State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]   [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Engrossed ][ Enrolled ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]
[ Senate Amendment 002 ][ Senate Amendment 003 ][ Senate Amendment 004 ]
[ Senate Amendment 005 ]

90_HB1005

      105 ILCS 5/7-04           from Ch. 122, par. 7-04
      105 ILCS 5/7-1            from Ch. 122, par. 7-1
      105 ILCS 5/7-1.5 new
      105 ILCS 5/7-4            from Ch. 122, par. 7-4
      105 ILCS 5/7-4.1          from Ch. 122, par. 7-4.1
      105 ILCS 5/7-6            from Ch. 122, par. 7-6
          Amends the provisions of  the  School  Code  relating  to
      changes    in   school   district   boundaries.    Authorizes
      proceedings under which a portion  of  the  territory  of  an
      elementary  school  district and the identical portion of the
      territory of a high school district, both of which  districts
      are  located entirely in an educational service region having
      a population of 2,000,000 or  more,  must  be  detached  from
      those  districts  and  annexed to, respectively, a contiguous
      elementary school district and high school district that  are
      located  in  a  contiguous educational service region and, in
      whole or in part, within the  same  village.  Requires  as  a
      condition  of  the  change  in  boundaries that the equalized
      assessed valuation of the taxable property in  the  territory
      to  be  annexed  be  less  than 10% of the equalized assessed
      value of all taxable property in each district from which the
      territory is to be disconnected. Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9004521THpk
                                               LRB9004521THpk
 1        AN ACT relating to changes in school district boundaries.
 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:
 4        Section  5.   The  School  Code  is  amended  by changing
 5    Sections 7-04, 7-1, 7-4, 7-4.1, and 7-6  and  adding  Section
 6    7-1.5 as follows:
 7        (105 ILCS 5/7-04) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-04)
 8        Sec.  7-04.  Districts  in educational service regions of
 9    2,000,000 or more inhabitants.
10        (a)  In all proceedings under this Article to  change  by
11    detachment,   annexation,   division,   dissolution,  or  any
12    combination of those methods the  boundaries  of  any  school
13    district  (other  than  a  school  district  organized  under
14    Article  34)  located  in  an  educational  service region of
15    2,000,000 or more inhabitants in which the regional board  of
16    school trustees is abolished as provided in subsection (a) of
17    Section 6-2, the trustees of schools of the township in which
18    that  school  district  is  located,  as  the successor under
19    subsection (b) of Section 6-2 to the former regional board of
20    school trustees with respect to all territory located in that
21    school  township,  shall  have,  exercise,  and  perform  all
22    powers, duties,  and  responsibilities  required  under  this
23    Article to be exercised and performed in those proceedings by
24    a  regional  board  of  school trustees; provided that if any
25    school district affected by those proceedings is located in a
26    school township referred to in subsection (b) of Section  5-1
27    and  there are no trustees of schools acting in that township
28    then the school board of any such district, as the  successor
29    under  subsection  (b)  of Section 6-2 to the former regional
30    board of  school  trustees  with  respect  to  the  territory
31    comprising  that  school  district, shall have, exercise, and
                            -2-                LRB9004521THpk
 1    perform all powers,  duties,  and  responsibilities  required
 2    under  this  Article  to  be exercised and performed in those
 3    proceedings with respect to  the  territory  of  that  school
 4    district by a regional board of school trustees; and provided
 5    further that:  (i) when any school district affected by those
 6    proceedings  is  located  not  only in an educational service
 7    region of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants but also in 2 or more
 8    school townships in that region that each  have  trustees  of
 9    schools  of  the township, then the boundaries of that school
10    district may be changed under  this  Article  by  detachment,
11    annexation,  division,  dissolution,  or  any  combination of
12    those  methods  only  by  the  concurrent  action  of,  taken
13    following a joint hearing before the trustees of  schools  of
14    those townships (in that educational service region) in which
15    that  school district is located; and (ii) if any part of the
16    school district referred to in item (i)  of  this  subsection
17    also  lies  within  an  educational service region that has a
18    regional board of school trustees,  the  boundaries  of  that
19    district  may  be  changed  under  this  Article  only by the
20    concurrent action of, taken following a joint hearing  before
21    the  trustees of schools of the townships referred to in item
22    (i) of this subsection  and  the  regional  board  of  school
23    trustees  of  the  educational  service region referred to in
24    this item (ii) of this subsection.  However,  when  a  school
25    district  located  entirely  within  an  educational  service
26    region  of  2,000,000  or  more  inhabitants  is  affected by
27    proceedings under  a  petition  that  is  filed  pursuant  to
28    Section 7-1.5 seeking to detach a portion of the territory of
29    that  district  and  to  annex  the  portion so detached to a
30    contiguous school district that is  located  in  a  different
31    educational  service  region  which  has  a regional board of
32    school trustees, the boundaries of the school  district  from
33    which the territory is to be detached and the school district
34    to  which  that  territory  is to be annexed shall be changed
                            -3-                LRB9004521THpk
 1    under  this  Article  by  the  concurrent  action  of,  taken
 2    following a joint hearing before, the trustees of schools  of
 3    the  township  in  which  is located the school district from
 4    which the territory is to be detached and the regional  board
 5    of school trustees of the educational service region in which
 6    is  located  the school district to which the territory to be
 7    so detached is to be annexed.  Whenever concurrent action and
 8    joint  hearings  are  required  under  this  subsection,  the
 9    original petition shall be filed with the trustees of schools
10    of the township in which the territory or greatest portion of
11    the territory being detached is located, or if the  territory
12    is  being  detached  from  more  than one educational service
13    region then with the regional board of school trustees of the
14    region or the trustees of schools of the  township  in  which
15    the  territory  or  greatest  portion  of the territory being
16    detached is located.
17        (b)  Except as otherwise provided in this Section and  in
18    Section  7-4  relative to the inapplicability of that Section
19    to a petition filed under Section 7-1.5, all other provisions
20    of this Article shall apply to  any  proceedings  under  this
21    Article  to  change  the  boundaries  of  any school district
22    located in an educational service region having 2,000,000  or
23    more  inhabitants,  including  proceedings  instituted  under
24    Section  7-1.5  to  detach  a  portion of the territory of an
25    elementary or high school district located in an  educational
26    service  region  having  2,000,000 or more inhabitants and to
27    annex the territory so detached to a contiguous elementary or
28    high school district (as the case may be) that is located  in
29    a  different  educational  service region, in the same manner
30    that those provisions apply to any proceedings to change  the
31    boundaries  of  any  school  district  located  in  any other
32    educational service region; provided, that any  reference  in
33    those  other  provisions  to  the  regional  board  of school
34    trustees shall mean, with respect to all territory within  an
                            -4-                LRB9004521THpk
 1    educational  service  region  containing  2,000,000  or  more
 2    inhabitants  that  formerly was served by a regional board of
 3    school trustees abolished under  subsection  (a)  of  Section
 4    6-2,  the  trustees  of schools of the township or the school
 5    board of the school district  that  is  the  successor  under
 6    subsection (b) of Section 6-2 to the former regional board of
 7    school trustees with respect to the territory included within
 8    that school township or school district.
 9    (Source: P.A. 87-969.)
10        (105 ILCS 5/7-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-1)
11        Sec.  7-1.  Districts in one educational service region -
12    changing boundaries.
13        (a)  Except  as  otherwise  provided  by  Section  7-1.5,
14    school  district  boundaries  lying   entirely   within   any
15    educational  service  region  may  be  changed by detachment,
16    annexation,  division  or  dissolution  or  any   combination
17    thereof  by  the  regional  board  of school trustees of such
18    region, or  by  the  State  Superintendent  of  Education  as
19    provided in subsection (l) of Section 7-6, when petitioned by
20    the  boards of each district affected or by a majority of the
21    registered voters in each district affected or by  two-thirds
22    of  the  registered  voters  in  any territory proposed to be
23    detached from one or more districts or in each of one or more
24    districts  proposed  to  be  annexed  to  another   district.
25    Registered  voters  shall be determined by the official voter
26    registration lists as of the date the petition is filed.   No
27    signatures  shall  be  added  after  the date the petition is
28    filed.   If  there  are  no  registered  voters  within   the
29    territory proposed to be detached from one or more districts,
30    then  the  petition  may  be  signed  by all of the owners of
31    record of the real estate of the territory.
32        Each page of the circulated petition  shall  include  the
33    full  prayer  of  the  petition, and each signature contained
                            -5-                LRB9004521THpk
 1    therein shall match the official signature and address of the
 2    registered voters as recorded in the office of  the  election
 3    authority   having   jurisdiction   over  the  county.   Each
 4    petitioner shall also record the date of his  signing.   Each
 5    page  of the petition shall be signed by a circulator who has
 6    witnessed the signature of each petitioner on that page.  The
 7    length of time for signatures to be valid, before  filing  of
 8    the petition, shall not exceed 6 months.
 9        Where  there  is  only one school building in an approved
10    operating district, the building and building site may not be
11    included in any detachment proceeding  unless  petitioned  by
12    two-thirds   of  the  registered  voters  within  the  entire
13    district wherein the school is located.
14        (b)  Any elementary or high school district with  100  or
15    more of its students residing upon territory located entirely
16    within   a   military   base  or  installation  operated  and
17    maintained by the government of the  United  States,  or  any
18    unit   school  district  or  any  combination  of  the  above
19    mentioned districts with 300 or more of its students residing
20    upon territory located entirely within  a  military  base  or
21    installation operated and maintained by the government of the
22    United States, shall, upon the filing with the regional board
23    of school trustees of a petition adopted by resolution of the
24    board  of education or a petition signed by a majority of the
25    registered  voters  residing  upon  such  military  base   or
26    installation, have all of the territory lying entirely within
27    such  military base or installation detached from such school
28    district,  and  a  new  school  district  comprised  of  such
29    territory shall be created.  The petition shall be filed with
30    and decided solely by the regional board of  school  trustees
31    of the region in which the regional superintendent of schools
32    has   supervision  of  the  school  district  affected.   The
33    regional board of school trustees shall have no authority  to
34    deny  the  detachment  and  creation of a new school district
                            -6-                LRB9004521THpk
 1    requested in a proper petition filed under  this  subsection.
 2    This  subsection  shall  apply only to those school districts
 3    having a population of not fewer than 1,000 and not more than
 4    500,000 residents, as ascertained by any special  or  general
 5    census.
 6        The new school district shall tuition its students to the
 7    same  districts  that  its students were previously attending
 8    and the districts from which the new  district  was  detached
 9    shall continue to educate the students from the new district,
10    until  the  federal  government  provides other arrangements.
11    The federal government shall pay for the  education  of  such
12    children as required by Section 6 of Public Law 81-874.
13    (Source: P.A. 87-210; 87-1080.)
14        (105 ILCS 5/7-1.5 new)
15        Sec.  7-1.5.   Detachment  and  annexation to district in
16    another educational service region.
17        (a)  A petition to change the boundaries of an elementary
18    school district and a petition to change the boundaries of  a
19    high  school  district,  both  of which districts are located
20    entirely within  the  same  educational  service  region  and
21    county  of  2,000,000  or  more  inhabitants, by detaching an
22    identical portion of the territory of each such district  and
23    annexing   that  territory  to,  respectively,  a  contiguous
24    elementary school district and high school district, both  of
25    which  are  located in another educational service region and
26    county and, in whole or in part, within the same village, may
27    be filed in accordance with the provisions of  this  Section.
28    No  petition may be filed under this Section, however, unless
29    the equalized assessed valuation of the taxable  property  of
30    the  territory  to  be  detached  from  the elementary school
31    district and the high school district constitutes  less  than
32    10%  of  the  equalized  assessed  value  of  all the taxable
33    property of each such district.
                            -7-                LRB9004521THpk
 1        (b)  Each such petition shall be  signed  by  the  school
 2    boards  of  each  district  affected, or by a majority of the
 3    registered voters in each district affected, or by two-thirds
 4    of the registered voters residing  in  that  portion  of  the
 5    territory  proposed to be detached from one such district and
 6    annexed to another such district.  Registered voters shall be
 7    determined by the official voter registration lists as of the
 8    date a petition is filed, and no signatures may be added to a
 9    petition after it is filed.  For purposes  of  this  Section,
10    the  school  district from which the territory is proposed to
11    be detached and the school district to which  that  territory
12    is  proposed  to  be  annexed  shall  each  be deemed to be a
13    district affected by a petition filed under this Section.
14        (c)  The original of a petition filed under this  Section
15    shall  be  filed with the trustees of schools of the township
16    in which is  located  the  school  district  from  which  the
17    territory  is  to  be    detached,  as  the  successor  under
18    subsection (b) of Section 6-2 of the former regional board of
19    school trustees with respect to all territory located in that
20    school  township.   Subject to the provisions of Section 7-6,
21    the  boundaries  of  the  school  district  from  which   the
22    territory  is to be detached and the school district to which
23    that territory is to be  annexed  shall  be  changed  by  the
24    concurrent  action  of,  following  a  joint  hearing  on the
25    petition filed under this Section  before,  the  trustees  of
26    schools  of  the  township  in  which  is  located the school
27    district from which the territory is to be detached  and  the
28    regional  board of school trustees of the educational service
29    region in which is located the school district to  which  the
30    territory to be so detached is to be annexed. The trustees of
31    schools  and  regional  board  of school trustees:  (i) shall
32    have no authority or  discretion  to  hear  any  evidence  or
33    consider  any issues except as necessary to determine whether
34    the limitations imposed by subsection (a) of this Section  on
                            -8-                LRB9004521THpk
 1    the  filing  of  a petition under this Section have been met;
 2    and (ii) shall grant the petition by changing the  boundaries
 3    of  the  affected  school  districts  in  accordance with the
 4    prayer  of  the  petition   upon   determining   that   those
 5    limitations have been met.
 6        (d)  Except  as  otherwise limited by this Section 7-1.5,
 7    the provisions of Section 7-6 shall govern and apply  to  all
 8    proceedings  taken on a petition filed under this Section.  A
 9    certified copy of  the  transcript  of  the  hearing  on  the
10    petition shall be furnished by the trustees of schools of the
11    township  in  which is located the school district from which
12    the territory is to be detached  to  the  regional  board  of
13    school trustees of the educational service region in which is
14    located  the school district to which that territory is to be
15    annexed.  However, if the hearing is held in the  educational
16    service  region  in  which  is located the school district to
17    which the territory is proposed to be annexed,  the  regional
18    board  of school trustees for that educational service region
19    shall furnish a certified  copy  of  the  transcript  of  the
20    hearing  on  the  petition  to the trustees of schools of the
21    township in which is located the school district  from  which
22    the territory is proposed to be detached.
23        (105 ILCS 5/7-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-4)
24        Sec.  7-4.  Requirements  for  granting petitions.   This
25    Section does not apply to  a  petition  filed  under  Section
26    7-1.5.   However,  no petition shall be granted under Section
27    Sections 7-1 or 7-2 of this Act:
28        (a)  If there  will  be  any  non-high  school  territory
29    resulting from the granting of the petition.
30        (b)  Unless  after  granting  the  petition any community
31    unit district, community  consolidated  district,  elementary
32    district  or  high  school  district  created  shall  have  a
33    population  of  at  least  2,000  and  an  equalized assessed
                            -9-                LRB9004521THpk
 1    valuation of at least $6,000,000 based upon the last value as
 2    equalized by the Department of Revenue  as  of  the  date  of
 3    filing of the petition.
 4        (c)  Unless  the territory within any district so created
 5    or any district whose boundaries are affected by the granting
 6    of a petition shall after the granting thereof be compact and
 7    contiguous except as provided in Section  7-6  of  this  Act.
 8    The fact that a district is divided by territory lying within
 9    the  corporate limits of the city of Chicago shall not render
10    it non-compact or non-contiguous.
11        (d)  To create any school district with a  population  of
12    less  than  2,000 unless the State Board of Education and the
13    regional superintendent of schools for the  region  in  which
14    the  proposed district will lie shall certify to the regional
15    board or boards of school trustees that the creation of  such
16    new   district   will   not   interfere   with  the  ultimate
17    reorganization of the territory of such proposed district  as
18    a part of a district having a population of 2,000 or more.
19    (Source: P.A. 89-397, eff. 8-20-95.)
20        (105 ILCS 5/7-4.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-4.1)
21        Sec. 7-4.1 Copies of petition.
22        Each  petition submitted under the provisions of  Section
23    7-1, 7-1.5, or 7-2 shall be accompanied by sufficient  copies
24    thereof for distribution to the board of each school district
25    involved. The copies need not be signed by the petitioners as
26    is required of the original petition.
27    (Source: Laws 1963, p. 3037.)
28        (105 ILCS 5/7-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-6)
29        Sec. 7-6.  Petition filing - Notice - Hearing - Decision.
30        (a)  Upon  the filing of a petition with the secretary of
31    the regional board of school trustees, or the successor under
32    subsection (b) of Section 6-2 to the regional board of school
                            -10-               LRB9004521THpk
 1    trustees, under the provisions of Section 7-1, 7-1.5, or  7-2
 2    of  this  Act,  the  secretary  shall  cause  a  copy of such
 3    petition to be given to each board of any  district  involved
 4    in  the  proposed  boundary  change  and shall cause a notice
 5    thereof to be published once in a  newspaper  having  general
 6    circulation within the area of the territory described in the
 7    petition for the proposed change of boundaries.
 8        (b)  When   a   joint   hearing  is  required  under  the
 9    provisions of Section 7-1.5 or 7-2, the secretary also  shall
10    cause  a  copy of the notice to be sent to the regional board
11    of school trustees of each region affected. As used  in  this
12    Section  with  respect  to  a  petition  that  is filed under
13    Section 7-1.5: (i)  a  "region  affected"  means  the  school
14    township  in  an  educational  service region of 2,000,000 or
15    more inhabitants in which is located the school district from
16    which the territory described in the petition is proposed  to
17    be  detached  and  the  contiguous educational service region
18    which has a regional board of school trustees and in which is
19    located the school district to which that identical territory
20    is proposed to be annexed; and  (ii)  a  "regional  board  of
21    school  trustees"  means  the  trustees  of  schools  of  the
22    township  in  which is located the school district from which
23    the territory described in the petition  is  proposed  to  be
24    detached  and  the  regional  board of school trustees of the
25    educational service region in which  is  located  the  school
26    district  to which that identical territory is proposed to be
27    annexed.   Notwithstanding the  foregoing provisions of  this
28    Section,  if  the  secretary  of the regional board of school
29    trustees with whom a petition is filed under Section 7-1.5 or
30    7-2 fails, within 30 days after the filing of such  petition,
31    to  cause notice thereof to be published and sent as required
32    by this Section, then the secretary of the regional board  of
33    school  trustees  of  any other region affected may cause the
34    required notice to be  published  and  sent,  and  the  joint
                            -11-               LRB9004521THpk
 1    hearing may be held in any region affected as provided in the
 2    notice so published.
 3        (c)  When a petition contains more than 10 signatures the
 4    petition shall designate a committee of 10 of the petitioners
 5    as  attorney  in  fact for all petitioners, any 7 of whom may
 6    make binding stipulations on behalf of all petitioners as  to
 7    any question with respect to the petition or hearing or joint
 8    hearing,  and  the  regional  board  of  school  trustees, or
 9    regional boards of  school  trustees  in  cases  of  a  joint
10    hearing  may  accept  such stipulation in lieu of evidence or
11    proof of the matter stipulated. The committee of  petitioners
12    shall  have  the  same  power  to stipulate to accountings or
13    waiver  thereof  between  school  districts;   however,   the
14    regional  board  of  school  trustees,  or regional boards of
15    school trustees in cases of a joint  hearing  may  refuse  to
16    accept such stipulation. Those designated as the committee of
17    10  shall  serve  in  that  capacity  until  such time as the
18    regional superintendent of schools or  the  committee  of  10
19    determines  that,  because of death, resignation, transfer of
20    residency from the territory,  or  failure  to  qualify,  the
21    office  of  a  particular  member  of  the committee of 10 is
22    vacant.   Upon  determination  that  a  vacancy  exists,  the
23    remaining members shall appoint  a  petitioner  to  fill  the
24    designated  vacancy  on the committee of 10.  The appointment
25    of any new members by the committee of 10 shall be made by  a
26    simple majority vote of the remaining designated members.
27        (d)  The  petition  may  be  amended  to  withdraw not to
28    exceed a total of 10% of the territory in the petition at any
29    time prior to the hearing or joint hearing; provided that the
30    petition shall after amendment comply with  the  requirements
31    as  to  the  number  of  signatures  required  on an original
32    petition.
33        (e)  The petitioners shall pay the expenses of publishing
34    the notice and of any transcript  taken  at  the  hearing  or
                            -12-               LRB9004521THpk
 1    joint  hearing; and in case of an appeal from the decision of
 2    the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards  of
 3    school  trustees  in  cases  of  a  joint  hearing,  or State
 4    Superintendent  of  Education  in  cases   determined   under
 5    subsection  (l) of this Section, the appellants shall pay the
 6    cost of preparing the record for appeal.
 7        (f)  The notice shall state when the petition was  filed,
 8    the  description of the territory, the prayer of the petition
 9    and the return day on which the hearing or joint hearing upon
10    the petition will be held which shall not be more than 15 nor
11    less than 10 days after the publication of notice.
12        (g)  On such return day or on a day to which the regional
13    board of  school  trustees,  or  regional  boards  of  school
14    trustees  in  cases  of  a  joint  hearing shall continue the
15    hearing  or  joint  hearing  the  regional  board  of  school
16    trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a
17    joint hearing shall hear the petition  but  may  adjourn  the
18    hearing  or  joint  hearing from time to time or may continue
19    the matter for want of sufficient notice or other good cause.
20        (h)  Prior to the hearing or joint hearing the  secretary
21    of  the regional board of school trustees shall submit to the
22    regional board of school  trustees,  or  regional  boards  of
23    school  trustees in cases of a joint hearing maps showing the
24    districts  involved,  a  written  report  of  financial   and
25    educational conditions of districts involved and the probable
26    effect   of  the  proposed  changes.  The  reports  and  maps
27    submitted  shall  be  made  a  part  of  the  record  of  the
28    proceedings of the regional  board  of  school  trustees,  or
29    regional  boards  of  school  trustees  in  cases  of a joint
30    hearing. A copy of the report and  maps  submitted  shall  be
31    sent  by  the  secretary  of  the  regional  board  of school
32    trustees to each board of the districts  involved,  not  less
33    than  5 days prior to the day upon which the hearing or joint
34    hearing is to be held.
                            -13-               LRB9004521THpk
 1        (i)  Except as otherwise provided by Section  7-1.5  with
 2    respect to limitations on the evidence and issues that may be
 3    considered  in  hearings  held  on petitions filed under that
 4    Section, the regional board of school trustees,  or  regional
 5    boards  of  school trustees in cases of a joint hearing shall
 6    hear evidence as to the school needs and  conditions  of  the
 7    territory  in  the area within and adjacent thereto and as to
 8    the ability of the districts affected to meet  the  standards
 9    of recognition as prescribed by the State Board of Education,
10    and  shall  take into consideration the division of funds and
11    assets which will result from the change  of  boundaries  and
12    shall  determine  whether  it is to the best interests of the
13    schools of the area and the educational welfare of the pupils
14    that such change  in  boundaries  be  granted,  and  in  case
15    non-high  school  territory  is contained in the petition the
16    normal high school attendance pattern of the  children  shall
17    be taken into consideration. If the non-high school territory
18    overlies an elementary district, a part of which is in a high
19    school  district,  such territory may be annexed to such high
20    school district even though not contiguous to the high school
21    district. However, upon resolution by the regional  board  of
22    school  trustees,  or  regional  boards of school trustees in
23    cases of a joint hearing the secretary or secretaries thereof
24    shall conduct the hearing or joint hearing upon any  boundary
25    petition  and  present  a  transcript  of such hearing to the
26    trustees who shall base their decision upon  the  transcript,
27    maps and information and any presentation of counsel.
28        (j)  Subject  to  the  limitations established by Section
29    7-1.5 with respect to petitions filed under that Section,  at
30    the  hearing  or  joint hearing any resident of the territory
31    described in the petition or any  resident  in  any  district
32    affected  by  the proposed change of boundaries may appear in
33    person or by an attorney in support of  the  petition  or  to
34    object  to  the  granting  of  the  petition  and may present
                            -14-               LRB9004521THpk
 1    evidence in support of his position.
 2        (k)  At the conclusion of the hearing, other than a joint
 3    hearing, the regional superintendent of schools as ex officio
 4    member of the regional board of school trustees shall  within
 5    30  days  enter  an  order  either  granting  or  denying the
 6    petition and shall deliver to the committee  of  petitioners,
 7    if  any,  and  any  person  who  has  filed his appearance in
 8    writing at the hearing and any attorney who appears  for  any
 9    person  and any objector who testifies at the hearing and the
10    regional superintendent of schools a certified  copy  of  its
11    order.
12        (l)  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  provisions  of this
13    Section, if within 9 months after  a  petition  is  submitted
14    under  the  provisions  of  Section  7-1  the petition is not
15    approved or denied by the regional board of  school  trustees
16    and  the order approving or denying that petition entered and
17    a copy thereof served as provided in this Section, the school
18    boards or registered voters of the  districts  affected  that
19    submitted  the  petition  (or  the  committee  of  10,  or an
20    attorney acting on its behalf, if designated in the petition)
21    may submit a copy of  the  petition  directly  to  the  State
22    Superintendent of Education for approval or denial.  The copy
23    of  the  petition  as  so submitted shall be accompanied by a
24    record of all proceedings had with respect to the petition up
25    to the time the copy of the  petition  is  submitted  to  the
26    State  Superintendent  of  Education (including a copy of any
27    notice given or published, any certificate or other proof  of
28    publication,  copies  of  any  maps  or written report of the
29    financial and educational conditions of the school  districts
30    affected  if furnished by the secretary of the regional board
31    of school trustees, copies of any amendments to the  petition
32    and  stipulations  made, accepted or refused, a transcript of
33    any hearing or part of a hearing held, continued or adjourned
34    on the petition, and any orders entered with respect  to  the
                            -15-               LRB9004521THpk
 1    petition  or  any  hearing held thereon).  The school boards,
 2    registered voters or committee of 10 submitting the  petition
 3    and  record  of  proceedings  to  the State Superintendent of
 4    Education shall give written notice by certified mail, return
 5    receipt requested to the regional board  of  school  trustees
 6    and to the secretary of that board that the petition has been
 7    submitted  to  the  State  Superintendent  of  Education  for
 8    approval or denial, and shall furnish a copy of the notice so
 9    given  to the State Superintendent of Education.  The cost of
10    assembling the record of proceedings for  submission  to  the
11    State Superintendent of Education shall be the responsibility
12    of  the  school  boards, registered voters or committee of 10
13    that submits the petition and record of  proceedings  to  the
14    State  Superintendent  of  Education.   When  a  petition  is
15    submitted   to  the  State  Superintendent  of  Education  in
16    accordance with the provisions of this paragraph:
17             (1)  The regional board of school trustees loses all
18        jurisdiction over the petition and shall have no  further
19        authority  to  hear,  approve, deny or otherwise act with
20        respect to the petition.
21             (2)  All jurisdiction  over  the  petition  and  the
22        right  and  duty  to hear, approve, deny or otherwise act
23        with respect to the petition is transferred to and  shall
24        be  assumed  and exercised by the State Superintendent of
25        Education.
26             (3)  The State Superintendent of Education shall not
27        be required to repeat any proceedings that were conducted
28        in accordance with the provisions of this  Section  prior
29        to the time jurisdiction over the petition is transferred
30        to  him,  but the State Superintendent of Education shall
31        be required to give and publish any notices and  hold  or
32        complete  any  hearings  that  were  not  given,  held or
33        completed by the regional board of school trustees or its
34        secretary as required by this Section prior to  the  time
                            -16-               LRB9004521THpk
 1        jurisdiction  over  the  petition  is  transferred to the
 2        State Superintendent of Education.
 3             (4)  If so directed by the State  Superintendent  of
 4        Education,  the  regional superintendent of schools shall
 5        submit to the State Superintendent of  Education  and  to
 6        such   school  boards  as  the  State  Superintendent  of
 7        Education shall prescribe accurate  maps  and  a  written
 8        report of the financial and educational conditions of the
 9        districts   affected  and  the  probable  effect  of  the
10        proposed boundary changes.
11             (5)  The  State  Superintendent  is  authorized   to
12        conduct further hearings, or appoint a hearing officer to
13        conduct  further  hearings, on the petition even though a
14        hearing thereon was held  as  provided  in  this  Section
15        prior  to  the  time  jurisdiction  over  the petition is
16        transferred to the State Superintendent of Education.
17             (6)  The State Superintendent of  Education  or  the
18        hearing  officer  shall hear evidence and approve or deny
19        the petition and shall enter an order to that effect  and
20        deliver  and serve the same as required in other cases to
21        be done by the regional board of school trustees and  the
22        regional  superintendent  of  schools  as  an  ex officio
23        member of that board.
24        (m)  Within 10 days  after  the  conclusion  of  a  joint
25    hearing  required  under  the provisions of Section 7-2, each
26    regional board of school trustees  shall  meet  together  and
27    render  a  decision  with  regard to the joint hearing on the
28    petition.  If the regional boards of school trustees fail  to
29    enter  a joint order either granting or denying the petition,
30    the regional superintendent of schools  for  the  educational
31    service region in which the joint hearing is held shall enter
32    an  order  denying the petition, and within 30 days after the
33    conclusion of the joint hearing shall deliver a copy  of  the
34    order  denying  the petition to the regional boards of school
                            -17-               LRB9004521THpk
 1    trustees  of  each  region  affected,  to  the  committee  of
 2    petitioners,  if  any,  to  any  person  who  has  filed  his
 3    appearance in writing at the hearing and to any attorney  who
 4    appears for any person at the joint hearing.  If the regional
 5    boards of school trustees enter a joint order either granting
 6    or  denying  the  petition,  the  regional  superintendent of
 7    schools for the educational service region in which the joint
 8    hearing is held shall, within 30 days of  the  conclusion  of
 9    the  hearing, deliver a copy of the joint order to those same
10    committees and persons as are entitled to receive  copies  of
11    the  regional  superintendent's  order  in  cases  where  the
12    regional  boards  of  school  trustees have failed to enter a
13    joint order.
14        (m-5)  Within 10 days after the  conclusion  of  a  joint
15    hearing  required  under the provisions of Section 7-1.5, the
16    regional boards of school trustees before whom the hearing is
17    held shall meet  together  and,  upon  determining  that  the
18    limitations  imposed by subsection (a) of that Section on the
19    filing of a petition under that Section have been met,  shall
20    render a decision granting the petition.  Unless the regional
21    boards   of   school  trustees  jointly  determine  that  the
22    limitations imposed by subsection (a) of Section  7-1.5  have
23    not  been  met,  they  shall  have  no  authority to deny the
24    petition.  If the regional boards of school trustees fail  to
25    enter  a joint order either granting or denying the petition,
26    the regional superintendent of schools  for  the  educational
27    service region in which the joint hearing is held shall enter
28    an  order granting the petition, and within 30 days after the
29    conclusion of the joint hearing shall deliver a copy  of  the
30    order  granting the petition to the regional boards of school
31    trustees  of  each  region  affected,  to  the  committee  of
32    petitioners,  if  any,  to  any  person  who  has  filed  his
33    appearance in writing at the hearing and to any attorney  who
34    appears for any person at the joint hearing.  If the regional
                            -18-               LRB9004521THpk
 1    boards of school trustees enter a joint order either granting
 2    or  denying  the  petition,  the  regional  superintendent of
 3    schools for the educational service region in which the joint
 4    hearing is held shall, within 30 days of  the  conclusion  of
 5    the  hearing, deliver a copy of the joint order to those same
 6    committees and persons as are entitled to receive  copies  of
 7    the  regional  superintendent's  order  in  cases  where  the
 8    regional  boards  of  school  trustees have failed to enter a
 9    joint order.
10        (n)  Within 10 days after service of a copy of the  order
11    granting  or  denying  the petition, any person so served may
12    petition for a rehearing and,  upon  sufficient  cause  being
13    shown,  a  rehearing may be granted. The filing of a petition
14    for rehearing shall operate as a stay  of  enforcement  until
15    the  regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of
16    school trustees  in  cases  of  a  joint  hearing,  or  State
17    Superintendent   of   Education  in  cases  determined  under
18    subsection (l) of this Section enter the final order on  such
19    petition for rehearing.
20    (Source: P.A. 87-210; 87-1215; 87-1270; 88-45.)
21        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
22    becoming law.

[ Top ]