State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB1643eng

      210 ILCS 45/2-215 new
      625 ILCS 5/6-106.1        from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-106.1
          Amends the Nursing Home Care Act and  the  Vehicle  Code.
      Amends  the  Nursing Home Care Act to provide that facilities
      shall have the sheriff's  department  or  the  Department  of
      State  Police perform a criminal history record check for all
      employees.  Amends the  Vehicle  Code  to  provide  that  the
      sheriff's  department or the Department of State Police shall
      fingerprint school bus driver permit applicants  (instead  of
      having  the  applicant  submit fingerprints to the employer).
      Provides  that  the  sheriff's  department  may  conduct  the
      fingerprint  based  criminal  background  investigations   on
      school bus driver permit applicants.  Effective immediately.
                                                    LRB9000106NTsbA
HB1643 Engrossed                              LRB9000106NTsbA
 1        AN  ACT  concerning  criminal background checks, amending
 2    named Acts.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.  The  Health Care Worker Background Check Act
 6    is amended by adding Section 37 as follows:
 7        (225 ILCS 46/37 new)
 8        Sec. 37.  Authority to process fingerprints.  In addition
 9    to any private entity or agency authorized by the  Department
10    of  State  Police  to  obtain  and forward fingerprints of an
11    applicant or employee to the Department of State  Police  for
12    the  purpose of conducting a criminal history record check as
13    prescribed by this Act, a sheriff's department shall have the
14    authority to process applicant or employee fingerprints in  a
15    form  and  manner  as  prescribed  by the Department of State
16    Police.  A processing fee may be charged and retained  by  an
17    authorized  entity,  including  a  sheriff's  department,  in
18    addition  to  any  fee established by the Department of State
19    Police,  for  processing   fingerprints   pursuant   to   the
20    provisions of this Act.
21        Section  10.  The  Illinois  Vehicle  Code  is amended by
22    changing Section 6-106.1 as follows:
23        (625 ILCS 5/6-106.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-106.1)
24        Sec. 6-106.1.  School bus driver permit.
25        (a)  The Secretary of State  shall  issue  a  school  bus
26    driver  permit  to  those  applicants  who  have  met all the
27    requirements of the application and screening  process  under
28    this Section to insure the welfare and safety of children who
29    are  transported  on  school  buses  throughout  the State of
HB1643 Engrossed            -2-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1    Illinois.  Applicants shall  obtain  the  proper  application
 2    required  by the Secretary of State from their prospective or
 3    current employer and submit the completed application to  the
 4    prospective  or  current  employer  along  with the necessary
 5    fingerprint submission as required by the Department of State
 6    Police  to  conduct  fingerprint  based  criminal  background
 7    checks on current and future  information  available  in  the
 8    state  system  and  current information available through the
 9    Federal Bureau of  Investigation's  system.   Applicants  who
10    have  completed  the fingerprinting requirements shall not be
11    subjected to the fingerprinting  process  when  applying  for
12    subsequent   permits   or   submitting  proof  of  successful
13    completion of the annual refresher course.   Individuals  who
14    on  the effective date of this Act possess a valid school bus
15    driver  permit  that  has  been  previously  issued  by   the
16    appropriate Regional School Superintendent are not subject to
17    the  fingerprinting provisions of this Section as long as the
18    permit remains valid and  does  not  lapse.  Both  State  and
19    federal  fingerprint  cards of individuals seeking permits as
20    school bus drivers shall be transmitted to the Department  of
21    State Police electronically for processing and storage of the
22    fingerprint  cards.   All  applicants shall be electronically
23    fingerprinted by a sheriff's department or by an agent of the
24    Department of State Police or other  State  agency  providing
25    electronic   fingerprint   services  in  a  form  and  manner
26    prescribed by the Department of State Police.  The  applicant
27    shall  be  required to pay all related fees as established by
28    rule,  including  but   not   limited   to   the   electronic
29    fingerprinting  service  fee  and the fees established by the
30    Department  of   State   Police   and   Federal   Bureau   of
31    Investigation   for  processing  fingerprint  based  criminal
32    history  background  investigations.   Fees  associated  with
33    electronic fingerprinting shall be retained by the  sheriff's
34    department  if  it  performed  the  fingerprinting service or
HB1643 Engrossed            -3-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1    deposited in the State Police Services Fund if  an  agent  of
 2    the  State  performed  the electronic fingerprinting service.
 3    The  applicant  shall  be  required  to   pay   all   related
 4    application  and  fingerprinting fees as established by rule.
 5    including, but not limited to, the amounts established by the
 6    Department  of  State  Police  and  the  Federal  Bureau   of
 7    Investigation   to   process   fingerprint   based   criminal
 8    background  investigations.  All  fees  paid  for fingerprint
 9    processing services under this  Section  shall  be  deposited
10    into  the State Police Services Fund for the cost incurred in
11    processing  the   fingerprint   based   criminal   background
12    investigations.  All other fees paid under this Section shall
13    be  deposited into the Road Fund for the purpose of defraying
14    the costs of the Secretary of  State  in  administering  this
15    Section.  All applicants must:
16             1.  be 21 years of age or older;
17             2.  possess a valid and properly classified driver's
18        license issued by the Secretary of State;
19             3.  possess  a valid driver's license, which has not
20        been revoked or suspended, for 3 years immediately  prior
21        to the date of application;
22             4.  successfully  pass  a written test, administered
23        by the Secretary  of  State,  on  school  bus  operation,
24        school  bus  safety, and special traffic laws relating to
25        school buses and submit to a review  of  the  applicant's
26        driving  habits by the Secretary of State at the time the
27        written test is given;
28             5.  demonstrate ability to exercise reasonable  care
29        in the operation of school buses in accordance with rules
30        promulgated by the Secretary of State;
31             6.  demonstrate  physical  fitness to operate school
32        buses by submitting the results of a medical examination,
33        including tests for  drug  use  for  each  applicant  not
34        subject   to   such  testing  pursuant  to  federal  law,
HB1643 Engrossed            -4-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1        conducted by a licensed physician within 90 days  of  the
 2        date of application according to standards promulgated by
 3        the Secretary of State;
 4             7.  affirm under penalties of perjury that he or she
 5        has  not  made a false statement or knowingly concealed a
 6        material fact in any application for permit;
 7             8.  have  completed  an  initial  classroom  course,
 8        including first aid  procedures,  in  school  bus  driver
 9        safety  as  promulgated  by  the  Secretary of State; and
10        after satisfactory completion of said initial  course  an
11        annual  refresher  course; such courses and the agency or
12        organization conducting such courses shall be approved by
13        the Secretary of State; failure to  complete  the  annual
14        refresher  course,  shall  result  in cancellation of the
15        permit until such course is completed;
16             9.  not have been convicted of  2  or  more  serious
17        traffic  offenses,  as  defined  by rule, within one year
18        prior to the date of application that  may  endanger  the
19        life  or  safety of any of the driver's passengers within
20        the duration of the permit period;
21             10.  not have been convicted  of  reckless  driving,
22        driving while intoxicated, or reckless homicide resulting
23        from  the  operation of a motor vehicle within 3 years of
24        the date of application;
25             11.  not  have  been  convicted  of  committing   or
26        attempting  to  commit  any  one or more of the following
27        offenses:  (i) those offenses defined  in  Sections  9-1,
28        9-1.2,  10-1, 10-2, 10-3.1, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 10-7, 11-6,
29        11-9, 11-14, 11-15, 11-15.1, 11-16, 11-17, 11-18,  11-19,
30        11-19.1,  11-19.2,  11-20, 11-20.1, 11-21, 11-22, 12-4.3,
31        12-4.4,  12-4.5,  12-6,  12-7.1,  12-11,  12-13,   12-14,
32        12-14.1,  12-15,  12-16,  12-21.5,  12-21.6,  18-1, 18-2,
33        18-3, 18-4, 20-1, 20-1.1, 24-1,  24-1.1,  24-1.2,  31A-1,
34        31A-1.1,  and 33A-2, and in subsection (a) and subsection
HB1643 Engrossed            -5-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1        (b), clause (1), of Section 12-4 of the Criminal Code  of
 2        1961; (ii) those offenses defined in the Cannabis Control
 3        Act  except those offenses defined in subsections (a) and
 4        (b) of Section 4, and subsection (a) of Section 5 of  the
 5        Cannabis Control Act; (iii) those offenses defined in the
 6        Illinois  Controlled  Substances  Act;  (iv)  any offense
 7        committed or attempted in any other state or against  the
 8        laws   of  the  United  States,  which  if  committed  or
 9        attempted in this State would be  punishable  as  one  or
10        more  of the foregoing offenses; (v) the offenses defined
11        in Section 4.1 and 5.1 of the Wrongs to Children Act  and
12        (vi) those offenses defined in Section 6-16 of the Liquor
13        Control Act of 1934;
14             12.  not  have  been repeatedly involved as a driver
15        in motor vehicle collisions or been repeatedly  convicted
16        of  offenses  against  laws and ordinances regulating the
17        movement of traffic, to a degree which indicates lack  of
18        ability  to  exercise ordinary and reasonable care in the
19        safe operation of a motor vehicle or disrespect  for  the
20        traffic  laws  and  the  safety of other persons upon the
21        highway;
22             13.  not have, through the unlawful operation  of  a
23        motor  vehicle, caused an accident resulting in the death
24        of any person; and
25             14.  not  have,  within  the  last  5  years,   been
26        adjudged  to  be  afflicted  with  or  suffering from any
27        mental disability or disease.
28        (b)  A school bus driver permit  shall  be  valid  for  a
29    period  specified  by  the Secretary of State as set forth by
30    rule.  It shall not be renewable, but a new permit  shall  be
31    issued upon compliance with subsection (a) of this Section.
32        (c)  A   school  bus  driver  permit  shall  contain  the
33    holder's driver's license number, name,  address,  zip  code,
34    social security number and date of birth, a brief description
HB1643 Engrossed            -6-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1    of  the  holder  and a space for signature.  The Secretary of
 2    State may require a suitable photograph of the holder.
 3        (d)  The employer shall be responsible for  conducting  a
 4    pre-employment  interview  with prospective school bus driver
 5    candidates, distributing school bus driver  applications  and
 6    medical  forms  to  be completed by the applicant, and having
 7    the applicant electronically  fingerprinted  by  a  sheriff's
 8    department  or  an agent of the Department of State Police or
 9    other  State  agency  and  insuring  electronic  transmission
10    submitting  the  applicant's   fingerprint   cards   to   the
11    Department  of  State  Police  as  that  are required for the
12    criminal  background  investigations.   The  employer   shall
13    certify  in  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  State  that all
14    pre-employment conditions have  been  successfully  completed
15    including  the  successful completion of an Illinois specific
16    criminal background investigation through the  Department  of
17    State  Police and the submission of necessary fingerprints to
18    the Federal Bureau  of  Investigation  for  criminal  history
19    information   available   through   the   Federal  Bureau  of
20    Investigation  system.   The  applicant  shall  present   the
21    certification  to  the  Secretary  of  State  at  the time of
22    submitting the school bus driver permit application.
23        (e)  Permits  shall   initially   be   provisional   upon
24    receiving   certification   from   the   employer   that  all
25    pre-employment conditions have been  successfully  completed,
26    and   upon   successful   completion   of  all  training  and
27    examination  requirements  for  the  classification  of   the
28    vehicle   to  be  operated,  the  Secretary  of  State  shall
29    provisionally issue a School Bus Driver Permit.   The  permit
30    shall  remain  in a provisional status pending the completion
31    of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal  background
32    investigation  based  upon fingerprinting specimens submitted
33    to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by the  Department  of
34    State  Police.   The  Federal  Bureau  of Investigation shall
HB1643 Engrossed            -7-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1    report the findings directly to the Secretary of State.   The
 2    Secretary  of  State  shall remove the bus driver permit from
 3    provisional status upon the applicant's successful completion
 4    of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal  background
 5    investigation.
 6        (f)  A  school  bus driver permit holder shall notify the
 7    employer and the Secretary of State if he or she is convicted
 8    in another state of an offense that would  make  him  or  her
 9    ineligible for a permit under subsection (a) of this Section.
10    The  written  notification shall be made within 5 days of the
11    entry of the conviction.  Failure of  the  permit  holder  to
12    provide the notification is punishable as a petty offense for
13    a  first  violation and a Class B misdemeanor for a second or
14    subsequent violation.
15        (g)  Cancellation; suspension; notice and procedure.
16             (1)  The Secretary of State shall  cancel  a  school
17        bus   driver   permit  of  an  applicant  whose  criminal
18        background investigation discloses that he or she is  not
19        in  compliance  with  the provisions of subsection (a) of
20        this Section.
21             (2)  The Secretary of State shall  cancel  a  school
22        bus driver permit when he or she receives notice that the
23        permit  holder fails to comply with any provision of this
24        Section or any rule promulgated for the administration of
25        this Section.
26             (3)  The Secretary of State shall  cancel  a  school
27        bus  driver  permit  if  the  permit  holder's restricted
28        commercial or commercial driving privileges are withdrawn
29        or otherwise invalidated.
30             (4)  The Secretary of State may not issue  a  school
31        bus driver permit for a period of 3 years to an applicant
32        who  fails  to obtain a negative result on a drug test as
33        required in item 6 of subsection (a) of this  Section  or
34        under federal law.
HB1643 Engrossed            -8-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1             (5)  The  Secretary of State shall forthwith suspend
 2        a school bus driver permit for a period of 3  years  upon
 3        receiving  notice  that the holder has failed to obtain a
 4        negative result on a drug test as required in item  6  of
 5        subsection (a) of this Section or under federal law.
 6        The   Secretary   of   State   shall   notify  the  State
 7    Superintendent  of  Education   and   the   permit   holder's
 8    prospective  or  current  employer that the applicant has (1)
 9    has failed a criminal background investigation or (2)  is  no
10    longer  eligible  for  a school bus driver permit; and of the
11    related cancellation of the  applicant's  provisional  school
12    bus  driver  permit.  The cancellation shall remain in effect
13    pending the outcome of a hearing pursuant  to  Section  2-118
14    of  this  Code.  The scope of the hearing shall be limited to
15    the issuance criteria contained in  subsection  (a)  of  this
16    Section.   A petition requesting a hearing shall be submitted
17    to the Secretary of State and shall contain  the  reason  the
18    individual feels he or she is entitled to a school bus driver
19    permit.  The permit holder's employer shall notify in writing
20    to the Secretary of State that the employer has certified the
21    removal of the offending school bus driver from service prior
22    to  the start of that school bus driver's next workshift.  An
23    employing school board that fails  to  remove  the  offending
24    school  bus  driver  from service is subject to the penalties
25    defined in Section 3-14.23 of the School Code. A  school  bus
26    contractor  who  violates  a  provision  of  this  Section is
27    subject to the penalties defined in Section 6-106.11.
28        All valid school bus driver  permits  issued  under  this
29    Section  prior  to  January  1,  1995, shall remain effective
30    until their expiration date unless otherwise invalidated.
31    (Source:  P.A.  88-612,  eff.  7-1-95;  89-71,  eff.  1-1-96;
32    89-120, eff.  7-7-95;  89-375,  eff.  8-18-95;  89-428,  eff.
33    12-13-95; 89-462, eff. 5-29-96; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96.)
HB1643 Engrossed            -9-               LRB9000106NTsbA
 1        Section  99.   Effective  date.  This Act takes effect on
 2    January 1, 1998.

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