Distributed via Email: October 6, 2008

GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL ON CONTRACT BIDDING

Governor Rod Blagojevich signed a bill last week that increases the threshold by which school districts must use the competitive bidding process before approving business contracts. SB 2293 (Maloney, D-Chicago) is now Public Act 95-0990, effective Oct. 3. Previously a school district would have to award all contracts in excess of $10,000 to the lowest responsible bidder through a competitive bidding process. Now, a district must use the bidding process for expenditures in excess of $25,000.

For repair, maintenance, remodeling, or construction projects, the threshold is increased from $20,000 to $50,000. The bill also increases the bidding threshold for community college districts.

SB 2293 was an initiative of the Alliance. The complete text of the legislation can be accessed here.

LEGISLATORS BUSY AT HOME

As was reported in the last Alliance Legislative Report 95-79, the Illinois House of Representatives had returned to the Capitol in September to work on budget issues and bills vetoed by the governor. The Senate, then, returned to Springfield later in September to consider those issues sent to it by the House.

Both chambers voted to override the governor's veto on the new ethics legislation (HB 824) so that bill is now law without the governor's recommended changes. Likewise, both chambers approved bills to add funding back to the FY '09 State budget in an effort to avoid the closing of several state parks and state historic sites. Those bills (SB 790 and SB 1103) are pending the governor's action.

Neither chamber is scheduled to be in session until Nov. 12. Lawmakers are home now in their districts – mostly shifting to "campaign mode" as the Nov. 4^th General Election nears. All members of the House of Representatives are up for election as are one third of the members of the State Senate. In addition, there are 270 questions on the ballot affecting various legislative and taxing districts throughout the state. And the ballot question of whether or not the state should convene a Constitutional Convention will be decided by all voters in the state.

PENDING RULES ON FOOD SERVICE; LIBRARIES

Several months ago the Alliance reported that the Illinois State Board of Education submitted new rules regarding school food service and "junk food" to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). The new rules were even more stringent than the rules currently in operation (see Alliance Legislative Reports 95-52, 95-53, 95-63). The proposed rule then differentiated between the allowable foods and beverages for a fifth grader versus those allowed for a sixth grader. These provisions have been removed from the proposal.

The Oct. 3 issue of the Illinois Register noted that the ISBE submitted a second notice for the rules, which is the last step before consideration by JCAR. This notice, however, contains an amended version of the original rule which removes all of the more restrictive standards that were proposed in the spring. ISBE members voted at their last meeting not to put forward the new, more restrictive standards. The Alliance has, therefore, removed its opposition.

The rule proposal as currently drafted can be accessed at: http://www.isbe.net/rules/proposed/pdfs/305wf.pdf

Another rule that was posted in the Sep. 12 issue of the Illinois Register addresses libraries that receive literacy grants from the secretary of state's (SOS) office. Due to a decrease in the appropriation for grant monitoring in the Fiscal Year 2010 budget, the SOS office is proposing a rule that would allow site visits to be made "in person, by phone, or by electronic means." The proposed rule also includes the ability of the SOS to do "announced or unannounced" visits. The "unannounced" visits, while not a problem for most libraries, pose a significant concern for schools – such as a breach in the school's security procedures and a disruption in the school day for students, teachers, and administrators.

The complete rule proposal can be found in the Illinois Register on line at:

http://ilsos.net/departments/index/register/register_volume32_issue37.pdf ; scroll down to page 93.

If concerns emerge regarding this proposed rulemaking, you are encouraged to send written comments to the secretary of state's office at:

Joseph Natale
Rules Coordinator
Illinois State Library
Gwendolyn Brooks Building
Springfield, IL 62701-1796
217/558-4185; jnatale@ilsos.net

HB 953 (Lang, D-Skokie) mandates that health insurance policies cover visits to marriage therapists. The Senate overrode the governor's amendatory veto and the bill becomes law without the governor's changes. The bill is now Public Act 95-0972, effective Sep. 22.

HB 1432 (Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates) mandates that health insurance policies cover mental disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. The Senate overrode the governor's amendatory veto and the bill becomes law without the governor's changes. The bill is now Public Act 95-0973, effective Jan. 1, 2009.

HB 4527 (Lang) provides increased grant amounts to public libraries and school libraries. The Senate overrode the governor's amendatory veto and the bill becomes law without the governor's changes. The bill is now Public Act 95-0976, effective Sep. 22.

HB 4602 (Beiser, D-Alton) mandates that health insurance policies cover the shingles vaccine. The Senate overrode the governor's amendatory veto and the bill becomes law without the governor's changes. The bill is now Public Act 95-0978, effective Jan. 1, 2009.

SB 2190 (Link, D-Vernon Hills), in the Election Code's definitions of local and state political committees, provides that the acceptance or expenditure of more than $3,000 in support of or opposition to a question of public policy refers to such an amount accepted or expended for the purpose of securing a place on the ballot for the question, for advocating the defeat or passage of the question, or for engaging in electioneering communication with regard to the question, regardless of the manner in which the question is initiated and regardless of whether petitions have been circulated or filed with the appropriate office or whether the question has been adopted and certified by the governing body. The Senate overrode the governor's amendatory veto and the bill becomes law without the governor's changes. The bill is now Public Act 95-0963, effective Jan. 1, 2009.

SB 2685 (Delgado, D-Chicago) requires teachers' institutes to include instruction on prevalent student chronic health conditions beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. The Senate overrode the governor's amendatory veto and the bill becomes law without the governor's changes. The bill is now Public Act 95-0969, effective Jan.1, 2009.

The legislative report is written and edited by the lobbyists of the Illinois Association of School Boards to provide information to the members of the organizations that comprise the Statewide School Management Alliance.

General Assembly Bill Text/Status

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