's performance-based contract along with the goals and indicators of student performance and academic improvement used to measure the performance and effectiveness of the State Superintendent. The State Board of Education may delegate to the State Superintendent of Education the authority to act on the Board's behalf, provided such delegation is made pursuant to adopted board policy or the powers delegated are ministerial in nature. The State Board may not delegate authority under this Section to the State Superintendent to (1) nonrecognize school districts, (2) withhold State payments as a penalty, or (3) make final decisions under the contested case provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act unless otherwise provided by law.

C. The powers and duties of the State Board of Education shall encompass all duties delegated to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction on January 12, 1975, except as the law providing for such powers and duties is thereafter amended, and such other powers and duties as the General Assembly shall designate. The Board shall be responsible for the educational policies and guidelines for public schools, pre-school through grade 12 and Vocational Education in the State of Illinois. Beginning July 1, 2024, educational policies and guidelines pertaining to pre-school and the Prevention Initiative program shall be done in consultation with the Department of Early Childhood. The Board shall analyze the present and future aims, needs, and requirements of education in the State of Illinois and recommend to the General Assembly the powers which should be exercised by the Board. The Board shall recommend the passage and the legislation necessary to determine the appropriate relationship between the Board and local boards of education and the various State agencies and shall recommend desirable modifications in the laws which affect schools.

D. Two members of the Board shall be appointed by the chairperson to serve on a standing joint Education Committee, 2 others shall be appointed from the Board of Higher Education, 2 others shall be appointed by the chairperson of the Illinois Community College Board, and 2 others shall be appointed by the chairperson of the Human Resource Investment Council. The Committee shall be responsible for making recommendations concerning the submission of any workforce development plan or workforce training program required by federal law or under any block grant authority. The Committee will be responsible for developing policy on matters of mutual concern to elementary, secondary and higher education such as Occupational and Career Education, Teacher Preparation and Licensure, Educational Finance, Articulation between Elementary, Secondary and Higher Education and Research and Planning. The joint Education Committee shall meet at least quarterly and submit an annual report of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the State Board of Education, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Human Resource Investment Council, the Governor, and the General Assembly. All meetings of this Committee shall be official meetings for reimbursement under this Act. On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the Joint Education Committee is abolished.

E. Until the 5 members initially to be elected under this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly have taken office, 5 Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Beginning on the date when the 5 members initially to be elected under this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly have taken office, a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Until the 5 members initially to be elected under this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly have taken office a A majority vote of the members appointed, confirmed, and serving on the Board is required to approve any action, except that the 7 new Board members who were appointed to fill seats of members whose terms were terminated on the effective date of this amendatory act of the 93rd General Assembly may vote to approve actions when appointed and serving. Beginning on the date when the 5 members initially to be elected under this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly have taken office, a majority vote of the elected members and the members appointed, confirmed, and serving on the Board is required to approve any action.

F. Upon appointment of the 7 new Board members who were appointed to fill seats of members whose terms were terminated on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Board shall review all of its current rules in an effort to streamline procedures, improve efficiency, and eliminate unnecessary forms and paperwork.

(Source: P.A. 102-894, eff. 5-20-22; 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)