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| Public Act 099-0720 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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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
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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
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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:
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(625 ILCS 5/6-419) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-419)
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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
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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.
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(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.)
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