Rep. Roger L. Eddy

Amends the Downstate Teachers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. States that the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois is a governmental plan. Provides that there may be no revision of trust funds or a return of employer contributions, unless permitted by statute. Specifies that a participant's rights to his normal retirement benefit is nonforfeitable on his attainment of retirement.

Amends the School Construction Law. Provides that with respect to a school district that (i) has an approved school construction project for which a grant entitlement was issued for Fiscal Year 2003 or any fiscal year thereafter, but a grant is not awarded until after Fiscal Year 2011 and (ii) passes a referendum at any time from the date of the amendatory Act through July 1, 2014 to reorganize or form a cooperative high school with one or more surrounding school districts, the grant index used to determine the district's grant amount must be 1.00; provided that the maximum amount of the grant must be the recognized project cost and the reorganization must result from either an elementary or high school district reorganizing into a unit school district or a unit school district reorganizing with one or more other unit school districts. Provides that the newly reorganized district, but not the cooperative high school itself, must have an enrollment of no less than 500 students. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall cancel the license or permit of any person under the age of 18 years who is convicted of violating the Section prohibiting the use of electronic communication devices while driving. Provides that after the cancellation, the Secretary may not issue a new license or permit for a period of 6 months after the date of cancellation or until the minor attains the age of 18 years, whichever is longer.

Amends the Teacher Certification Article of the School Code. Provides that an application for a certificate or evaluation of credentials must be accompanied by an evaluation fee of $30 payable to the regional superintendent of schools (instead of the State Superintendent of Education). Provides that the proceeds of the fee must be paid into the institute fund (instead of the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund). Effective July 1, 2011.

Proposes to amend the Executive Article of the Illinois Constitution. Eliminates the Offices of the Comptroller and Treasurer. Provides instead for a single Comptroller of the Treasury. Provides that the Comptroller of the Treasury shall (i) maintain the State's central fiscal accounts and order payments into and out of the funds held by him or her, (ii) be responsible for the safekeeping and investment of monies and securities deposited with him or her, and for their disbursement upon his or her order, and (iii) have the duties and powers that may be prescribed by law. No Comptroller or Treasurer shall be elected in 2014 and thereafter. Effective otherwise upon conclusion of the terms of the Comptroller and the Treasurer elected in 2010.

Amends the School Code. Repeals a Section requiring a school board to establish and maintain a mailing list to mail to those persons who request inclusion on the list copies of certain school board information.

Amends the State aid formula provisions of the School Code. With respect to the compilation of average daily attendance, provides that any student in grade 12 who graduates prior to completion of the grade 12 school year must be included in a school district's attendance figures for the whole school year, even though not in actual attendance because he or she has already graduated. Effective July 1, 2011.

Amends the Election Code. With respect to consolidated elections, returns the timeline for certain certifications and filings to what it was before the enactment of Public Act 96-1008. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that if a defendant suffers from a mental disability and is placed in the custody of the Department of Human Services, the defendant will not be placed in a secure setting if the defendant is charged with a misdemeanor and the Department determines that the defendant could be appropriately placed in a non-secure setting. Effective immediately.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Allows an additional 5 charter schools devoted exclusively to students from low-performing or overcrowded schools to operate at any one time in Chicago. Defines "low-performing school" and "overcrowded school". Effective immediately.