Illinois Legislative Report By Leo Welch

1. House Bill 821, (amended) Mussman (Hutchinson) PA 99-0426 Creates the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act. Requires public universities, public community colleges, and independent, not-for-profit or for-profit higher education institutions to adopt a comprehensive policy to address student allegations of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

2. House Bill 2657, (amended) Winger (Bertino-Tarrant) PA 99-0058 Makes changes in Illinois State Board of Education educator licensure, including removing the requirement that IBHE approves alternative licensure programs for teachers or principal preparation programs offered by not-for-profit entities.

3. House Bill 3197, (amended) Chapa LaVia (Collins) PA 99-0432 Creates the Attendance Commission within the State Board of Education to study chronic absenteeism and make recommendations for strategies to prevent chronic absenteeism. Includes representation from the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board.

4. House Bill 3284, (amended) Flowers (Hutchinson) PA 99-0416 Creates the Opportunities for At-Risk Women Act. Provides that the Task Force on Opportunities for At-Risk Women shall assist at-risk women who are at increased risk of incarceration because of poverty, abuse, addiction, financial challenges, illiteracy, or other causes. Includes representation from the Illinois Community College Board.

5. House Bill 3428, (amended) Senate (McGuire) PA 99-0358 Amends the College and Career Success for All Students Act. Provides that a student who takes a College Board Advanced Placement examination and receives a score of three or higher is entitled to receive postsecondary level course credit at a public institution of higher education.

6. House Bill 3528, Hernandez, Re-referred to Rules Committee Amends various Acts relating to the governance of state universities. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a student who is not a citizen or permanent resident, but meets the requisite requirements, is eligible to apply or receive consideration for any student aid or benefit funded or administered by the State, state agencies, public institutions or the University, including but not limited to scholarships, grants, awards, stipends, room and board, tuition waivers, or other financial or in-kind assistance.

7. House Bill 3593, (amended) Ives (Connelly) PA 99-0482 Amends the Public Community Colleges Act. With respect to employment contracts, other than collective bargaining agreements, entered into with an employee of a community college district, provides that the initial term of a rolling contract may not exceed three years, and a rollover term or terms may not exceed on year. Provides that severance under the contract may not exceed one year salary and applicable benefits. Provides that a contract with a determinate start and end date may not exceed four years. Effective immediately.

8. HB 3599, (amended) Leitch (Koehler) PA 99-0278 Creates the Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Act. Provides that an institution of higher learning may disclose a student’s mental information of a physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner makes a determination that the student poses a clear danger to himself, herself, or another. Provides that the physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner shall notify the designated person that the physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner has made a determination that the student poses a clear, imminent danger (rather than a clear and present danger) to himself, herself, or others. Provides that all institutions of higher learning shall create a policy and supporting procedures to ensure that every new student is given the opportunity to complete and submit the authorization form if he or she so desires.

9. House Bill 4113, (amended) Costello, II (Forby) Bill Dead Amends the Southern Illinois University Management Act. Provides that the Board of Trustees shall include one voting student member chosen from each campus of the University. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that it does not apply to contracts for the printing of a student-run newspaper at the Carbondale campus of Southern Illinois University.

10. House Resolution 55, (amended) Ives, Resolution Adopted Directs the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of the State moneys provided to the College of DuPage.

11. House Resolution 240, Chapa LaVia, Resolution Adopted State the belief that a public or private postsecondary educational institution should include a student veteran on its governing board if the institution wished to call itself “veteran friendly”.

12. House Resolution 333, Dunkin, Resolution Adopted Urges all public and private colleges and universities in the State to work together to strengthen the Illinois Articulation Initiative to allow greater uniformity in community college transferable credit allowances. Calls upon the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois State Board of Education to work together to make changes to the Illinois Articulation Initiative to create a more uniform set to transfer credit allowances between community colleges and public and private four-year colleges and universities.

13. House Resolution 460, Conroy, Resolution Adopted Urges the College of DuPage to report all administrative expenses for Fiscal Year 2015 and all forthcoming years to the General Assembly; urges Trustees of the College of DuPage to participate in professional board development training to enhance their knowledge of board governance and duties of Trustees; and urges the College of DuPage Board of Trustees to establish a finance committee to evaluate and implement best practices in accounting, transparency, and budgeting.

14. Senate Bill 221 (amended) McGuire, Placed on 3rd Reading Creates the Political Events on College Campuses Act. Provides that first priority for the use of campus facilities shall be given to regularly scheduled public university or community college activities and that, in reviewing conflicting requests to use public university or community college facilities, primary consideration shall be given to activities specifically related to the public university or community college’s mission. Specifies the activities for which public university and community college facilities may be used. Sets forth provisions concerning the restrictions of the use of public university and community college facilities for political activities.

15. Senate Bill 760, (amended) Clayborne (Dunkin) PA 99-0468 Creates the Career and Workforce Transition Act. Requires a public community college to accept up to 30 credit hours transferred from an institution approved by the Private Business and Vocational School Act, for certain completed programs. The Illinois Community College Board must review the credit requests.

16. Senate Bill 806, (amended) Kotowski (Crespo) PA 99-0316 Creates the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act. Provides that a public community college student who earns an associate degree for transfer receives junior status for transfer into the baccalaureate program of a state university, meeting certain requirements.