90th General Assembly
Status of HB0991
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ROSKAM.

   New Act                                                                     
   35 ILCS 5/203             from Ch. 120, par. 2-203                          

        Creates the Educational Choice Act.  Establishes a pilot  program      
   under  which,  beginning  with the 1998-99 school year, the parents or      
   guardians of pupils residing within a selected  geographic  region  of      
   the  Chicago  school  district are entitled to vouchers for payment of      
   qualified education expenses incurred by the pupils while enrolled  at      
   public  or  non-home  based, nonpublic elementary or secondary schools      
   that are located in the region selected.  A pupil must be a member  of      
   a  family  that has a total family income that does not exceed one and      
   one-half times the family income level necessary to qualify  for  free      
   meals  under  the National School Lunch Act in order to participate in      
   the program.  The State Board of Education is to reimburse the  school      
   at  which  a pupil enrolls for the amount of the voucher (which cannot      
   exceed the  lesser  of  $2,500  or  the  pupil's  qualified  education      
   expenses  reasonably  incurred  at  the  school  at which the pupil is      
   enrolled, subject to equitable allocation of a  lower  amount  if  the      
   aggregate  amount  needed  to  fund vouchers for all qualifying pupils      
   would otherwise exceed $5,000,000 in any year).  Creates a Council  of      
   Advisers  that  is to select the region that is to be the locus of the      
   pilot program.  Defines terms.  Adds provisions relative to the manner      
   in which vouchers are requested, issued, and  paid.   Provides  for  a      
   reduction  in  the  Chicago  school  district's State aid by an amount      
   equal to total vouchers paid, subject to a maximum  reduction  in  one      
   year  of  $5,000,000.   Provides  that  the amount of a voucher is not      
   taxable for Illinois income tax purposes to a person who  redeems  the      
   voucher.  Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to provide that an amount      
   equal  to a redeemed voucher shall be deducted from the adjusted gross      
   income that constitutes the base income of an individual for  Illinois      
   income  tax purposes.  Provides that the Act is repealed July 1, 2002.      
   Effective immediately.                                                      
   97-02-26  H  FIRST READING                                                  
   97-02-26  H  ADDED AS A JOINT SPONSOR                 MCAULIFFE             
   97-02-26  H  REFERRED TO HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE        RULES                 
   97-02-27  H       ASSIGNED TO COMMITTEE               ELEM SCND ED          
   97-03-21  H  RE-REFERRED TO RULES COMM/RULE 19(A)     RULES         HRUL    
   99-01-12  H  SESSION SINE DIE                                               

   END OF INQUIRY 



 Full Text  Bill Summary