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As we ring in the New Year,
I thought it might be good to
give our school administrators
an overview of some of the new
public education laws that took
effect January 1, 2014.
Here are thumbnail sketches of
some of the new laws that might
affect schools:
SB 923:
Establishes that
school districts may elect to
have cameras on their school
buses to track drivers who pass
stopped school buses that have
their arms extended.
HB 64:
Makes it illegal for schools to ask
for or demand a student’s social
networking password without cause;
requires
parental
notification
for
elementary and secondary school
students.
HB 129:
Permits school boards to
designate the first Monday in October
each year as “Bring Your Parents to
School Day” to promote parental
involvement.
HB 160:
Extends the time period school
districts (other than CPS) have to transfer
money between specified funds from
June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2016. Allows
the school board of any school district
that is subject to the Property Tax
Extension Limitation Law, that has a
population of less than 500,000
inhabitants, that is levying at its maximum
tax rate, whose total equalized assessed
valuation has declined 25% in the prior 2
years, and in which 75% or more of its
students receive free or reduced-price
lunch to annually transfer money from any
fund of the district to any other fund of the
district by proper resolution following a
public hearing set by the school board or
the president of the school board, with
notice, so long as the district meets the
qualifications set forth in this provision at
the time a given transfer is made.
HB 490:
Requires those seeking
Professional Educator License to pass a
basic skills test after completing an
educator preparation program instead of
requiring the test before entering an
educator preparation program.
HB 2768:
Increases the interaction
between a school’s principal and law
enforcement agencies involving gang
activities by making it the responsibility of
the principal to utilize resources of the
proper law enforcement agencies when
the safety and welfare of students and
teachers are threatened by illegal use or
possession of weapons or by illegal gang
activity.
HB 3190:
Requires proof of meningitis
vaccination for students entering 6
th
and
12
th
grades.
Another bill,
HB 226
, does not directly
affect schools, but could affect certain
students. The bill allows 17-year-olds to
vote in the primary if they will be 18 year
of age by the following general election,
meaning that 17-year-olds who will turn
18 by November 4, 2014 will be eligible to
vote in the March 18, 2014 primary.
The General Assembly’s first General Session
day is scheduled for January 29, the day of Governor
Pat Quinn’s “State of the State” address. The
governor’s budget address is scheduled for
Wednesday, February 19.
Gaveling in the New Year: Thumbnail
look at laws affecting public education
Diane Hendren
Director of
Governmental
Relations