Public Act 097-0503
 
HB1216 EnrolledLRB097 07042 NHT 47135 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
11E-190 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/11E-190 new)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 31, 2013)
    Sec. 11E-190. School District Realignment and
Consolidation Commission.
    (a) The School District Realignment and Consolidation
Commission is established. The Commission shall consist of the
following voting members:
        (1) the Lieutenant Governor or his or her appointee,
    who shall serve as the Chairperson;
        (2) one member appointed by the State Board of
    Education;
        (3) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the
    Speaker of the House of Representatives;
        (4) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the
    Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
        (5) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the
    President of the Senate;
        (6) a member of the General Assembly appointed by the
    Minority Leader of the Senate;
        (7) a representative of a statewide professional
    teachers' organization appointed by the head of that
    organization;
        (8) a representative of a different statewide
    professional teachers' organization appointed by the head
    of that organization;
        (9) a representative of a statewide organization that
    represents school boards appointed by the head of that
    organization;
        (10) a representative of a statewide organization
    representing principals appointed by the head of that
    organization;
        (11) a representative of an organization representing
    professional teachers in a city having a population
    exceeding 500,000 appointed by the head of that
    organization;
        (12) a representative of an association representing
    school business officials appointed by the head of that
    association;
        (13) a representative of an association representing
    school administrators appointed by the head of that
    association;
        (14) a representative from the Chicago Board of
    Education appointed by the Chicago Board of Education;
        (15) a representative from an organization
    representing administrators of special education appointed
    by the head of that organization;
        (16) a representative from a statewide parent
    organization appointed by the head of that organization;
        (17) a representative from an organization
    representing high school districts appointed by the head of
    that organization;
        (18) a representative from a rural school district
    appointed by the Governor;
        (19) a representative from a suburban school district
    appointed by the Governor; and
        (20) a representative of an association that
    represents regional superintendents of schools appointed
    by the head of that association.
    Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be
reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from
funds appropriated for that purpose. Members shall be
reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the
State Board of Education available for that purpose and subject
to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.
    The Commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson,
with the initial meeting of the Commission being held as soon
as possible after the effective date of this amendatory Act of
the 97th General Assembly, and shall hold public hearings
throughout this State.
    The State Board of Education shall provide assistance and
necessary staff support services to the Commission.
    (b) The purpose of the Commission is to make
recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on the
number of school districts in this State, the optimal amount of
enrollment for a school district, and where consolidation and
realignment would be beneficial. The Commission's
recommendations must focus on all of the following areas:
        (1) Reducing the money spent on duplication of efforts.
        (2) Improving the education of students by having less
    obstacles between qualified teachers and their students.
        (3) Lowering the property tax burden.
        (4) Providing recommendations as to what the net cost
    savings of realignment is to this State.
        (5) Providing input to school districts on
    reorganization.
    (c) On or before July 1, 2012, the Commission must vote on
its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the
General Assembly. If the Commission adopts the report by an
affirmative vote of at least 11 of its members, then the
General Assembly must, within 14 days after the report is filed
by the Commission, vote on whether to accept the report by the
adoption of a resolution by a record vote of a majority of the
members elected in each house. If the General Assembly is not
in session on the day that the report is filed, then the
General Assembly must vote on whether to accept the report
within 14 days after the General Assembly convenes for the
first time after the report is filed. The Commission is
dissolved on the day after the report is filed with both the
Governor and the General Assembly.
    (d) This Section is repealed on January 31, 2013.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.