This deadline week was everything we expected. We almost moved all of our priority bills out of the House and Senate. One proposal that failed to meet the deadline was HB 350. We continue to encourage members to contact their legislators and enlighten them about the impact that the 3 percent salary limitation is having on their districts. Our focus is now on SB1952, which passed out of the Senate and will move on to the House after the two-week break.
Bills that passed out of the House chamber
HB190 Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago)
Each school district must provide a parent or guardian of an at-risk student with information about appropriate and available community-based or in-school academic support services; defines “at-risk student” and specifies what those services may include. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 91-22 and moves on to the Senate.
HB423 Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur)
Will make the provisions removing the requirement of passage of a test of basic skills applicable until June 30, 2025. Provides that, on or before July 1, 2025, the State Board of Education must reevaluate the method it uses to score a content area knowledge test and may adopt rules to make any changes to those methods. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 85-25 and moves on to the Senate.
HB254 Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago)
The State Board of Education must make available on its website information about actively employed teachers within each school district, pupil-teacher ratios for each school district, class instructors by grade level and subject in each school district, and class size in each school; defines terms. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 84-30 and moves on to the Senate.
HB1561 Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Streamwood)
The threat assessment team shall include specified personnel and other members. Provides that a threat assessment protocol adopted by the school board shall be a public document and be posted on the school district’s website. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 109-00 and moves on to the Senate.
HB2078 Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Collinsville)
Provides that in fixing the salaries of teachers, a school board shall pay those who serve on a full-time basis a rate not less than $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year, $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year, $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year, and $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 79-31 and moves on to the Senate.
HB2100 Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-Westchester)
The State Charter School Commission is abolished and the terms of all members end. Provides that all of the powers, duties, assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records and pending business of the Commission are transferred to the State Board of Education on that date. Provides for transfer of authorization to a local school board or boards. Makes related changes. Removes the appeal process and provides that final decisions of a local school board are subject to judicial review under the Administrative Review Law. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 72-33 and moves on to the Senate.
HB2263 Rep. Camille Lilly (D-Oak Park)
Provides that beginning in grade six, students should be introduced to the importance of developing and applying a work ethic in a variety of contexts; sets forth what this introduction may include. IEA was neutral on this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 69-39 and moves on to the Senate.
HB2700 Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Collinsville)
If any error is made in billing a TRS benefit recipient, the Department of Central Management Services shall identify the error and refund the overpaid amount as soon as practicable. Provides that a TRS benefit recipient who has overpaid shall be entitled to a refund of overpayments for up to seven years of past payments. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 113-0 and moves on to the Senate.
HB3096 Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-Cicero)
Provides that as an alternative to certain other procedures, a taxing district may increase its aggregate extension if the taxing district obtains referendum approval as provided in the amendatory Act. IEA opposes this bill. This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 113-0 and moves on to the Senate.
Bills that passed out of the Senate chamber
SB10 Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill)
Provides that in fixing the salaries of teachers, a school board shall pay those who serve on a full-time basis a rate not less than $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year, $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year, $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year, and $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 45-11 and moves on to the House.
SB29 Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake)
Creates the Illinois Energy Transition Zone Act. Provides for the certification by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity of municipal ordinances designating an area as an Energy Transition Zone. Makes changes to provisions of the introduced bill creating the Illinois Energy Transition Zone Act. Provides that a person employed in a full-time equivalent job must earn a wage that meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the locality in which the work is performed. IEA opposes this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 58-0 and moves on to the House.
SB39 Sen. John Mulroe (D-Chicago)
Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall extend the tax credit agreement to not more than 15 years and reduce the annual allocation to 60 percent of the maximum credit that would otherwise be available. Adds provisions allowing the credit to be carried forward. Provides that a person employed in a full-time equivalent job must earn a wage that meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the locality in which the work is performed. IEA opposes this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 58-0 and moves on to the House.
SB456 Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago)
Provides that a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender against Youth Database must be conducted by the school district or regional superintendent, as applicable, once for every five years an applicant remains employed by a school district. IEA is neutral on this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 57-0 and moves on to the House.
SB685 Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park)
Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on or after January 1, 2020, a referendum to increase the district’s aggregate extension for up to four consecutive levy years may be submitted to the voters. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 55-0 and moves on to the House.
SB1167 Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville)
Funds appropriated for the adult vocational community college scholarship program are insufficient to provide grants to each eligible applicant, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission may prioritize the distribution of grants based on factors that include an applicant’s financial need, duration of unemployment, prior level of educational attainment, or date of application. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 58-0 and moves on to the House.
SB1213 Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Westchester)
Each school district shall, in good faith cooperation with its teachers or, if applicable, through good faith bargaining with the exclusive bargaining representative of its teachers develop and implement an appeals process for “unsatisfactory” ratings that includes, but is not limited to, an assessment of the original rating by a panel of qualified evaluators agreed to by a joint committee that has the power to reevaluate and re-rate a teacher who appeals. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 40-16 and moves on to the House.
SB1226 Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Aurora)
The State Charter School Commission is abolished and the terms of all members end. Provides for transfer of authorization to a local school board or boards. Makes related changes. Removes the appeal process, and provides that final decisions of a local school board are subject to judicial review under the Administrative Review Law. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 40-11-1 and moves on to the House.
SB1287 Sen. Sue Rezin (D-Morris)
Provides that shared administrator services may not alter an individual school board’s authority to make decisions on behalf of a school district. Excludes principals and assistant principals from joint agreements to share services with other school districts. Specifies what other administrator services may be shared. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 34-4 and moves on to the House.
SB1346 Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville)
With respect to the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, provides that, beginning in assessment year 2019, the taxpayer’s household income shall be reduced by any amounts paid as Medicare premiums. IEA opposes this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 54-0 and moves on to the House.
SB1474 Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago)
Provides that it is the policy of the State that employers, employees and their labor organizations are free to bargain collectively. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 51-0. The Senate concurred and it is sent to the Governor to sign.
SB1642 Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago)
The curriculum of a driver education course must include instruction on bicycle and pedestrian safety, which must include, but is not limited to, instruction on how to safely pass a cyclist on the road. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 53-02-1 and moves on to the House.
SB1731 Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria)
Provides that if licensed school personnel or an administrator obtains mental health first aid training outside of an in-service training program, he or she may present a certificate of successful completion of the training to the school district to satisfy the training requirements. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 53-0 and moves on to the House.
SB1809 Sen. Donald DeWitte (D-West Dundee)
The Monetary Award Program (MAP), provides that, beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, an applicant who is otherwise eligible for grant assistance under the program may receive grant assistance for an additional academic year. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 56-1 and moves on to the House.
SB1919 Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights)
The Illinois Community College Board shall establish and administer a 21st Century Employment grant program. The board must give priority to plans that demonstrate a formal articulation agreement between a public high school and a community college district. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 56-0 and moves on to the House.
SB1952 Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill)
Requires an employer to make an additional employer contribution for a participant whose earnings for any academic year used to determine the final rate of earnings exceed the amount of his or her earnings with the same employer for the previous academic year by more than 6 percent (instead of 3 percent). It also removes the requirement of the passage of a test of basic skills for obtaining certain Professional Educator Licenses and Educator Licenses with Stipulations. An individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district designated as Tier 1 under the evidence-based funding formula may, after application to the State Board of Education, receive from the State Board a refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher performance assessment required to obtain his or her license and the individual may be paid and receive credit while student teaching. IEA supports this bill. This bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 51-5 and moves on to the House.
Important dates
A schedule for each chamber can be found on the General Assembly website.
Illinois House of Representatives Calendar for 2019
Illinois Senate Calendar for 2019
Next week
Both the Senate and House are on spring break for the next two weeks and will resume session April 30.
The Senate and House are scheduled to remain in session through May 31.