Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB1710
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Full Text of HB1710  102nd General Assembly

HB1710 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  

 


 
102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB1710

 

Introduced 2/17/2021, by Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 2405/10  from Ch. 23, par. 3441

    Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Requires the Superintendent of the Illinois School for the Deaf to have a degree in educational administration, together with at least 10 years of experience in either deaf or hard of hearing education, the administration of deaf or hard of hearing education, or a combination of the 2 (rather than degrees in both educational administration and deaf education, together with at least 15 years of experience in either deaf education, the administration of deaf education, or a combination of the 2). Requires the Superintendent of the Illinois School of the Visually Impaired to have a degree in educational administration, together with at least 10 years of experience in either blind or visually impaired education, or a combination of the 2 (rather than degrees in both educational administration and blind and visually impaired education, the administration of blind or visually impaired education, or a combination of the 2). Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB1710LRB102 12107 KTG 17444 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities
5Act is amended by changing Section 10 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2405/10)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3441)
7    Sec. 10. Residential schools; visual and hearing
8disabilities.
9    (a) The Department of Human Services shall operate
10residential schools for the education of children with visual
11and hearing disabilities who are unable to take advantage of
12the regular educational facilities provided in the community,
13and shall provide in connection therewith such academic,
14vocational, and related services as may be required. Children
15shall be eligible for admission to these schools only after
16proper diagnosis and evaluation, in accordance with procedures
17prescribed by the Department.
18    (a-5) The Superintendent of the Illinois School for the
19Deaf shall be the chief executive officer of, and shall be
20responsible for the day to day operations of, the School, and
21shall obtain educational and professional employees who are
22certified by the Illinois State Board of Education or licensed
23by the appropriate agency or entity to which licensing

 

 

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1authority has been delegated, as well as all other employees
2of the School, subject to the provisions of the Personnel Code
3and any applicable collective bargaining agreement. The
4Superintendent shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with
5the advice and consent of the Senate. In the case of a vacancy
6in the office of Superintendent during the recess of the
7Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until
8the next meeting of the Senate, when the Governor shall
9nominate some person to fill the office, and any person so
10nominated who is confirmed by the Senate shall hold office
11during the remainder of the term and until his or her successor
12is appointed and qualified. The Superintendent shall hold
13office (i) for a term expiring on June 30 of 2015, and every 4
14years thereafter and (ii) until the Superintendent's successor
15is appointed and qualified. The Superintendent shall devote
16his or her full time to the duties of the office, shall not
17serve in any other capacity during his or her term of office,
18and shall receive such compensation as the Governor shall
19determine. The Superintendent shall have an administrative
20certificate with a superintendent endorsement as provided for
21under Section 21-7.1 of the School Code, and shall have a
22degree in educational administration, together with at least
2310 years of experience in either deaf or hard of hearing
24education, the administration of deaf or hard of hearing
25education, or a combination of the 2. Preference shall be
26given to candidates with a degree in deaf education. The

 

 

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1Superintendent must be fluent in American Sign Language
2degrees in both educational administration and deaf education,
3together with at least 15 years of experience in either deaf
4education, the administration of deaf education, or a
5combination of the 2.
6    (a-10) The Superintendent of the Illinois School for the
7Visually Impaired shall be the chief executive officer of, and
8shall be responsible for the day to day operations of, the
9School, and shall obtain educational and professional
10employees who are certified by the Illinois State Board of
11Education or licensed by the appropriate agency or entity to
12which licensing authority has been delegated, as well as all
13other employees of the School, subject to the provisions of
14the Personnel Code and any applicable collective bargaining
15agreement. The Superintendent shall be appointed by the
16Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. In
17the case of a vacancy in the office of Superintendent during
18the recess of the Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary
19appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when the
20Governor shall nominate some person to fill the office, and
21any person so nominated who is confirmed by the Senate shall
22hold office during the remainder of the term and until his or
23her successor is appointed and qualified. The Superintendent
24shall hold office (i) for a term expiring on June 30 of 2015,
25and every 4 years thereafter and (ii) until the
26Superintendent's successor is appointed and qualified. The

 

 

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1Superintendent shall devote his or her full time to the duties
2of the office, shall not serve in any other capacity during his
3or her term of office, and shall receive such compensation as
4the Governor shall determine. The Superintendent shall have an
5administrative certificate with a superintendent endorsement
6as provided for under Section 21-7.1 of the School Code, and
7shall have a degree in educational administration, together
8with at least 10 years of experience in either blind or
9visually impaired education, the administration of blind or
10visually impaired education, or a combination of the 2.
11Preference shall be given to candidates with a degree in blind
12or visually impaired education. degrees in both educational
13administration and blind or visually impaired education,
14together with at least 15 years of experience in either blind
15or visually impaired education, the administration of blind or
16visually impaired education, or a combination of the 2.
17    (b) In administering the Illinois School for the Deaf, the
18Department shall adopt an admission policy which permits day
19or residential enrollment, when resources are sufficient, of
20children with hearing disabilities who are able to take
21advantage of the regular educational facilities provided in
22the community and thus unqualified for admission under
23subsection (a). In doing so, the Department shall establish an
24annual deadline by which shall be completed the enrollment of
25children qualified under subsection (a) for admission to the
26Illinois School for the Deaf. After the deadline, the Illinois

 

 

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1School for the Deaf may enroll other children with hearing
2disabilities at the request of their parents or guardians if
3the Department determines there are sufficient resources to
4meet their needs as well as the needs of children enrolled
5before the deadline and children qualified under subsection
6(a) who may be enrolled after the deadline on an emergency
7basis. The Department shall adopt any rules and regulations
8necessary for the implementation of this subsection.
9    (c) In administering the Illinois School for the Visually
10Impaired, the Department shall adopt an admission policy that
11permits day or residential enrollment, when resources are
12sufficient, of children with visual disabilities who are able
13to take advantage of the regular educational facilities
14provided in the community and thus unqualified for admission
15under subsection (a). In doing so, the Department shall
16establish an annual deadline by which the enrollment of
17children qualified under subsection (a) for admission to the
18Illinois School for the Visually Impaired shall be completed.
19After the deadline, the Illinois School for the Visually
20Impaired may enroll other children with visual disabilities at
21the request of their parents or guardians if the Department
22determines there are sufficient resources to meet their needs
23as well as the needs of children enrolled before the deadline
24and children qualified under subsection (a) who may be
25enrolled after the deadline on an emergency basis. The
26Department shall adopt any rules and regulations necessary for

 

 

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1the implementation of this subsection.
2(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
 
3    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
4becoming law.