Congratulates Allana Chittick on being selected to receive the National Youth Leadership Award from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.
Amends the School Code. In provisions requiring certain contracts to be awarded by competitive bid, provides that the acceptance of bids sealed by a bidder and the opening of these bids at a public bid opening may be permitted by an electronic process for communicating, accepting, and opening competitive bids; requires certain safeguards. Imposes conditions on any rulemaking authority. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that Veterans Day honors the victory in all wars of all United States Armed Forces (now, United States Army, Navy, and Air Force).
Congratulates the students, alumni, staff, and administration of Lincoln Trail College in Robinson on the occasion of the college's 40th anniversary.
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall combine best practices and methods and programmatic functions of the Illinois Future Teacher Corps Program and the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching's Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program into one program, to be known as the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program and managed by the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that this consolidated program shall be fully operational before July 1, 2012 and that Fiscal Year 2012 shall be the last year that Illinois Future Teacher Corps scholarships are available. Provides for a transition period. Requires the Commission to transfer funding from the Illinois Future Teacher Corps Program to the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that following the completion of the transition of funding, all applications for scholarship assistance shall be in a form determined by the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that the eligibility requirements apply only to Illinois Future Teacher Corps scholarships. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district must not be certified by the State Board of Education to be in financial difficulty as a result of the failure of the Comptroller to disburse certain School Code reimbursements for receipt by the school district no later than June 30th of each year. Effective July 1, 2009.
Creates the Crossing of Railroad Right-of-way Act. Applies only to crossings of a railroad right-of-way that is owned by a land management company and not a registered rail carrier. Provides that public utilities that locate their facilities within the railroad right-of-way for a crossing shall pay the land management company a one-time standard crossing fee of $1,500 for each crossing. Provides special circumstances under which the standard crossing fee is not imposed. Provides that, if the parties cannot agree that special circumstances exist, the dispute shall be submitted to non-binding arbitration. Provides procedures for the non-binding arbitration and provides that, if the parties cannot resolve their dispute based on the arbitrator's recommendation within 30 days, either party may, upon the expiration of the 30-day period, give written notice to the other party of the commencement of a binding arbitration proceeding. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Authorizes a school board (or other eligible entity) to hold school or schedule teachers' institutes, parent-teacher conferences, or staff development on certain school holidays if (1) the person or persons honored by the holiday are recognized through instructional activities conducted on that day or, if the day is not used for student attendance, on the first school day preceding or following that day; and (2) the school board or other entity first holds a public hearing about the proposal. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2009.
Amends the School Code. Makes changes with respect to the establishment and purpose of a regional office of education advisory board by providing that, beginning July 1, 2009, a board shall be established within each region serving Class I counties or within each group of regions participating in an intergovernmental agreement for the provision of professional development to advise the regional superintendent of schools of the region or regions involved concerning the planning and delivery of professional development programs and services. Provides that a board shall consist of at least 9 members (instead of requiring that a board consist of 13 members). Makes changes concerning the qualifications, nomination, and selection of members. Removes a provision concerning a 4-year term for members. Makes changes concerning when the board must meet and the board's duties.
Amends the School Code. Authorizes Martinsville Community Unit School District 3C to issue bonds in not to exceed the amount of $4,000,000 for the purpose of paying the cost of acquiring and improving a school site and building and equipping a new school building on the site to replace all or a portion of a school building closed by the regional superintendent of schools because of flood damage. Allows the replacement building to be larger than the size of and offer more functions than the school building being replaced. Provides that the bonds may be issued without referendum, shall mature not more than 30 years from the date of issuance, and shall not be considered indebtedness for purposes of any statutory limitation if the bonds are issued in an amount or amounts, including existing indebtedness of the school district, not in excess of 18.5% of the value of the taxable property in the district to be ascertained by the last assessment for State and county taxes. Effective immediately.
