State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ House Amendment 001 ]

90_SB0569ccr001

                                           LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1                        90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 2                     CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT
 3                         ON SENATE BILL 569
 4    -------------------------------------------------------------
 5    -------------------------------------------------------------
 6        To the President of the Senate and  the  Speaker  of  the
 7    House of Representatives:
 8        We,  the  conference  committee appointed to consider the
 9    differences between the houses in relation to House Amendment
10    No. 1 to Senate Bill 569, recommend the following:
11        (1)  that the House recede from House  Amendment  No.  1;
12    and
13        (2)  that  Senate  Bill  569  be amended by replacing the
14    title with the following:
15        "AN ACT to amend the  School  Code  by  changing  Section
16    19-1."; and
17    by  replacing  everything  after the enacting clause with the
18    following:
19        "Section 5.  The  School  Code  is  amended  by  changing
20    Section 19-1 as follows:
21        (105 ILCS 5/19-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 19-1)
22        Sec. 19-1.  Debt limitations of school districts.
23        (a)  School   districts  shall  not  be  subject  to  the
24    provisions limiting their indebtedness prescribed in "An  Act
25    to  limit the indebtedness of counties having a population of
26    less than 500,000 and townships, school districts  and  other
27    municipal  corporations  having  a  population  of  less than
28    300,000", approved February 15, 1928, as amended.
29        No school districts maintaining grades K through 8  or  9
30    through  12  shall  become  indebted in any manner or for any
31    purpose to an amount, including existing indebtedness, in the
32    aggregate exceeding 6.9% on the value of the taxable property
                            -2-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1    therein to be ascertained by the last  assessment  for  State
 2    and  county  taxes or, until January 1, 1983, if greater, the
 3    sum that is produced by  multiplying  the  school  district's
 4    1978  equalized  assessed  valuation  by  the debt limitation
 5    percentage in effect on January  1,  1979,  previous  to  the
 6    incurring of such indebtedness.
 7        No school districts maintaining grades K through 12 shall
 8    become  indebted  in  any  manner  or  for  any purpose to an
 9    amount, including existing  indebtedness,  in  the  aggregate
10    exceeding  13.8% on the value of the taxable property therein
11    to be ascertained by the last assessment for State and county
12    taxes or, until January 1, 1983, if greater, the sum that  is
13    produced  by multiplying the school district's 1978 equalized
14    assessed valuation  by  the  debt  limitation  percentage  in
15    effect  on January 1, 1979, previous to the incurring of such
16    indebtedness.
17        Notwithstanding the provisions of any other  law  to  the
18    contrary,  in  any  case  in  which  the  voters  of a school
19    district have approved a  proposition  for  the  issuance  of
20    bonds  of  such  school district at an election held prior to
21    January 1, 1979, and  all  of  the  bonds  approved  at  such
22    election have not been issued, the debt limitation applicable
23    to  such  school district during the calendar year 1979 shall
24    be computed by multiplying  the  value  of  taxable  property
25    therein,  including  personal property, as ascertained by the
26    last assessment for State and county taxes, previous  to  the
27    incurring  of such indebtedness, by the percentage limitation
28    applicable to such school district under  the  provisions  of
29    this subsection (a).
30        (b)  Notwithstanding  the  debt  limitation prescribed in
31    subsection (a) of this Section, additional  indebtedness  may
32    be  incurred in an amount not to exceed the estimated cost of
33    acquiring or  improving  school  sites  or  constructing  and
34    equipping  additional building facilities under the following
35    conditions:
                            -3-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1             (1)  Whenever the enrollment  of  students  for  the
 2        next  school  year is estimated by the board of education
 3        to increase over the actual  present  enrollment  by  not
 4        less  than  35%  or  by not less than 200 students or the
 5        actual present enrollment of students has increased  over
 6        the  previous  school year by not less than 35% or by not
 7        less  than  200  students  and  the  board  of  education
 8        determines  that  additional  school  sites  or  building
 9        facilities are required as a result of such  increase  in
10        enrollment; and
11             (2)  When  the  Regional  Superintendent  of Schools
12        having jurisdiction over  the  school  district  and  the
13        State   Superintendent   of   Education  concur  in  such
14        enrollment projection or increase and  approve  the  need
15        for  such  additional school sites or building facilities
16        and the estimated cost thereof; and
17             (3)  When the voters in the school district  approve
18        a  proposition  for the issuance of bonds for the purpose
19        of acquiring or improving such  needed  school  sites  or
20        constructing   and   equipping   such  needed  additional
21        building facilities at an election called  and  held  for
22        that purpose. Notice of such an election shall state that
23        the  amount of indebtedness proposed to be incurred would
24        exceed the debt limitation otherwise  applicable  to  the
25        school  district.   The ballot for such proposition shall
26        state what percentage of the equalized assessed valuation
27        will be outstanding in bonds if the proposed issuance  of
28        bonds is approved by the voters; or
29             (4)  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of paragraphs
30        (1) through (3) of this subsection  (b),  if  the  school
31        board determines that additional facilities are needed to
32        provide  a  quality educational program and not less than
33        2/3 of those voting in an election called by  the  school
34        board  on  the question approve the issuance of bonds for
35        the construction of such facilities, the school  district
                            -4-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1        may issue bonds for this purpose.
 2        In  no  event shall the indebtedness incurred pursuant to
 3    this subsection (b) and  the  existing  indebtedness  of  the
 4    school  district  exceed  15%  of  the  value  of the taxable
 5    property therein to be ascertained by the last assessment for
 6    State and county taxes, previous to  the  incurring  of  such
 7    indebtedness  or,  until January 1, 1983, if greater, the sum
 8    that is produced by multiplying the  school  district's  1978
 9    equalized   assessed   valuation   by   the  debt  limitation
10    percentage in effect on January 1, 1979.
11        The indebtedness provided  for  by  this  subsection  (b)
12    shall  be  in  addition  to  and  in excess of any other debt
13    limitation.
14        (c)  Notwithstanding the debt  limitation  prescribed  in
15    subsection (a) of this Section, in any case in which a public
16    question  for  the  issuance  of  bonds  of a proposed school
17    district maintaining grades kindergarten through 12  received
18    at  least 60% of the valid ballots cast on the question at an
19    election held on or prior to November 8, 1994, and  in  which
20    the bonds approved at such election have not been issued, the
21    school  district  pursuant  to  the  requirements  of Section
22    11A-10 may issue the total amount of bonds approved  at  such
23    election for the purpose stated in the question.
24        (d)  Notwithstanding  the  debt  limitation prescribed in
25    subsection (a) of this Section, a school district that  meets
26    all  the criteria set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this
27    subsection (d) may incur an  additional  indebtedness  in  an
28    amount  not  to  exceed $4,500,000, even though the amount of
29    the additional indebtedness  authorized  by  this  subsection
30    (d),  when  incurred  and  added  to  the aggregate amount of
31    indebtedness of the district existing  immediately  prior  to
32    the district incurring the additional indebtedness authorized
33    by  this subsection (d), causes the aggregate indebtedness of
34    the  district  to  exceed  the  debt   limitation   otherwise
35    applicable to that district under subsection (a):
                            -5-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1             (1)  The  additional indebtedness authorized by this
 2        subsection (d) is incurred by the school district through
 3        the issuance  of  bonds  under  and  in  accordance  with
 4        Section  17-2.11a  for  the purpose of replacing a school
 5        building which, because of mine  subsidence  damage,  has
 6        been   closed  as  provided  in  paragraph  (2)  of  this
 7        subsection (d) or through the issuance of bonds under and
 8        in accordance  with  Section  19-3  for  the  purpose  of
 9        increasing  the  size  of,  or  providing  for additional
10        functions in, such replacement school buildings, or  both
11        such purposes.
12             (2)  The  bonds  issued  by  the  school district as
13        provided in  paragraph  (1)  above  are  issued  for  the
14        purposes  of construction by the school district of a new
15        school building pursuant to Section 17-2.11,  to  replace
16        an   existing  school  building  that,  because  of  mine
17        subsidence damage, is closed as of the end of the 1992-93
18        school  year  pursuant  to   action   of   the   regional
19        superintendent  of  schools  of  the  educational service
20        region in which the district  is  located  under  Section
21        3-14.22  or  are issued for the purpose of increasing the
22        size of, or providing for additional  functions  in,  the
23        new school building being constructed to replace a school
24        building  closed as the result of mine subsidence damage,
25        or both such purposes.
26        (e)  Notwithstanding the debt  limitation  prescribed  in
27    subsection  (a) of this Section, a school district that meets
28    all the criteria set forth in paragraphs (1) through  (5)  of
29    this   subsection  (e)  may,  without  referendum,  incur  an
30    additional indebtedness in an amount not to exceed the lesser
31    of $5,000,000 or 1.5% of the value of  the  taxable  property
32    within  the district even though the amount of the additional
33    indebtedness authorized by this subsection (e), when incurred
34    and added to the aggregate  amount  of  indebtedness  of  the
35    district existing immediately prior to the district incurring
                            -6-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1    that    additional   indebtedness,   causes   the   aggregate
 2    indebtedness of the  district  to  exceed  or  increases  the
 3    amount  by  which  the aggregate indebtedness of the district
 4    already exceeds the debt limitation otherwise  applicable  to
 5    that district under subsection (a):
 6             (1)  The  State  Board  of  Education  certifies the
 7        school district under Section  19-1.5  as  a  financially
 8        distressed district.
 9             (2)  The  additional indebtedness authorized by this
10        subsection (e) is incurred by the financially  distressed
11        district  during the school year or school years in which
12        the  certification  of  the  district  as  a  financially
13        distressed  district  continues  in  effect  through  the
14        issuance of bonds for the lawful school purposes  of  the
15        district,  pursuant to resolution of the school board and
16        without referendum, as provided in paragraph (5) of  this
17        subsection.
18             (3)  The  aggregate  amount  of  bonds issued by the
19        financially distressed district during a fiscal  year  in
20        which   it  is  authorized  to  issue  bonds  under  this
21        subsection does  not  exceed  the  amount  by  which  the
22        aggregate  expenditures  of  the district for operational
23        purposes during the  immediately  preceding  fiscal  year
24        exceeds  the  amount  appropriated  for  the  operational
25        purposes  of  the  district  in  the annual school budget
26        adopted by the school  board  of  the  district  for  the
27        fiscal year in which the bonds are issued.
28             (4)  Throughout    each   fiscal   year   in   which
29        certification of the district as a financially distressed
30        district continues in effect, the district  maintains  in
31        effect  a  gross  salary  expense  and gross wage expense
32        freeze policy under which the district  expenditures  for
33        total  employee  salaries  and  wages  do not exceed such
34        expenditures for the immediately preceding  fiscal  year.
35        Nothing  in  this  paragraph, however, shall be deemed to
                            -7-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1        impair  or  to  require  impairment  of  the  contractual
 2        obligations, including collective bargaining  agreements,
 3        of the district or to impair or require the impairment of
 4        the  vested  rights of any employee of the district under
 5        the terms of any contract or agreement in effect  on  the
 6        effective date of this amendatory Act of 1994.
 7             (5)  Bonds  issued  by  the  financially  distressed
 8        district  under  this subsection shall bear interest at a
 9        rate not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by law  at
10        the  time  of  the  making  of the contract, shall mature
11        within 40 years from their date of issue,  and  shall  be
12        signed by the president of the school board and treasurer
13        of  the  school  district.  In order to issue bonds under
14        this  subsection,  the  school  board   shall   adopt   a
15        resolution  fixing  the  amount of the bonds, the date of
16        the bonds, the maturities of  the  bonds,  the  rates  of
17        interest  of  the  bonds,  and their place of payment and
18        denomination,  and  shall  provide  for  the   levy   and
19        collection  of  a  direct annual tax upon all the taxable
20        property in the district sufficient to pay the  principal
21        and  interest  on the bonds to maturity.  Upon the filing
22        in the office of the county clerk of the county in  which
23        the  financially  distressed  district  is  located  of a
24        certified copy of the resolution, it is the duty  of  the
25        county  clerk  to  extend the tax therefor in addition to
26        and in excess of all other taxes at any  time  authorized
27        to  be levied by the district.  If bond proceeds from the
28        sale of bonds include a premium or if the proceeds of the
29        bonds are invested as authorized by law, the school board
30        shall determine by resolution whether the interest earned
31        on  the  investment  of  bond  proceeds  or  the  premium
32        realized on the sale of the bonds is to be used  for  any
33        of  the  lawful  school purposes for which the bonds were
34        issued or for the payment of the  principal  indebtedness
35        and interest on the bonds.  The proceeds of the bond sale
                            -8-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1        shall  be  deposited  in the educational purposes fund of
 2        the  district  and  shall  be  used  to  pay  operational
 3        expenses of the district.  This subsection is  cumulative
 4        and  constitutes  complete  authority for the issuance of
 5        bonds as provided in this subsection, notwithstanding any
 6        other law to the contrary.
 7        (f)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)  of
 8    this  Section or of any other law, bonds in not to exceed the
 9    aggregate  amount  of  $5,500,000  and  issued  by  a  school
10    district  meeting  the  following  criteria  shall   not   be
11    considered   indebtedness   for  purposes  of  any  statutory
12    limitation and  may  be  issued  in  an  amount  or  amounts,
13    including  existing indebtedness, in excess of any heretofore
14    or hereafter imposed statutory limitation as to indebtedness:
15             (1)  At the time of the  sale  of  such  bonds,  the
16        board  of education of the district shall have determined
17        by resolution that the  enrollment  of  students  in  the
18        district  is  projected  to  increase by not less than 7%
19        during each of the next succeeding 2 school years.
20             (2)  The board of education shall also determine  by
21        resolution  that the improvements to be financed with the
22        proceeds of the bonds are needed because of the projected
23        enrollment increases.
24             (3)  The board of education shall also determine  by
25        resolution that the projected increases in enrollment are
26        the result of improvements made or expected to be made to
27        passenger rail facilities located in the school district.
28        (g)  Notwithstanding  the provisions of subsection (a) of
29    this Section or any other law, bonds  in  not  to  exceed  an
30    aggregate  amount  of  25% of the equalized assessed value of
31    the taxable property of a school district  and  issued  by  a
32    school  district  meeting  the  criteria  in  paragraphs  (i)
33    through  (iv)  of  this  subsection  shall  not be considered
34    indebtedness for purposes of any statutory limitation and may
35    be issued pursuant to resolution of the school  board  in  an
                            -9-            LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1    amount or amounts, including existing indebtedness, in excess
 2    of  any  statutory  limitation  of indebtedness heretofore or
 3    hereafter imposed:
 4             (i)  The  bonds  are  issued  for  the  purpose   of
 5        constructing  a  new  high school building to replace two
 6        adjacent existing buildings which together house a single
 7        high school, each of which is more than 65 years old, and
 8        which together are located on more than 10 acres and less
 9        than 11 acres of property.
10             (ii)  At the time  the  resolution  authorizing  the
11        issuance   of   the   bonds   is  adopted,  the  cost  of
12        constructing  a  new  school  building  to  replace   the
13        existing  school building is less than 60% of the cost of
14        repairing the existing school building.
15             (iii)  The sale of the bonds occurs before  July  1,
16        1997.
17             (iv)  The  school  district  issuing  the bonds is a
18        unit school district located in a  county  of  less  than
19        70,000  and  more  than  50,000 inhabitants, which has an
20        average daily  attendance  of  less  than  1,500  and  an
21        equalized assessed valuation of less than $29,000,000.
22        (h)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section
23    or  the provisions of any other law, until January 1, 1998, a
24    community unit school district maintaining grades  K  through
25    12  may  issue  bonds  up  to  an  amount, including existing
26    indebtedness, not exceeding 27.6% of the  equalized  assessed
27    value  of the taxable property in the district, if all of the
28    following conditions are met:
29             (i)  The school district has an  equalized  assessed
30        valuation   for   calendar   year   1995   of  less  than
31        $24,000,000;
32             (ii)  The  bonds  are   issued   for   the   capital
33        improvement,  renovation,  rehabilitation, or replacement
34        of existing school buildings  of  the  district,  all  of
35        which buildings were originally constructed not less than
                            -10-           LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1        40 years ago;
 2             (iii)  The   voters   of   the  district  approve  a
 3        proposition for the issuance of the bonds at a referendum
 4        held after March 19, 1996; and
 5             (iv)  The bonds are issued pursuant to Sections 19-2
 6        through 19-7 of this Code.
 7        (i)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section
 8    or the provisions of any other law, until January 1, 1998,  a
 9    community  unit  school district maintaining grades K through
10    12 may issue  bonds  up  to  an  amount,  including  existing
11    indebtedness,  not  exceeding  27%  of the equalized assessed
12    value of the taxable property in the district, if all of  the
13    following conditions are met:
14             (i)  The  school  district has an equalized assessed
15        valuation  for  calendar   year   1995   of   less   than
16        $44,600,000;
17             (ii)  The   bonds   are   issued   for  the  capital
18        improvement, renovation, rehabilitation,  or  replacement
19        of  existing  school  buildings  of  the district, all of
20        which existing buildings were originally constructed  not
21        less than 80 years ago;
22             (iii)  The   voters   of   the  district  approve  a
23        proposition for the issuance of the bonds at a referendum
24        held after December 31, 1996; and
25             (iv)  The bonds are issued pursuant to Sections 19-2
26        through 19-7 of this Code.
27        (j)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section
28    or the provisions of any other law, until January 1, 1999,  a
29    community  unit  school district maintaining grades K through
30    12 located in a county of more than  240,000  but  less  than
31    260,000   inhabitants  may  issue  bonds  up  to  an  amount,
32    including existing indebtedness, not  exceeding  27%  of  the
33    equalized  assessed  value  of  the  taxable  property in the
34    district if all of the following conditions are met:
35             (i)  The school district has an  equalized  assessed
                            -11-           LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1        valuation   for   calendar   year   1995   of  less  than
 2        $140,000,000 $137,400,000 and a  best  3  months  average
 3        daily  attendance  for the 1995-96 1994-95 school year of
 4        at least 2,800, but less than 3,000;
 5             (ii)  The bonds are issued to purchase  a  site  and
 6        build  and  equip  a  new  high  school,  and  the school
 7        district's  for  the  capital  improvement,   renovation,
 8        rehabilitation,   or   replacement   of  existing  school
 9        buildings of the district, all  of  which  existing  high
10        school was buildings were originally constructed not less
11        than  35  80 years prior to the sale of the bonds ago, or
12        for the construction of new school facilities;
13             (iii)  At the time of the sale  of  the  bonds,  the
14        board  of  education  determines by resolution that a new
15        high school is needed  because  of  projected  enrollment
16        increases;
17             (iv  iii)  At  least  60%  of  those  voting  in  an
18        election  held  after December 31, 1996 The voters of the
19        district approve a proposition for the  issuance  of  the
20        bonds at a referendum held after December 31, 1996; and
21             (v  iv)  The  bonds  are issued pursuant to Sections
22        19-2 through 19-7 of this Code.
23    (Source: P.A.  88-376;  88-641,  eff.  9-9-94;  88-686,  eff.
24    1-24-95; 89-47, eff. 7-1-95;  89-661,  eff.  1-1-97;  89-698,
25    eff. 1-14-97.)
26        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
27    becoming law.".
                            -12-           LRB9005753THpkccr3
 1        Submitted on                     , 1998.
 2    ______________________________  _____________________________
 3    Senator Watson                  Representative Holbrook
 4    ______________________________  _____________________________
 5    Senator Cronin                  Representative Phelps
 6    ______________________________  _____________________________
 7    Senator O'Malley                Representative Hannig
 8    ______________________________  _____________________________
 9    Senator Berman                  Representative Stephens
10    ______________________________  _____________________________
11    Senator Collins                 Representative Churchill
12    Committee for the Senate        Committee for the House

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