Sen. Ram Villivalam

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning before and after school programs.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a charter school operating within the City of Chicago shall be administered by a local school council. Provides that a local school council shall be established for each small school, contract school, and military school within the Chicago school district. Provides that in each attendance center enrolling students in 7th or 8th grade, one full-time student member shall be appointed, although no attendance center shall have more than one student member. Requires a supermajority of 8 votes by the local school council to veto any action proposed or approved regarding certain schools placed on probation and intervention actions by the Chicago Schools Academic Accountability Council. Creates the LSC Certification Commission to provide fundamental training to members of local school councils and certify each member, and sets forth its composition. Sets forth a mandatory training program for local school council members. Provides that the LSC Certification Commission may request and, upon such request, the Chicago Board of Education shall budget and distribute such funds as are equal to the total allocations for the certification of local school council members in the year immediately prior. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, requires a school district to provide to students enrolled in grades 10 through 12 the opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test and consult with a military recruiter during regular school hours and in a location situated on school grounds.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall create a 4-year outdoor preschool pilot program. Provides that 10 pilot locations shall be selected for the first year of the pilot program, with additional locations able to apply after the first year. Requires the Department to convene an advisory group to inform and support the implementation of the pilot program. Requires the Department to provide the General Assembly and Governor with reports on the participation of providers and children in the program and recommendations on modifying or expanding the availability of outdoor preschools. Repeals the provisions on January 1, 2026. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits a school district employee or volunteer or an independent contractor of a school district from placing a student in seclusion; defines seclusion. Provides that this prohibition does not apply to the use of seclusion in a court-ordered placement, other than a placement in an educational program of a school district, or in a placement or facility to which other laws or rules apply. Requires State Board of Education rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall include, in the Illinois Rules of the Road publication, information advising drivers how to safely share the road with large trucks, including how to safely pass a large truck, how to give trucks appropriate space when they are making a right-hand turn, and how to avoid the blind spots around a large truck known as the "No Zone". Senate Committee Amendment No. 5 Deletes reference to: 625 ILCS 5/2-112 Adds reference to: 625 ILCS 5/1-100 from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-100 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code. Provides that a public school student shall be granted up to 5 days of excused absences in any school year for the reason of the mental or behavioral health of the student. Requires that a student whose absence is excused for this reason be provided the opportunity to make up any school work missed during the absence.

Amends the Credit Card Marketing Act of 2009. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 110 ILCS 26/1 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/34-2.1 from Ch. 122, par. 34-2.1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. With regard to local school council members, provides that an individual is ineligible for election or appointment to a local school council if he or she appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Provides that if the general superintendent, upon a check, determines at any time that a local school council member or member-elect appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, the general superintendent must notify the local school council member or member-elect of such determination and the local school council member or member-elect must be removed from the local school council by the school board, subject to a hearing, convened pursuant to board rule, prior to removal. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a local school council member must comply with all applicable board rules and policies regarding employees or volunteers if he or she engages in school activities beyond the scope of his or her official duty as a council member. Removes provisions regarding ineligibility for election or appointment of a local school council member based on a criminal conviction.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires every voting member of the governing board of a public university to complete professional development leadership training covering, among other topics, equity and student success. Amends the Public Community College Act. Requires every voting member of the board of trustees of a community college to complete professional development leadership training covering, among other topics, equity and student success.

Amends the Article of the Illinois Vehicle Code concerning size, weight, load, and permits. Creates a new class of weight limits for vehicles with a distance between 8 and 9 feet between the extremes of any group of 2 or more consecutive axles, with a maximum weight of 38,000 pounds on 2 axles and 42,000 pounds on 3 axles. Provides that 2 consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry 34,000 pounds each if the overall distance between the first and last axles of these tandems is 36 feet or more. Deletes language requiring an applicant for a permit for excess size and weight to make certain disclosures relating to whether the applicant is a motor carrier of property. Makes other changes. Provides that the additional fee for certain gross overweight loads is for each additional 45 (instead of 60) miles traveled. Provides that an applicant shall pay $120 (instead of $40) per hour for an engineering inspection or field investigation. Effective immediately.