HB0675 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 06600 NHT 36692 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB0675

Introduced 1/31/2005, by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/29-2	from Ch. 122, par. 29-2
105 ILCS 5/29-3	from Ch. 122, par. 29-3

Amends the Transportation Article of the School Code. Requires a school board to provide free transportation for a pupil residing within one and one-half miles from school if conditions are such that walking constitutes a serious hazard to the safety of the pupil (now allowed if the hazard is due to vehicular traffic or rail crossings). Provides that guidelines as to what constitutes a serious safety hazard shall be adopted by the State Superintendent of Education (in consultation with the Department of Transportation with regard to vehicular traffic or rail crossings). Provides that the State Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the Department of Transportation with regard to vehicular traffic or rail crossings, shall review and approve or disapprove a school board's determination that a serious safety hazard exists (now the Department of Transportation makes the review and approves or disapproves the determination). Makes related changes.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning schools.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 29-2 and 29-3 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/29-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 29-2)

Sec. 29-2. Transportation of pupils less than one and one-half miles from school. School boards may provide transportation for pupils living less than one and one-half miles as measured by the customary route of travel from the school attended and, unless required to provide free transportation under Section 29-3 of this Code, may make a charge for such transportation in an amount of not to exceed the cost thereof, which shall include a reasonable allowance for depreciation of the vehicles so used.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/29-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 29-3)

Sec. 29-3. Transportation in school districts. School boards of community consolidated districts, community unit districts, consolidated districts, and consolidated high school districts, and combined school districts if the combined district includes any district which was previously required to provide transportation, shall provide free transportation for pupils residing at a distance of one and one-half miles or more from any school to which they are assigned for attendance maintained within the district except for those pupils for whom the school board shall certify to the State Board of Education that adequate transportation for the public is available.

For the purpose of this Act 1 1/2 miles distance shall be from the exit of the property where the pupil resides to the point where pupils are normally unloaded at the school attended; such distance shall be measured by determining the shortest distance on normally traveled roads or streets.

Such school board may comply with the provisions of this Section by providing free transportation for pupils to and from an assigned school and a pick-up point located not more than one and one-half miles from the home of each pupil assigned to such point.

For the purposes of this Act "adequate transportation for the public" shall be assumed to exist for such pupils as can reach school by walking, one way, along normally traveled roads or streets less than 1 1/2 miles irrespective of the distance the pupil is transported by public transportation.

In addition to the other requirements of this Section, each school board shall may provide free transportation for any pupil residing within 1 1/2 miles from the school attended where conditions are such that walking, either to or from the school to which a pupil is assigned for attendance or to or from a pick-up point or bus stop, constitutes a serious hazard to the safety of the pupil due to vehicular traffic or rail crossings or due to other hazards (including without limitation illegal drug or gang activity). Such transportation shall not be provided if adequate transportation for the public is available.

The determination as to what constitutes a serious safety hazard shall be made by the school board, in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the State Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the Illinois Department of Transportation with regard to vehicular traffic and rail crossings , in consultation with the State Superintendent of Education. A school board, on written petition of the parent or guardian of a pupil for whom adequate transportation for the public is alleged not to exist because the pupil is required to walk along normally traveled roads or streets where walking is alleged to constitute a serious safety hazard due to vehicular traffic or rail crossings, or who is required to walk between the pupil's home and assigned school or between the pupil's home or assigned school and a pick-up point or bus stop along roads or streets where walking is alleged to constitute a serious safety hazard due to vehicular traffic or rail crossings, shall conduct a study and make findings, which the State Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the Department of Transportation with regard to vehicular traffic or rail crossings, shall review and approve or disapprove as provided in this Section, to determine whether a serious safety hazard exists as alleged in the petition. The State Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the Department of Transportation with regard to vehicular traffic or rail crossings, shall review the findings of the school board and shall approve or disapprove the school board's determination that a serious safety hazard exists within 30 days after the school board submits its findings to the State Superintendent of Education Department. The school board shall annually review the conditions and certify to the State Superintendent of Education whether or not the hazardous conditions remain unchanged. The State Superintendent of Education may request that the Illinois Department of Transportation verify that the conditions with regard to vehicular traffic or rail crossings have not changed. No action shall lie against the school board, the State Superintendent of Education or the Illinois Department of Transportation for decisions made in accordance with this Section. The provisions of the Administrative Review Law and all amendments and modifications thereof and the rules adopted pursuant thereto shall apply to and govern all proceedings instituted for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the State Superintendent of Education Department of Transportation under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 90-223, eff. 1-1-98.)