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90_HB2395
New Act
105 ILCS 5/2-3.123 new
Creates the Dissection Alternatives Act and amends the
School Code. Provides that schools may excuse a student from
performing or observing dissection and may allow the student
to instead perform an alternative project. Provides that
students may not be penalized for refusing to participate in
or observe dissection. Directs the State Board of Education,
the Illinois Community College Board, and the Board of Higher
Education to provide sources of information about
alternatives to dissection and guidelines for notifying
students and parents about courses that include dissection.
First applies to the 1998-1999 academic year. Effective
immediately.
LRB9007701EGfg
LRB9007701EGfg
1 AN ACT in relation to alternatives to dissection.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Dissection Alternatives Act.
6 Section 5. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act,
7 unless the context otherwise requires:
8 "Student" means (i) a pupil at a public or private
9 elementary or secondary school in Illinois, (ii) a student at
10 an Illinois community college, or (iii) an undergraduate
11 student at a public or private college or university in
12 Illinois.
13 "Teacher" means a person who is teaching (i) at a public
14 or private elementary or secondary school in Illinois, (ii)
15 at an Illinois community college, or (iii) undergraduate
16 students at a public or private college or university in
17 Illinois; regardless of whether that teaching is on a
18 full-time or part-time, temporary or permanent, or regular or
19 substitute basis.
20 "Dissection" includes cutting, killing, inspecting,
21 touching, handling, preserving, mounting, or other
22 manipulation of living or dead animals or animal parts for
23 scientific study; but does not include the cutting,
24 inspecting, touching, handling, preserving, mounting, or
25 other manipulation of (1) meat or other animal products that
26 have been processed for use as food or in the preparation of
27 food or (2) wool, silk, glue, or other commercial or artistic
28 products derived from animals.
29 Section 10. Alternative student projects. A school may
30 excuse a student enrolled in a course in which students are
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1 ordinarily expected to perform, participate in, or observe
2 dissection who objects for any reason to performing,
3 participating in, or observing that dissection and instead
4 allow the student to complete an alternative project. The
5 alternative project should be nonpunative and should be
6 reasonably chosen to provide the student, through means other
7 than dissection, with knowledge similar to that expected to
8 be gained by other students in the course who perform,
9 participate in, or observe the dissection. In the case of a
10 student in a public elementary or secondary school, the
11 alternative project should be consistent with any guidelines
12 for alternative projects that have been adopted by the State
13 Board of Education.
14 Section 15. Guidelines for notification of students and
15 parents.
16 (a) The State Board of Education shall develop and make
17 available guidelines that may be used by the public
18 elementary and secondary schools within this State to give
19 appropriate notice of the following to students and their
20 parents or legal guardians:
21 (1) Which, if any, of the courses taught at the
22 school ordinarily require or allow the student to
23 perform, participate in, or observe dissection.
24 (2) Whether or not the school makes available to
25 students the opportunity to complete an alternative
26 project.
27 (b) The Illinois Community College Board shall develop
28 and make available guidelines that may be used by the public
29 community colleges of this State for the purpose of providing
30 to community college students the notifications described in
31 subsection (a).
32 (c) The Board of Higher Education shall develop and make
33 available guidelines that may be used by the public and
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1 private colleges and universities of this State for the
2 purpose of providing to their students the notifications
3 described in subsection (a).
4 Section 20. Information concerning dissection
5 alternatives.
6 (a) The Illinois Community College Board shall make
7 available to public community colleges sources of information
8 concerning alternatives to the dissection of animals. Such
9 information may include, but need not be limited to, names,
10 addresses, and contact personnel of organizations that offer
11 free instructional and teaching materials as alternatives to
12 dissection.
13 (b) The Board of Higher Education shall make available
14 to public and private colleges and universities sources of
15 information concerning alternatives to the dissection of
16 animals. Such information may include, but need not be
17 limited to, names, addresses, and contact personnel of
18 organizations that offer free instructional and teaching
19 materials as alternatives to dissection.
20 Section 25. Discrimination prohibited. A student may
21 not be penalized or discriminated against in any way for
22 refusing to perform, participate in, or observe dissection.
23 Section 90. The School Code is amended by adding Section
24 2-3.123 as follows:
25 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.123 new)
26 Sec. 2-3.123. Dissection alternatives. The State Board
27 of Education shall make available to school districts sources
28 of information concerning alternatives to the dissection of
29 animals. Such information may include, but need not be
30 limited to, names, addresses, and contact personnel of
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1 organizations that offer free instructional and teaching
2 materials as alternatives to dissection.
3 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
4 becoming law and first applies to the 1998-1999 academic
5 year.