EDUCATION

HB 80 - Merit Recognition Scholarships
Expands the Merit Recognition Scholarship (MRS) to be a one-time, $1,000 award for high school seniors who qualify by class rank or by a college placement test score, effective in FY2001. The bill also provides for earlier determination of the award based upon sixth-semester (junior year) information. It is estimated that this criteria would extend the award to 7,000 Illinois students per year, an increase of 2,300 above the full funding level for the current MRS program. P.A. 91-128; effective 7-1-2000.

HB 124 - Expulsions
The bill allows Illinois public schools to refuse to admit an out-of-state student unless a parent or guardian certifies in writing that the student is not serving a suspension or expulsion from the student's previous school. The bill allows Illinois schools to admit those students to an alternative program. P.A. 91-365; effective 7-30-99.

HB 131 - Cooperative High School
The bill allows school districts to enter into a cooperative agreement to form a high school district. P.A. 91-63; effective 1-1-2000.

HB 230 - Charter Schools-Intergovernmental Agreements
The bill allows school boards and school district intergovernmental agreement participants to create a charter school. The bill further adds that no more than one charter school created by the school district can operate at any one time within a school district or intergovernmental agreement. P.A. 91-405; effective 8-3-99.

HB 420 - Special Education Cooperatives
The bill allows a unit school district (Barrington CUSD 220) to withdraw from a special education co-op upon petition to and approval from the regional board of school trustees governing that school district. P.A. 91-241; effective 7-22-99.

HB 506 - Testing Schedule Changes
The bill provides that in FY2000-2001 the high school achievement testing schedule and Prairie State Achievement Examination will change to require that students take the Prairie State Exam in 11^th grade with an opportunity to retake in 12^th grade and removes the requirement that students be tested by the ISAT in 10^th grade. The bill also provides that the highest scores and performance levels on the Prairie State Achievement Exam will be kept in the student's permanent record. Scores received by students on the ISAT in grades 3-8 will be placed in students' temporary record. P.A. 91-283; effective 7-29-99.

HB 534 - Bilingual Teaching Tests
The bill provides that beginning July 1, 2001, teachers seeking a certificate for a transitional bilingual educational program must be tested to assess their speaking, reading, writing and grammar skills in the English language and the language of the bilingual program. P.A. 91-370; effective 7-30-99.

HB 795 - School Guidance Counselors
The bill defines school counselor. It provides that a school counselor is a qualified guidance specialist who holds or is qualified for an elementary, secondary, or special K-12 certificate and a School Service Personnel certificate endorsed by the Teacher Certification Board. The bill lists services that are included as school counseling services but does not prohibit other qualified professionals from providing such services. P.A. 91-70; effective 7-9-99.

HB 878 - School Safety Plans
The bill contains several new provisions regarding school safety (1) Requires the State Board of Education to develop a school safety assessment audit to be distributed to all public schools (2) Requires school districts to complete a school safety assessment audit and develop a written safety plan (if funds are appropriated for this by the State) (3) Provides that teacher institutes include teacher training committed to peer counseling programs and other anti-violence and conflict resolution programs (4) Provides that the principal immediately report certain criminal acts that occur on school grounds to the local law enforcement agency. If the criminal act is committed by a student, the principal shall also notify the parent or guardian. Knowingly and willingly failing to comply with the reporting requirements is a petty offense, subsequent offenses are a Class C misdemeanor (5) Creates a 17-member Task Force on School Safety to develop recommendations for school safety procedures. P.A. 91-491; effective 8-13-99.

HB 1193 - Safe to Learn Program
The bills require the Illinois Violence Prevention authority to establish the Safe to Learn Program. The Program (which is intended to be supported by State revenue) shall be used to support and fund school-based safety and violence prevention programs. The bills provide that the first $500,000 of funding may be used for three pilot programs, and the remainder of funds may be passed on to school districts in the form of grants. (corresponding with SB 757, P.A. 91-14) P.A. 91-10; effective 7-1-99.

HB 1194 - Firearms in Schools; Juvenile Detention
The bill provides that if a person is found to illegally possess a firearm on school grounds a teacher finding the weapon must immediately notify the principal and the principal must immediately notify the police. Additionally, if it is a student in possession of the weapon, then the principal must notify the parents of the student. The bill also contains several provisions dealing with juvenile detention by the police and court system. P.A. 91-11; effective 6-4-99.

HB 1291 - School District Budgets
The bill clarifies the law to allow school district adopt its annual budget after the tax levy is made for that fiscal year. It states that a tax levy is made for the fiscal year in which the levy is due to be made and a board's adoption of an annual budget is not a pre-requisite to the adoption of a valid tax levy nor is it a limit on the amount of the levy. P.A. 91-75; effective 7-9-99.

HB 1645 - School Board Vacancies
The bill provides that a vacancy is created in the office of an elected school board member when he or she is convicted of a violent crime against a child. P.A. 91-376; effective 1-1-2000.

HB 1657 - Student Assistance - Special Education
Rewrites the Special Education Teacher Tuition Scholarship waiver program to codify current practice. The bill also makes a technical change regarding reimbursement to Illinois Veteran Grant recipients who paid tuition and fees in advance of receiving the award. P.A. 91-496; effective 8-13-99.

HB 1670 - Alternative Teacher Certification
The bill applies the "Golden Apple" Alternative Teacher Certification to the entire State, instead of just the Chicago Public Schools. It provides that standard alternative teaching certificates shall be issued until February 15, 2000. After February 15, 2000, at the end of the four-year validity period, persons who were issued a standard alternative teaching certificate shall be eligible to apply for a Standard Teaching Certificate; and persons who have completed the requirements for a standard alternative teaching certificate shall be issued an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate valid for four years. P.A. 91-609; effective 1-1-2000.

HB 1728 - Principal Contracts /Tenure
The bill clarifies that a superintendent, principal, or administrator waives the right to tenure by accepting the terms of a multi-year contract only for the term of the contract (instead of for the duration of his employment as superintendent, principal or administrator). It also provides that upon acceptance of a multi-year contract, he or she shall not lose any previously acquired tenure credit with the district. P.A. 91-314; effective 1-1-2000.

HB 1732 - Children's Health Insurance Enrollment
The bill provides that the Department of Public Aid shall develop procedures to allow community providers and schools to enroll children in the Children's Health Insurance Program. P.A. 91-471; effective 8-10-99.

HB 1790 - Nominating Papers Filing Date
The bill amends the Election Code by providing that unless otherwise provided in Code, certificates of nomination and nomination papers must be filed with the State Board of Election and county clerk not more than 141 days (now 99 days) nor less than 134 days (now 92 days) before the election for which the candidates are nominated. P.A. 91-317; effective 7-29-99.

HB 1811 - Alternative Schools
The bill amends the Safe Schools Law to allow the regional superintendent of schools or school district to contract with third parties for any services otherwise performed by employees of alternative schools and to allow alternative schools to apply for waivers or modifications of mandates of the School Code or administrative rules. P.A. 91-318; effective 7-29-99.

HB 1869 - School Bus Driver Permits/Cancellation
The bill provides that a person may not receive a school bus driver permit if his or her driver's license has been canceled within the three years prior to the application or his or her commercial motor vehicle driving privileges have been disqualified within the three years prior to the date of application. It also includes several additional criminal offenses for which a person, if he or she has been convicted for one of these offenses, shall be denied a school bus driver permit. P.A. 91-500; effective 8-13-99.

HB 1871 - School Bus Driver Permits/Alcohol
The bill corrects a reference to the alcohol concentration standard with regard to the type of report a law enforcement officer must submit to the Secretary of State if a person with a school bus driver's permit refuses testing or submits to a test that discloses an alcohol concentration of more than 0.00. P.A. 91-124; effective 7-16-99.

HB 2020 - Detachment and Annexation
The bill makes changes in the provisions concerning the annexation of non-coterminous territory from an elementary or high school district. It provides that any contiguous portion of the district that constitutes 5% (currently 10%) or less of the EAV of the district may be detached and annexed and prohibits a district from losing more than 5% of its territory through petitions filed under these provisions. The bill also repeals a provision requiring the State Board of Education to exercise certain rights, powers, duties, and responsibilities under these provisions. P.A. 91-46; effective 6-30-99.

HB 2088 - Illinois Century Network
The bill creates the Illinois Century Network designed to be a high-speed telecommunications network that provides reliable and unhindered communication links to and among Illinois schools, institutions of higher education, and libraries. P.A. 91-21; effective 7-1-99.

HB 2106 - College License Plates - Proportion Funds
Requires that a fund be created in the State Treasury for each public university or community college participating in the Higher Education License Plate (HELP) program for receipt of scholarship funding derived from that program. Available HELP funds may be appropriated separately to each participating public university or community college. P.A. 91-83; effective 1-1-2000.

HB 2176 - Charitable Organization Registration
The bill amends the Solicitation for Charity Act to provide that a circuit court may (instead of shall) impose a civil penalty upon an organization or trust estate that has failed to file a registration statement with the Office of the Attorney General. Provides that the governing board of certain parent-teacher organizations shall certify to the Attorney General if the Attorney General makes a request for certification (instead of making an annual certification), that the organization has made a full accounting to the school and has provided benefits and contributions to the school. Removes the criminal penalties for violation of certain provisions relating to professional fund-raising activities and makes other changes to this Act. P.A. 91-444; effective 8-6-99.

HB 2320 - Enterprise Zones
The bill provides that the Southwestern Illinois Development Authority may designate a portion of its territory in O'Fallon, Lebanon, Mascoutah, and Shiloh Valley as an Enterprise Zone. It also extends the life of the Whiteside/Carroll County Enterprise Zone to 30 years (instead of 20 years). P.A. 91-567; effective 8-14-99.

HB 2732 - Circuit Breaker for Mobile Homes
The bill amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. ("Circuit Breaker" law). The bill includes in the circuit breaker qualification formula privilege taxes paid, property taxes imposed on mobile home, and the property tax on the property upon which it is located if owned by the individual entitled to a claim. P.A. 91-391; effective 7-30-99.

SB 17 - Health/Life Safety Committee Report
Allows school districts under 50,000 in population that sold tax anticipation warrants within the last three years and have a tax base of more than 75 percent residential property to, by resolution, transfer unencumbered money from the Tort Immunity Fund or money from the Transportation Fund to any other school fund. Transfers from either fund may not exceed the lesser of $2.5 million or .6 percent of the value of the taxable property in the district. This bill also moves to Sept. 1, 1999 (from April 15, 1999) the date by which the Health/Life Safety Code Advisory Committee must file its report. P.A. 91-89; effective 7-9-99.

SB 31 - Passing School Busses
Prohibits drivers from passing a school bus that is stopped on a roadway that is located on school property. P.A. 91-260; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 33 - Property Tax Exemption--School District
Amends the Revenue Code to clarify that school property is exempt from property taxes, and the exemption is not affected by certain leaseback or similar agreements to obtain financing. P.A. 91-513; effective 8-13-99.

SB 34 - Property Taxes/ Homestead Exemption
The bill provides that beginning in fiscal year 2000, if homestead property has a pro-rata valuation that increases the assessed value, then a reduction in EAV equal to the increase in the EAV of the property for the year of the pro-rata valuation above the EAV of the property for 1977 shall be applied to the property on a proportionate basis for the period the property qualified as homestead property during the assessment year. P.A. 91-346; effective 7-29-99.

SB 35 - Cook County Assessments/Certificates of Error
The bill amends the Property Tax Code with relation to changes in assessment and certificates of error in Cook County. More specifically, the bill provides that in Cook County, notices of a changed assessment value shall also contain a notification on the taxpayers right to appeal. The legislation also sets up new procedures for using certificates of error in court proceedings. P.A. 91-393; effective 7-30-99.

SB 37 - Tax Objections
In part, the bill amends the Property Tax Code with relation to filing of tax objections, except in Cook County. Specifically, it provides that tax objections must include a summary of reasons for the objection, and that the county clerk and State's Attorney must notify all taxing districts that may be affected by the complaint of the reasons for the complaint. P.A. 91-578; effective 8-14-99.

SB 39 - TIF District Expansions
The bill amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act to provide that the maturity date for TIF obligations may not exceed 35 years if the ordinance was adopted before Jan. 1, 1987 by a municipality in Mason County. P.A. 91-261; effective 7-23-99.

SB 40 - Economic Development Tax Credits
The bill creates the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act and provides that DCCA shall grant tax credits against Illinois income liability to applicants that create new jobs in Illinois which meet certain criteria. The bill also sets up various other Acts that are aimed at the creation of jobs and the development of new technology. (1) Art. 5. Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act will appear at 35 ILCS 10/. (2) Art. 15. Illinois Business Regulatory Review Act will appear at 20 ILCS 3966/. (3) Art. 20. State and Regional Development Strategy Act will appear at 20 ILCS 695/. P.A. 91-476; effective 8-11-99.

SB 52 - TIFS / Townships Retiring Bonds
The bill amends the Property Tax Code and the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the tax proceeds of a levy by a township to retire bonds issued to satisfy court-ordered damages are not subject to the deduction imposed for tax increment financing. P.A. 91-190; effective 7-20-99.

SB 53 -TIF District Expansions
The bill amends the Municipal Code to make the following changes regarding TIF: Extends the TIF in Breese to 35 years. Provides it is not a prohibited interest (for the purpose of voting on TIF issues affecting the property) for a member of a corporate body to have a month-to-month leasehold interest in a single piece of property. Includes the Joliet Arsenal in the Economic Development Project Area Tax Increment Allocation Act. P.A. 91-642; effective 8-20-99.

SB 55 - ERO Extension/TRS Payments by School Districts
The bill extends the sunset of the Early Retirement Option from June 30, 2000 until June 30, 2005 and eliminates the requirement that local school districts pay up to 100 percent of the salary of a Teachers Retirement System member who retires with 34 years of credible service. P.A. 91-17; effective 6-4-99.

SB 175 - Property Tax Calculation Rate for High Schools
The bill changes the calculation rate from high school districts from 1.20 percent to 1.05 percent when calculating the district's "available local resources." P.A. 91-93; effective 7-9-99.

SB 202 - Sex Offender Registration
The bill provides that a sex offender shall submit to the police the business name and address where he or she is employed and states that this information must be given to schools and other entities. It provides that the Department of State Police and a law enforcement agency may disclose to a person likely to encounter a sex offender the offender's photograph or other such information that will help identify the sex offender or offender employment information to protect public safety. P.A. 91-394; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 215 - Military Base School District Dissolution
Provides that in cases where a military base has created its own school district and the district has not elected a school board or become operational within two years of formation, the district is automatically dissolved and the territory is reconnected to the former district. Additionally, provides that any such district created on or before Sept. 1, 1996 that has not elected a school board or is not operational shall be immediately dissolved and the territory shall revert back to the former district. P.A. 91-460; effective 8-6-99.

SB 291 - Gifted Children Formula Change; Transportation Formula Change; Charter School Attendance Records
The bill amends the School Code as follows: (1) removes a requirement that the SBE report on the number of special education students exiting public schools; (2) changes the EAV formula in the gifted children and transportation articles; and, (3) provides that if the SBE authorizes a charter school, then the SBE shall require the school to keep accurate attendance records for the purpose of general state aid. P.A. 91-96; effective 7-9-99.

SB 389 - State Treasury Education Funds
The bill sets up three new funds in the State Treasury that deal with education. Specifically, the State Board of Education fund shall contain all fees, registration amounts, or other moneys collected by the SBE and shall be used for expenses incurred in administering programs. The State Board of Education Special Purpose Trust Fund shall contain funds received from federal aid and grants and from gifts and grants from any source, public or private, and money from this fund shall be used for the purposes established by the federal aid or grants or other gifts or grants. The Private Business and Vocational Schools Fund shall contain all moneys received by the Superintendent from application and renewal fees and shall be shall be used to provide technology, equipment, staff, professional development, and other resources necessary to support records management and other projects. All new funds are repealed in four years. P.A. 91-143; effective 7-16-99.

SB 462 - Student Assistance - Monetary Grants
Increases the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant maximum from $4,320 to $4,530 for full-time enrollment, and from $2,160 to $2,265 for part-time undergraduate enrollment. The program funding needed to support these enhancements was included in the FY2000 ISAC appropriation signed by the Governor. P.A. 91-249; effective 7-22-99.
SB 463 - Student Assistance - Part Timers
Expands Monetary Award Program (MAP) eligibility to less-than-half-time students. The bill also provides that ISAC may extend MAP eligibility to summer school students without a separate appropriation for that purpose. The funding needed to implement this authority was provided in ISAC's FY2000 appropriation. Some provisions of the bill duplicate the statutory language of HB 2087. P.A. 91-250; effective 7-22-99.

SB 549 - Chicago Board of Education Custody of Money
This bill provides that the funds for school purposes are subject to the order of the Board of Education upon its checks (not just its warrants). P.A. 91-151; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 554 - School Bus Safety
The bill amends the School Code to require a school district's parent-teacher advisory committee, in cooperation with school bus personnel, to develop, with the school board, policy guideline procedures to establish and maintain school bus safety procedures. It requires these procedures to be incorporated into the district's pupil discipline policy. P.A. 91-272; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 556 - Teacher Re-Certification
This bill is the teacher re-certification legislation that will become effective February 15, 2000. The bill provides that:

· Regional superintendents may grant temporary employment authorizations for teachers needing to renew their certificates in the interim period before the new requirements are effective.

· Increases the fee for certification to $30.

· Certified teachers shall develop re-certification plans that will meet certain criteria that will need to be fulfilled over a five-year period. The plans will need to advance teacher's knowledge/skills, develop the teachers knowledge and skills in certain areas, address the school district's school improvement plan, and/or assist the teacher in obtaining an additional teaching certificate or endorsement.

· A committee of 12 (3-IEA, 3-IFT, 6-SBE staff) will convene to determine the maximum credit for each category of continuing professional development activities.

· There will be a local professional development committee (LPDC) created in each school district to approve or deny teacher certification plans and to approve or deny their meeting the plan's parameters after the five-year period has elapsed.

· The LPDC will also be responsible for record-keeping, monitoring certificate holders progress on their plan, assisting in development of plans, forwarding recommendations to the regional superintendent, and offering opportunity for teachers to address the committee.

· The LPDC will be made up of three teachers chosen by the exclusive representative, one administrator or their designee, and one community member chosen by the local board of education.

· The LPDC meetings shall be scheduled so as not to interfere with committee members' regularly scheduled teaching duties, unless agreed to by the school district.

· Each school district will receive $1,000 for the LPDC school districts with a greater concentration of certificate holders will receive a little more but no more than $1 million in total, will be appropriated for this purpose.

· A Regional Professional Development Review Committee (RPDRC) will be convened by the regional superintendent to review the decisions of the LPDC when denials have been issued.

· The RPDRC will be made up of four teachers, one non-administrative certificated educational employee, two administrators and one community member.

· The teacher members of the RPDRC will be selected by their exclusive representative and all others will be chosen by the regional superintendent. RPDRC meetings will be scheduled so as not to interfere with the committee members' regularly scheduled teaching duties unless agreed to by the school district.

· Each Regional Office of Education will receive $2,000 for the costs associated with the RPDRC.

· Teachers currently not teaching in Illinois public schools will have a process for re-certification.

· Creates a designation of "Valid and Exempt" for those certificate holders wanting to maintain their certification but not teaching. P.A. 91-102; effective 7-12-99.

SB 629 - State Board of Education's Fiscal Year 2000 Budget
The bill contains the fiscal year 2000 budget for the State Board of Education. Specifically, the bill contains an overall funding increase of $391.4 million over last year, including $50 million for new maintenance project grants. Additionally, the foundation level will meet the statutory requirement of $4,325 per pupil and all mandatory categoricals will be fully funded. P.A. 91-8; effective 7-1-99.

SB 648 - Charter Schools
The bill makes several changes to the Charter Schools Law, including: (1) states that if 5% or more of the voters of the school district sign a petition on a Charter School proposal, the State Board of Education, upon certifying that the proposal complies with State law, shall direct the local board of education to submit the proposal for referendum; (2) allows for transition impact aid to a school district with charter schools -- paying the school district 90% of the per capital funding paid to the charter school in the first year, 65% during the second year, and 35% during the third year; and, (3) establishes grants and interest-free loans to charter schools for start-up costs. P.A. 91-407; effective 8-3-99.

SB 652 - Local School Council (LSC) Requirements; LSC Principal Contracts
The bill amends the Chicago Article of the School Code to make several changes regarding the eligibility to run for the local school council and requirements of individuals once on a local school council. It also provides that if a local school council does not renew a principal's contract, in some cases the decision can be sent to binding arbitration. P.A. 91-622; effective 8-19-99.

SB 757 - Safe to Learn Program (corresponding with HB 1193, P.A. 91-10)
The bill require the Illinois Violence Prevention authority to establish the Safe to Learn Program. The Program (which is intended to be supported by State revenue) shall be used to support and fund school-based safety and violence prevention programs. The bills provide that the first $500,000 of funding may be used for three pilot programs, and the remainder of funds may be passed on to school districts in the form of grants. P.A. 91-14; effective 7-1-99.

SB 840 - School Construction Grant Program
The bill amends the School Construction Grant Program Law to require that the Capital Development Board certify to the school district the amount of the construction cost that will not be financed with grant funds. It also authorizes the school district to incur additional indebtedness (by referendum) by issuing construction project bonds, if it has no unused bonding capacity or if its remaining bonding capacity is less than the amount certified by the State Board of Education. P.A. 91-55; effective 6-30-99.

SB 987 - School Bus Safety
The bill provides that school buses purchased after Jan. 1, 2000 shall (rather than may) be equipped with strobe lamps and provides that after June 1, 2000, all school busses must have their emergency exits outlined with yellow reflective tape or a decal. These are reimbursable expenditures and $800,000 was appropriated to the State Board of Education for this purpose. P.A. 91-168; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 995 - Regional Superintendent Salary Increase & Pension Payments
The bill provides that pension benefits for regional superintendents will be paid on the same basis as State Board of Education employees. The bill also provides that increases in annual salaries for regional superintendents will be adjusted annually to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index up to 2.5%. P.A. 91-276; effective 7-23-99.

SB 1014 - College Savings Pool
Allows the State Treasurer to create a College Savings Program after Mar. 1, 2000, marketed exclusively through Illinois banks and credit unions. Requires that a specified portion of each savings account created within the College Savings Pool be invested in the originating Illinois bank or credit union. Also requires the Treasurer to provide ISAC with account data necessary for any joint tax reporting that may be required by the federal Internal Revenue Service. P.A. 91-607; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 1054 - Master Teacher Certificates
The bill provides that Master Certificate holders are eligible to teach without fulfilling any other requirements (except criminal background checks) and shall be deemed to have met State certification renewal requirements for the 10 year-term of the Master Certification. The bill also establishes a fund to provide incentives and bonuses to teachers who hold Master Certificates. Regional Superintendents are required under the bill to provide information about the Master Certificate program to each individual seeking to renew or register a certificate. P.A. 91-606; effective 8-16-99. < http://www.ilga.gov/publicacts/pubact91/acts/91-0606.html">

SB 1066 - School Infrastructure Fund; School Maintenance Project Fund; Chicago's Share
The bill creates the Fund for Illinois' Future. Beginning Jan. 1, 2000, authorizes $5 million per month to be deposited to the School Infrastructure Fund for projects already under that law but adds a new grant program titled School Maintenance Project Grants eligible for this money. Defines school maintenance grants as grants for no more than $50,000 per project that must be matched with local revenues. The grants will be authorized in priority order including (1) emergency projects; (2) health/life safety; (3) State Program priority projects; (4) permanent improvement projects; and (5) other. Chicago school district is guaranteed 20% of the money awarded for the year for school maintenance project grants. Clarifies that the Chicago school district may use funds it receives under the School Construction Law (created by HB 452; P.A. 90-548) for debt service or bond lease payments. Increases the taxes on liquor to provide an estimated $62 million to pay for the bonding earmarked for school construction. P.A. 91-38; effective 6-15-99.

SB 1075 - Tuition Tax Credits
The bill provides that for resident Illinois pupils under 21 enrolled in any K-12 educational program at any public or non-public elementary or secondary school, the parents or legal guardian may receive an income tax credit of 25% of tuition, book fees and lab fees paid. The bill requires at least $250 to be incurred in qualified educational expenses to be eligible for the credit and caps the credit at a maximum of $500 per household. This means that anyone spending at least $2,250 in school tuition or fees would be eligible for the full $500 tax credit. The estimated cost of this tax credit is between $70 and $150 million dollars. The program would begin with tax years ending after Dec. 31, 1999. P.A. 91-9; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 1133 - School-to-Work Programs
The bill prohibits the State Board of Education from requiring a school district or a student of any district to participate in a school-to-work or job training program. It also prohibits a school board from requiring a student to meet occupational standards for grade level promotion or graduation unless that student is voluntarily enrolled in a job training program. P.A. 91-175; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 1146 - Regional Superintendent Health Insurance
The bill provides that the State contribution toward the cost of retiree and survivor group health insurance shall be 12.5% (rather than 5%) for each year of credit as a regional superintendent or assistant regional superintendent of schools. P.A. 91-280; effective 7-23-99.

SB 1150 - Volunteers in School Districts
The bill amends the Criminal Identification Act to provide that the Department of State Police shall provide information regarding persons who are volunteers or prospective volunteers for work with units of local government or school districts. P.A. 91-176; effective 7-16-99.

SB 1168 - Behavioral Interventions
The bill provides that the State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the use of time-out and physical restraint in public schools and limits the definition of "restraint." The bill also provides that until the ISBE promulgates new rules, the use of any of the following rooms for time-out is disallowed: a locked room other than one with a locking mechanism that engages only when a key or handle is held by a person; a confining space such as a closet or box; a room where the student cannot be continually observed, or; any other room or enclosure that is contrary to current guidelines of the ISBE. P.A. 91-600; effective 8-14-99.

SB 1192 - Chicago Schools Academic Criteria
The bill requires the Chicago Board of Education to establish criteria concerning the factors used in deciding to place an attendance center on remediation. It also requires the board to establish guidelines that determine the factors for placing an attendance center on probation. P.A. 91-219; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 1203 - Bond Authorization for School Construction
The bill increases the bond authorization for the State by $5.3 billion. This bill is part of Gov. Ryan's "Illinois FIRST" infrastructure program that proposes to spend $12 billion over five years on roads, bridges, and schools. The Governor has pledged that through this program, over $1 billion additional State dollars will be earmarked for the school construction grant program. P.A. 91-39; effective 6-15-99.