HB2984 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 05307 NHT 45362 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB2984

Introduced 2/23/2011, by Rep. Joe Sosnowski

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/22-65 new

Amends the School Code. Creates the Tuition Voucher Program Task Force to study the feasibility of a statewide tuition voucher program. Requires the State Board of Education to provide administrative and other support to the task force. Requires the task force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Sets forth topics that the report must include. Provides that upon filing its report, the task force is dissolved.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

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 School Code is amended by adding Section 22-65 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/22-65 new)

Sec. 22-65. Tuition Voucher Program Task Force.

(a) The Tuition Voucher Program Task Force is created to study the feasibility of a statewide tuition voucher program. The task force shall consist of all of the following members:

(1) Five members of the public appointed by the Governor.

(2) Two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(3) Two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(4) Two members of the General Assembly appointed by the President of the Senate.

(5) Two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

The members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from appropriations to the State Board of Education for that purpose. Reimbursement for travel expenses shall be subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.

The members of the task force shall meet initially at the call of the Governor, shall select one member as chairperson at its initial meeting, and shall thereafter meet at the call of the chairperson.

The State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the task force.

(b) The Tuition Voucher Program Task Force shall file a report on the feasibility of a statewide tuition voucher program with the Governor and the General Assembly as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act. The following topics must be included without limitation in the report:

(1) Eligible students, either in grades kindergarten through 7 or in grades kindergarten through 12.

(2) Education expenses and what are the reasonable costs incurred by a student in attending a nonpublic school, such as for books, tuition, fees, and extra curricular activities.

(3) What qualifies as a nonpublic school to be eligible for a tuition voucher program and whether the school must consent to participate in the tuition voucher program.

(4) Application processes and application date limitations as prescribed in Senate Bill 2494 of the 96th General Assembly.

(5) The amount of a voucher as prescribed in Senate Bill 2494 of the 96th General Assembly.

(6) Assessments of students using vouchers as prescribed in Senate Bill 2494 of the 96th General Assembly.

(7) Possible fiscal impacts of a tuition voucher program.

Upon filing its report with the Governor and the General Assembly, the Tuition Voucher Program Task Force is dissolved.