Distributed via Email: February 11, 2010

LONGER WAIT TO SEE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET

As prescribed by law, Governor Pat Quinn was due to deliver his budget address to the General Assembly next week. The statute states that the budget message is slated for the third Wednesday in February. However, both the Senate and House of Representatives this week passed a bill, HB 2240 (Madigan, D-Chicago), which would push the budget address back to "the second Wednesday in March"; March 10 this year.

Legislators, state agencies, entities that provide services to the state, and, of course, the education community, are anxiously waiting to hear what the governor plans to do to address the budget shortfall and the Fiscal Year 2011 spending plan.

In the bill, however, provisions are added for more (and earlier) disclosure by the governor. According to the bill, by Feb. 24 the governor must file a written report with the Senate and the House that:

• lists the revenues for all budgeted funds for fiscal year 2010
• lists the expenditures for all budgeted funds for fiscal year 2010
• lists the estimated revenues for all budgeted funds for fiscal year 2011
• lists the anticipated liabilities for all budgeted funds (including the State's contributions to the pension systems) for fiscal year 2011

The bill also allows legislators and members of the public to make written budget recommendations to the Governor between Feb. 24 and March 10 and requires the governor to promptly make those recommendations available on the governor's Internet website.

"NO MANDATES" BILL RE-SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK

As reported in the last Alliance Legislative Report (96-44), a House committee was set to debate a bill designed to assist school districts with unfunded mandates placed on educators. The bill, however, was not called for discussion this week but is set for a hearing next week in the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. HB 4711 (Eddy, R-Hutsonville) provides that no school district is obligated to comply with any statutory or regulatory mandate or requirement unless a separate appropriation has been enacted into law providing funding for the school year during which such mandate is required.

A meeting was held Tuesday with Representatives Eddy and Chapa La Via (D-Aurora) and other education stake holders to address concerns that had arisen at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The ISBE is strongly opposed to the bill.

The bill, which now has 25 House co-sponsors, is expected to be amended to narrow the scope of the legislation. The Alliance is still working diligently in support of the bill.

BILL ACTION THIS WEEK

HB 4879 (Eddy) includes the number of pupils enrolled in early education programs in a school district's transportation reimbursement. The bill was approved by the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee and was sent to the House floor for consideration.

BILLS SCHEDULED FOR COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, Feb. 16, 4 p.m., Room 409, State Capitol

SB 2489 (Lightford, D-Maywood) requires a school district to allow a suspended student to attend an alternative school program, if available, for the duration of the suspension or expulsion.

SB 2499 (Noland, D-Elgin), for school districts located in more than one county that use an estimated equalized assessed value to calculate the limiting rate, it allows the ISBE to make estimated payments until the actual limiting rate becomes available.

SB 2507 (Wilhemi, D-Joliet) increases the debt limit for Wilmington 209U under certain circumstances.

SB 2537 (Maloney, D-Chicago), an Alliance initiative, allows for a general administrative endorsement if, among other conditions, the certificate holder has 2 years of chief school business official experience (as an alternative to requiring 2 years of full-time teaching experience or school service personnel experience). It provides that an endorsement for a chief school business official endorsement must include the requirement that the certificate holder has 6 semester hours of internship in school business management.

SR 560 (Lightford) creates the Task Force on Eliminating Racial Bias in Suspensions and Expulsions to examine the causes of the racial gap in suspension and expulsion rates and submit a report to the General Assembly by April 15.

HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 8:30 a.m., Room 114, State Capitol

HB 4780 (Chapa La Via), an Alliance initiative, extends the time period for allowing interfund transfers by three years (from June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2013). It allows a school district to transfer funds among the education fund, the operations and maintenance fund, and the transportation fund.

HB 5126 (Pihos, R-Glen Ellyn) prohibits specified information from becoming part of the pupil's record without the written consent of the pupil who disclosed the confidential information to the school counselor or school counselor intern. It provides that a school counselor or school counselor intern may not disclose information deemed to be confidential to the parents of the pupil when the school counselor or school counselor intern has reasonable cause to believe that the disclosure would result in a clear and present danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the pupil.

HB 5322 (Currie, D-Chicago) deletes language providing that before July 1, 2006 and after June 30, 2010, the ISBE shall provide the primary source of funding through appropriations for the grants for preschool educational program and the funds shall be distributed for the benefit of children who because of their home and community environment are subject to such language, cultural, economic and like disadvantages that they have been determined as a result of screening procedures to be at risk of academic failure.

HB 5450 (Nekritz, D-Northbrook) abolishes the Regional Office of Education in Cook County and transfers those responsibilities to the Educational Service Center.

HB 5481 (Kosel, R-New Lenox) allows for the funding of local gifted education programs by ISBE, through a request for proposals process, if funds are available for that purpose.

HJR 74 (Eddy) creates a Blue Ribbon Committee regarding state mandates on local school districts. The panel will review current mandates and submit a report by March 31 to make recommendations regarding the elimination of costly or unnecessary mandates on school districts.

SJR 68 (Collins, D-Chicago) encourages school districts to explore the introduction of Arabic as a foreign language in their curriculum.

HOUSE JUDICIARY I – CIVIL LAW COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 8:30 a.m., Room C-1, Stratton Office Building

HB 5138 (Osmond, R-Antioch) provides that, except for an act of willful or wanton misconduct, any employee of a school district who informs a student's parent or guardian of the need for the student to have occupational therapy shall have immunity from liability, whether civil or criminal or that otherwise might result by reason of such action.

HOUSE STATE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2 p.m., Room 114, State Capitol

HB 5154 (Chapa La Via) amends the Personnel Record Review Act to provide that disclosure of performance evaluations under the Act is prohibited. This would include all public employees, including all school district employees.

HB 5463 (Currie) amends the State Commemorative Dates Act to designate the first full week of each January as Emancipation Proclamation Week to honor and remember the work of Abraham Lincoln and others in emancipating Americans from slavery and in leading to the end of slavery in America.

HOUSE COUNTIES AND TOWNSHIPS COMMITTEE
Thursday, Feb. 18, 8:30 a.m., Room 115, State Capitol

HB 4945 (Mathias, R-Buffalo Grove) permits governmental units to authorize the treasurer of the governmental unit to join with the treasurers of other governmental units for the purpose of jointly investing the funds of which the treasurer has custody.

This 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 Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance.

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