SB1991sam002 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. Scott M. Bennett

Filed: 4/21/2017

10000SB1991sam002 LRB100 11392 MLM 25302 a

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1991

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1991, AS AMENDED, by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 2-3.80c as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80c new)

Sec. 2-3.80c. Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force.

(a) The General Assembly recognizes that agriculture is the most basic and singularly important industry in the State, that agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and economic stability of the State, and that the maintenance of this vital industry requires a continued source of trained and qualified agriculture educators to train future generations of agriculturalists.

In 2016, to respond to the ongoing teacher shortage in agriculture education in Illinois, the General Assembly passed Public Act 99-826, which deemed agriculture education as an area of critical need in Illinois.

(b) There is hereby created the Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force consisting of the following members:

(1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(3) one member of the House appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) one member of the House appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(5) the Head Consultant for agriculture education at the State Board of Education under subsection (c) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code; and

(6) 4 appointees from the Committee established under subsection (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code, consisting of 2 secondary agriculture teachers, one community college agriculture teacher, and one university agriculture teacher educator.

(c) The Task Force shall review and provide a report to the Governor and General Assembly, including the following:

(1) the current number of agriculture education teachers in Illinois who currently teach utilizing a professional educator license;

(2) the current number of agriculture education teachers who teach utilizing an educator license with stipulations;

(3) the number of graduates who have graduated from an approved agriculture education program at a public university in this State in each of the past 4 years;

(4) the number of agriculture education job openings at secondary education programs in Illinois in each of the past 4 years;

(5) recommendations to the General Assembly for recruitment and retention of agriculture education teachers, including recommendations on funding for existing incentive programs and budget items to recruit and retain agriculture education teachers;

(6) recommendations to the General Assembly for participation in federal programs that may assist in the recruitment and retention of agriculture teachers; and

(7) recommendations for reforms to current licensure and testing requirements necessary for an agriculture education applicant to attain a professional educator license.

(d) The chairperson of the Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall be elected by majority vote of the Task Force members who are members of the General Assembly appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, who shall establish meeting dates, times, and locations for the Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force and shall file a final report with the Governor and General Assembly as required by this Section.

(e) The State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support as necessary.

(f) The appointments required for the Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall be made within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly.

(g) The first meeting of the Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall commence within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly.

(h) The Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall hold at least 3 meetings. Members of the Task Force may participate by video link or phone.

(i) A majority vote of all members of the Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force is necessary for recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly.

(j) The Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall file its final report with the Governor and General Assembly no later than January 1, 2019.

(k) This Section is repealed on February 1, 2019.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".