Public Act 1374 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4209 Enrolled LRB096 08833 NHT 18967 b

Public Act 096-1374

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 27-1.5 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-1.5 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2012)

Sec. 27-1.5. Instructional Mandates Task Force; moratorium.

(a) The General Assembly recognizes the increasing number of instructional mandates that it passes each year. The State Board shall create the Instructional Mandates Task Force.

(b) The Task Force shall consist of the following voting members:

(1) One member appointed by the Governor, who shall serve as chairperson of the Task Force.

(2) One member appointed by the President of the Senate.

(3) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(4) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(5) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(6) One member appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(7) One district superintendent from a rural district appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an organization representing school administrators.

(8) One district superintendent from a suburban school district appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an organization representing school administrators.

(9) One district superintendent from a urban school district appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an organization representing school administrators.

(10) One school principal appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an association representing school principals.

(11) One member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an association representing special education administrators.

(12) One member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an association representing school boards.

(13) One member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Chicago Board of Education.

(14) One member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an organization representing teachers.

(15) One member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of a different organization representing teachers.

(16) One member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of an organization representing parents and teachers.

Members appointed by the legislative leaders shall be appointed for the duration of the Task Force. In the event of a vacancy, the appointment to fill the vacancy shall be made by the legislative leader of the same chamber and party as the leader who made the original appointment.

(c) The Task Force shall explore and examine all instructional mandates governing the public schools of this State that currently exist and shall make recommendations concerning, but not limited to, the propriety of all existing mandates, the imposition of future mandates, and waivers of instructional mandates. The Task Force shall ensure that its recommendations include specifics as to the necessary funding to carry out identified responsibilities.

(d) The Task Force may begin to conduct business upon the appointment of a majority of the voting members.

(e) The State Board of Education shall be responsible for providing staff and administrative support to the Task Force.

(f) Members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their participation, but may be reimbursed by the State Board of Education for expenses in connection with their participation, including travel, if funds are available.

(g) The Task Force shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before July 1, 2011. The Task Force may submit other reports as it deems appropriate.

(h) The Task Force is abolished on July 2, 2011, and this Section is repealed on July 1, 2012.

(i) Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly and until one year after the Task Force submits a final report to the Governor and General Assembly, there shall be a moratorium on the passage of instructional mandates for public schools. For the purposes of this Section, "instructional mandate" means any State law that requires a school district to devote any amount of time to the instruction of or engagement by students in any subject or course.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

Effective Date: 7/29/2010