Distributed via Email: July 15, 2010

NEW ACT TO CHANGE ELECTION DATE SCHEDULE

Governor Pat Quinn last week signed a bill that will alter filing deadlines and important dates for upcoming elections. SB 3012 (Link, D-Vernon Hills) makes numerous changes to the Election Code. Among the many changes are the deadlines for filing nomination, public question, and objector petitions and for an election authority's various candidate and ballot certification duties. The bill is now Public Act 96-1008, effective July 6, 2010.

This will change the dates and timelines for this fall’s General Election and next year’s school board election.

Generally, it moves up due dates for nominating petitions and election certifications, and moves up by two weeks the date by which a public policy question must be acted upon by elected boards to be put on the ballot.

School districts considering a public policy question or referendum for the upcoming Nov. 2, 2010 General Election must now adopt the resolution 79 days (instead of 65 days) prior to the election date. Seventy-nine days before Nov. 2, 2010 is Sunday, Aug. 15, 2010. The date to certify ballot questions to the election authority has NOT changed and remains Sep. 2, 2010, “not less than 61 days before a regularly scheduled election” (10 ILCS 5/28-5).

The full text of the Act can be found HERE

The Alliance is working on a calendar with the new election dates, but must wait for official word from the Illinois State Board of Elections. Once the new schedule is complete, it will be provided to Alliance members.

OTHER BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW

HB 4797 (Mautino, D-Spring Valley) extends the special property valuation procedures for wind energy devices through assessment year 2016 (instead of 2011). The bill is now Public Act 96-1036, effective Jan. 1, 2011.

HB 4945 (Mathias, R-Buffalo Grove) permits governmental units to authorize their treasurer to join with the treasurers of other governmental units for the purpose of jointly investing the funds of which the treasurer has custody. The bill is now Public Act 96-0964, effective July 2, 2010.

HB 5157 (Jakobsson, D-Urbana) repeals a provision permitting the filing of "temporarily absent student" notices with election authorities for the purpose of absentee voting. It further provides that only election judges entitled to vote may make the required deliveries of post-election tally sheets and certificates of results to the election authority. The bill is now Public Act 96-1003, effective July 6, 2010.

HB 5511 (Eddy, R-Hutsonville) provides that the governing board of Paris Cooperative High School shall be included within the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund as a participating instrumentality. It provides that, if the governing board of Paris Cooperative High School is unable to pay the required employer contributions to the fund, then the school districts shall make payment of required contributions. The bill is now Public Act 96-1046, effective July 14, 2010.

SB 2537 (Maloney, D-Chicago) , an Alliance initiative, provides that an endorsement for a chief school business official must include the requirement that the certificate holder has six semester hours of internship in school business management. The bill is now Public Act 96-0982, effective Jan. 1, 2011.

SB 3515 (Garrett, D-Lake Forest) , an Alliance initiative, makes technical “clean-up” changes to the School Code in the areas of: school treasurer payments, school board member interest in contracts, school board member's oath of office, suspension of students, and educational support personnel employee pay. The bill is now Public Act 96-0998, effective July 2, 2010.

SB 3608, (Demuzio, D-Carlinville) bill removes the provision requiring a consumer education proficiency test. The bill is now Public Act 96-1061, effective July 1, 2010.

SB 3658 (Demuzio) establishes a sales tax “holiday” for those buying “back to school” supplies. It eliminates the 5% sales tax on school supplies and certain clothing from August 6-15. No action was taken. The bill is now Public Act 96-1012, effective July 7, 2010.

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 Statewide School Management Alliance.

Bill Text/Status: Illinois General Assembly

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