Distributed via Email: February 11, 2011
FISCAL YEAR 2012 BUDGET WORK TO BEGIN
Governor Pat Quinn will deliver his budget Address Wednesday before a joint session of the Illinois House and Senate. The message will include the governor’s spending priorities for Fiscal Year 2012. It is the legislature, however, that has the ultimate authority to adopt the state budget. Though there will be additional funds available in FY ’12 because of the recent increase in the income tax rates, legislative leaders have indicated that there will be little support for new state programs or increased spending. The first priority will likely be paying down a state deficit of around $13 billion.
It will also be interesting to gauge the support of the governor and the legislature regarding the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) budget recommendation for the coming fiscal year. The ISBE has recommended that spending for elementary and secondary education be increased by over $700 million above the FY ’11 appropriation level. This would include a nearly $300 per pupil increase in the foundation level and full funding of mandated categorical grants – including transportation. More insight on the governor’s budget priorities can be found on the website for the governor’s Office of Management and Budget at: http://www.state.il.us/budget/Three%20Year%20Projection%201.20.11.pdf
In the weeks after the governor’s budget address, both chambers of the legislature will hold appropriations committee hearings in order to shape the final budget.
BILLS SCHEDULED FOR COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 10:45 a.m., Room 212, State Capitol
Subject Matter: Registration of Home-Schooled Students in Illinois
SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 1:30 p.m., Room 212, State Capitol
SB 3 (Cullerton, D-Chicago) is the re-introduction of the borrowing bill that was to accompany the income tax increase bill that was approved last month. It allows the state to issue $8.75 billion in bonds with receipts earmarked for paying down state debt. The bonds will be paid off with receipts of the income tax increase. Last month, SB 336 contained this language but the bill failed in the House of Representatives.
SB 29 (Lauzen, R-Aurora) applies the “Tier II” pension benefits structure (that apply to TRS members who become part of the pension system on or after January 1, 2011) to current TRS members as of July 1, 2011.
SB 36 (Murphy, R-Palatine) creates the Pension Funding and Fairness Act. It caps state spending, tying spending to an inflationary index and requires a 3/5 vote by the legislature to increase state revenues. The bill requires that the full pension payment be the first appropriation made each year.
SB 78 (Murphy) would repeal the income tax increase that took affect this year, rolling the income tax rates back to 3% for individuals and 4.8% for corporations.
SB 105 (Lauzen) requires current participants in the state-funded pension and retirement systems (including TRS) to make a one-time, irrevocable election of one of the following: (i) remain in the traditional benefit package of the retirement system but pay a significantly higher contribution rate, (ii) become part of the “Tier II” benefits structure that apply to TRS members who become part of the pension system on or after Jan. 1, 2011, or (iii) opt into a self-managed plan.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Feb. 16, 8:30 a.m., Room 114, State Capitol
HB 12 (Cole, R-Lake Villa) allows school energy efficiency grants to be made available to special education cooperatives.
HB 137 (Ford, D-Chicago) requires the ISBE to adopt rules for the elimination of vegetable oils containing trans fats in foods served in public school cafeterias beginning on July 1, 2016 and for the elimination of all foods containing trans fats from public schools beginning on July 1, 2017.
HB 140 (Ford) requires the ISBE to establish a standard student expulsion policy that applies to each school district in the state.
HB 189 (Eddy, R-Hutsonville) provides that, with respect to any state statute or administrative rule that defines a general education classroom to be composed of a certain percentage of students with individualized education programs (IEPs), students with IEPs shall exclude students receiving only speech services outside of the general education classroom.
HB 190 (Eddy) allows an additional five charter schools devoted exclusively to students from low-performing or overcrowded schools to operate at any one time in Chicago.
HB 192 (Eddy) amends the Stalking No Contact Order Act to provide that under no circumstances shall a stalking no contact order, civil no contact order, or order of protection, require a school district to prohibit entrance of a respondent student where the respondent student is the recipient of special education services pursuant to an IEP.
HB 200 (Cross, R-Oswego) requires a school board to work in concert with the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) to develop guidelines regarding athlete concussions and head injuries. It requires school districts to adopt a policy requiring a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game to be removed from competition at that time, and be ineligible to return until he/she is evaluated by a physician and receives written clearance to return to play. The bill also requires a concussion and head injury information sheet to be signed and returned by a student athlete and the athlete's parent or guardian prior to the student athlete's initiating practice or competition.
HB 287 (Flowers, D-Chicago) requires the formation of a legislative “Committee on the Retention of Students” and requires a school district to submit to the committee the names of all students determined by the school district to not qualify for promotion to the next higher grade and the reason for that determination. The committee shall review the school district's decision to retain with respect to each student and shall make the final decision regarding whether or not to retain a particular student.
HB 292 (Flowers) requires school districts to provide instruction in grades K-12 in relation to the laws regarding the operation of all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles.
HB 1071 (Pihos, R-Glen Ellyn) increases from $50 to $250 the maximum fee that a school district may charge to a student who participates in a driver education course.
HB 1083 (Tryon, R-Crystal Lake) provides that if a child or the child's parent requests a change or additional services under the child's IEP and school personnel deny that request, then the child's parent may appeal the denial to the school board and the school board shall establish an IEP appeals board to meet with the child's parent, review the denial, and make a final decision regarding the change or additional services.
HOUSE CIVIL LAW COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Feb. 16, 8:30 a.m., Room C-1, Stratton Office Building
HB 293 (Durkin, R-LaGrange) repeals the Section of the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act that requires the observance of a brief period of silence in the classroom.
HOUSE STATE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2p.m., Room 114, State Capitol
HB 152 (Davis, M., D-Chicago) creates the Department of Education, a cabinet-level agency under the direct supervision of the governor. It requires that the ISBE and the Board of Higher Education report directly to the new Department of Education.
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.
Bill Text/Status: Illinois General Assembly www.ilga.gov
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