Creates the Seizure Smart School Act. Provides for legislative findings and defines terms. Requires the parent or guardian of a student with epilepsy who seeks assistance with epilepsy-related care in a school setting to submit a seizure action plan with the student's school. Provides that a delegated care aide shall perform the activities and tasks necessary to assist a student with epilepsy in accordance with the student's seizure action plan. Requires training for school employees and delegated care aides. Requires that an information sheet be provided to any school employee who transports a student with epilepsy to a school-sponsored activity. Provides that a school district may not restrict the assignment of a student with epilepsy to a particular school on the basis that the school does not have a full-time school nurse and a school may not deny a student access to the school or any school-related activity on the basis that the student has epilepsy. Provides for school employee protection against retaliation, immunity, and rights under federal law. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code to make a related change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. House Committee Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Makes a change to the legislative findings. Changes the definition of "delegated care aide" to mean a school employee or paraprofessional who has agreed to receive training in epilepsy and assist a student in implementing his or her seizure action plan and who has entered into an agreement with a parent or guardian of that student. Limits the definition of "school employee" to include, among other persons, a person who is employed by a school district or school as a principal, administrator, guidance counselor, or teacher. Provides that the training of a delegated care aide shall include consultation with the student's parent or guardian and may include consultation with an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America and training for school employees must be provided annually through approximately one hour of self-study review approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America or by an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America (rather than requiring training for school employees and delegated care aides to be provided by a trained health care provider with an expertise in epilepsy). Removes a provision requiring the principal of a school to coordinate the training of all delegated care aides. Provides that, if applicable, a seizure action plan (rather than an information sheet) must be provided to any school employee who transports a student with epilepsy to a school-sponsored activity; makes a conforming change. Requires a school employee to be in compliance with the training provisions of the Act in order to have immunity. Adds an effective date of July 1, 2020. House Floor Amendment No. 4 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill as amended by House Amendment No. 3 with the following changes. Provides that the definition of "school employee" may not be interpreted to require a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school to hire additional personnel for the sole purpose of the personnel to serve as a delegated care aide. Provides that if a student has been managing his or her epilepsy care in a school setting before the effective date of the Act, the student's parent or guardian may (rather than must) sign and submit a seizure action plan with the student's school. Provides that it is the responsibility of a student's parent or guardian to share the health care provider's instructions on the student's epilepsy management during the school day. Removes a provision requiring the seizure action plan to include the treating physician's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or physician assistant's instructions on the student's epilepsy management during the school day. Provides that a student's parent or guardian is responsible for informing the school, in a timely manner, of any changes to the student's seizure action plan and emergency contact information. Provides that the principal of a school shall facilitate the school's compliance with the provisions of a student's seizure action plan (rather than ensure that the school has at least one delegated care aide present and available at the school during all school hours and during school-sponsored activities). Provides that the training for school employees must be fully consistent with the best practice guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provides that the training of a delegated care aide must be provided by a licensed health care provider with an expertise in epilepsy or an epilepsy educator who has successfully completed the relevant curricula offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (rather than must include consultation with the student's parent or guardian and may include consultation with an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America). Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2020. House Floor Amendment No. 5 Removes a provision requiring training for school employees to be provided annually through approximately one hour of self-study review approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America or by an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America.
Sponsored bills
Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Creates the Independent Redistricting Commission to adopt and file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan for Legislative and Representative Districts. Provides for the selection of Commissioners and establishes the authority of a Special Commissioner to design a redistricting plan in the event that the Commission fails to properly adopt and file a redistricting plan. Effective beginning with redistricting in 2021 and applies to members elected in 2022 and thereafter.
Proposes to amend the Legislature and Revenue Articles of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the General Assembly may increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a law approved by the vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Provides that the General Assembly may override the veto of the Governor of a bill to increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a record vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Effective upon being declared adopted.
Amends the School Code. Creates the School District Efficiency Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on the number of school districts in this State, the optimal amount of enrollment for a school district, and where reorganization and realignment of school districts would be beneficial in this State; specifies the topics on which the recommendations must focus. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2020, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the report recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 11 of its members, then the Commission's recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit school districts must be placed on the ballots of the designated school districts in the next general election in the same manner as petitions approved by a regional superintendent of schools, except without financial incentives. Provides that the Commission is dissolved the day after the report is filed with the Governor and the General Assembly. Repeals the provision on February 1, 2021. Makes a conforming change in the Conversion and Formation of School Districts Article. Effective immediately.
Urges that the funding for the Invest in Kids program not be reduced.
Urges the United States Congress to approve the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act, so that children and their families are able to make decision about education that are most beneficial. Urges Governor Pritzker to allow the Invest in Kids Act to be in full effect for the five years of the pilot program as intended by this General Assembly upon passage of the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act.
Urges lawmakers to slow the process of legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois, so that lawmakers, stakeholders, and experts alike have the chance to consider the societal impact of legalization and examine all the data from other states that have passed similar legislation.
Urges the creation via legislation of the Illinois Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, whose purpose shall be to examine the extent to which current practices of the executive agencies either conform to or fall short of established laws, regulations and best practices, and to determine the fiscal impact which the State realizes as a result of falling short of compliance with such practices.
Creates the Illinois Coal Ash Task Force to bring legislators, coal company representatives, environmental experts, and the public to together to study the effects of coal ash on the Vermilion River and the rest of the State.
Urges all four caucuses and the Governor to consider the Kaskaskia Watershed Comprehensive Plan when creating the upcoming fiscal year budget.