Public Act 0720 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB6131 Enrolled LRB099 18542 NHT 42921 b

Public Act 099-0720

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 changing Section 27-24.2 and by adding Section 27-24.2a as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-24.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2)

Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course. Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of grades one through though 8, equivalent to one class period each week, and any school district which maintains grades 9 through 12 shall offer a driver education course in any such school which it operates. Its curriculum shall include content dealing with Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters insofar as they pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and the portions of the Litter Control Act relating to the operation of motor vehicles. The course of instruction given in grades 10 through 12 shall include an emphasis on the development of knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles, including motorcycles insofar as they can be taught in the classroom, and instruction on distracted driving as a major traffic safety issue. In addition, the course shall include instruction on special hazards existing at and required safety and driving precautions that must be observed at emergency situations, highway construction and maintenance zones, and railroad crossings and the approaches thereto. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the course shall also include instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with law enforcement. The course of instruction required of each eligible student at the high school level shall consist of a minimum of 30 clock hours of classroom instruction and a minimum of 6 clock hours of individual behind-the-wheel instruction in a dual control car on public roadways taught by a driver education instructor endorsed by the State Board of Education. Both the classroom instruction part and the practice driving part of such driver education course shall be open to a resident or non-resident student attending a non-public school in the district wherein the course is offered. Each student attending any public or non-public high school in the district must receive a passing grade in at least 8 courses during the previous 2 semesters prior to enrolling in a driver education course, or the student shall not be permitted to enroll in the course; provided that the local superintendent of schools (with respect to a student attending a public high school in the district) or chief school administrator (with respect to a student attending a non-public high school in the district) may waive the requirement if the superintendent or chief school administrator, as the case may be, deems it to be in the best interest of the student. A student may be allowed to commence the classroom instruction part of such driver education course prior to reaching age 15 if such student then will be eligible to complete the entire course within 12 months after being allowed to commence such classroom instruction.

Such a course may be commenced immediately after the completion of a prior course. Teachers of such courses shall meet the certification requirements of this Act and regulations of the State Board as to qualifications.

Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50, to students who participate in the course, unless a student is unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for such a student must be waived. However, the district may increase this fee to an amount not to exceed $250 by school board resolution following a public hearing on the increase, which increased fee must be waived for students who participate in the course and are unable to pay for the course. The total amount from driver education fees and reimbursement from the State for driver education must not exceed the total cost of the driver education program in any year and must be deposited into the school district's driver education fund as a separate line item budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school district's driver education fund must be used solely for the funding of a high school driver education program approved by the State Board of Education that uses driver education instructors endorsed by the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09; 97-145, eff. 7-14-11; revised 10-21-15.)

(105 ILCS 5/27-24.2a new)

Sec. 27-24.2a. Non-public school driver education course. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, any non-public school's driver education course shall include instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with law enforcement.

Section 10. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Section 6-419 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-419) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-419)

Sec. 6-419. Rules and Regulations. The Secretary is authorized to prescribe by rule standards for the eligibility, conduct and operation of driver training schools, and instructors and to adopt other reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The Secretary may adopt rules exempting particular types of driver training schools from specific statutory provisions in Sections 6-401 through 6-424, where application of those provisions would be inconsistent with the manner of instruction offered by those schools. The Secretary, in consultation with the State Board of Education, shall adopt course content standards for driver education for those persons under the age of 18 years, which shall include the operation and equipment of motor vehicles. After June 30, 2017, the course content standards for driver education provided by a driver training school to those persons under the age of 18 years shall include instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with law enforcement.

(Source: P.A. 96-740, eff. 1-1-10; 96-962, eff. 7-2-10; 97-229, eff. 7-28-11; 97-1025, eff. 1-1-13.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2017