HB2428 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 08627 NHT 38746 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2428

Introduced , by Rep. Deborah Conroy

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/2-3.157 new

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall establish the Task Force on Civic Education. Sets forth provisions concerning the members of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall (1) analyze the current state of civic education in this State; (2) analyze current civic education laws in other jurisdictions, both mandated and permissive; (3) identify best practices in civic education in other jurisdictions; (4) make recommendations to the General Assembly focused on substantially increasing civic literacy and the capacity of youth to obtain the requisite knowledge, skills, and practices to be civically informed members of the public; and (5) make funding recommendations if the Task Force's recommendations to the General Assembly would require a fiscal commitment. Provides that no later than May 31, 2014, the Task Force shall summarize its findings and recommendations in a report to the General Assembly. Repeals these provisions on May 31, 2015. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 2-3.157 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.157 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on May 31, 2015)

Sec. 2-3.157. Task Force on Civic Education.

(a) The State Board of Education shall establish the Task Force on Civic Education, to be comprised of all of the following members, with an emphasis on bipartisan legislative representation and diverse non-legislative stakeholder representation:

(1) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) One member appointed by the President of the Senate.

(3) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(4) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(5) One member appointed by the head of an association representing a teachers union.

(6) One member appointed by the head of an association representing the Chicago Teachers Union.

(7) One member appointed by the head of an association representing social studies teachers.

(8) One member appointed by the head of an association representing school boards.

(9) One member appointed by the head of an association representing the media.

(10) One member appointed by the head of an association representing the non-profit sector that promotes civic education as a core mission.

(11) One member appointed by the head of an association representing the non-profit sector that promotes civic engagement among the general public.

(12) One member appointed by the president of an institution of higher education who teaches college or graduate-level government courses or facilitates a program dedicated to cultivating civic leaders.

(b) The members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the State Board of Education for that purpose. The members of the Task Force shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the State Board of Education available for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.

(c) The members of the Task Force shall be considered members with voting rights. A quorum of the Task Force shall consist of a simple majority of the members of the Task Force. All actions and recommendations of the Task Force must be approved by a simple majority vote of the members.

(d) The Task Force shall meet initially at the call of the State Superintendent of Education, shall elect one member as chairperson at its initial meeting through a simple majority vote of the Task Force, and shall thereafter meet at the call of the chairperson.

(e) The State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force.

(f) The Task Force is charged with all of the following tasks:

(1) To analyze the current state of civic education in this State.

(2) To analyze current civic education laws in other jurisdictions, both mandated and permissive.

(3) To identify best practices in civic education in other jurisdictions.

(4) To make recommendations to the General Assembly focused on substantially increasing civic literacy and the capacity of youth to obtain the requisite knowledge, skills, and practices to be civically informed members of the public.

(5) To make funding recommendations if the Task Force's recommendations to the General Assembly would require a fiscal commitment.

(g) No later than May 31, 2014, the Task Force shall summarize its findings and recommendations in a report to the General Assembly, filed as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act. Upon filing its report, the Task Force is dissolved.

(h) This Section is repealed on May 31, 2015.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.