HB2594 EngrossedLRB102 15000 NHT 20355 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
55-1 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/5-1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 5-1)
7    Sec. 5-1. County school units.
8    (a) The territory in each county, exclusive of any school
9district governed by any special act which requires the
10district to appoint its own school treasurer, shall constitute
11a county school unit. County school units of less than
122,000,000 inhabitants shall be known as Class I county school
13units and the office of township trustees, where existing on
14July 1, 1962, in such units shall be abolished on that date and
15all books and records of such former township trustees shall
16be forthwith thereafter transferred to the county board of
17school trustees. County school units of 2,000,000 or more
18inhabitants shall be known as Class II county school units and
19shall retain the office of township trustees unless otherwise
20provided in subsection (b) or (c).
21    (b) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school
22board of any elementary school district having a fall, 1989
23aggregate enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500

 

 

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1pupils and having boundaries that are coterminous with the
2boundaries of a high school district, and the school board of
3any high school district having a fall, 1989 aggregate
4enrollment of at least 2,500 but less than 6,500 pupils and
5having boundaries that are coterminous with the boundaries of
6an elementary school district, may, whenever the territory of
7such school district forms a part of a Class II county school
8unit, by proper resolution withdraw such school district from
9the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of
10the township in which such school district is located and from
11the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer in
12such Class II county school unit; provided that the school
13board of any such school district shall, upon the adoption and
14passage of such resolution, thereupon elect or appoint its own
15school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1. Upon the adoption
16and passage of such resolution and the election or appointment
17by the school board of its own school treasurer: (1) the
18trustees of schools in such township shall no longer have or
19exercise any powers and duties with respect to the school
20district governed by such school board or with respect to the
21school business, operations or assets of such school district;
22and (2) all books and records of the township trustees
23relating to the school business and affairs of such school
24district shall be transferred and delivered to the school
25board of such school district. Upon the effective date of this
26amendatory Act of 1993, the legal title to, and all right,

 

 

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1title and interest formerly held by the township trustees in
2any school buildings and school sites used and occupied by the
3school board of such school district for school purposes, that
4legal title, right, title and interest thereafter having been
5transferred to and vested in the regional board of school
6trustees under P.A. 87-473 until the abolition of that
7regional board of school trustees by P.A. 87-969, shall be
8deemed transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the
9school board of that school district.
10    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school boards
11of Oak Park & River Forest District 200, Oak Park Elementary
12School District 97, and River Forest School District 90 may,
13by proper resolution, withdraw from the jurisdiction and
14authority of the trustees of schools of Proviso and Cicero
15Townships and the township treasurer, provided that the school
16board shall, upon the adoption and passage of the resolution,
17elect or appoint its own school treasurer as provided in
18Section 8-1 of this Code. Upon the adoption and passage of the
19resolution and the election or appointment by the school board
20of its own school treasurer: (1) the trustees of schools in the
21township or townships shall no longer have or exercise any
22powers or duties with respect to the school district or with
23respect to the school business, operations, or assets of the
24school district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of
25schools and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other
26assets relating to the school business and affairs of the

 

 

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1school district shall be transferred and delivered to the
2school board; and (3) all legal title to and all right, title,
3and interest formerly held by the trustees of schools in any
4common school lands, school buildings, or school sites used
5and occupied by the school board and all rights of property and
6causes of action pertaining to or constituting a part of the
7common school lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed
8transferred by operation of law to and shall vest in the school
9board.
10    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the respective
11school boards of Berwyn North School District 98, Berwyn South
12School District 100, Cicero School District 99, and J.S.
13Morton High School District 201 may, by proper resolution,
14withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees
15of schools of Cicero Township and the township treasurer,
16provided that the school board shall, upon the adoption and
17passage of the resolution, elect or appoint its own school
18treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this Code. Upon the
19adoption and passage of the resolution and the election or
20appointment by the school board of its own school treasurer:
21(1) the trustees of schools in the township shall no longer
22have or exercise any powers or duties with respect to the
23school district or with respect to the school business,
24operations, or assets of the school district; (2) all books
25and records of the trustees of schools and all moneys,
26securities, loanable funds, and other assets relating to the

 

 

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1school business and affairs of the school district shall be
2transferred and delivered to the school board; and (3) all
3legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly
4held by the trustees of schools in any common school lands,
5school buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the
6school board and all rights of property and causes of action
7pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
8lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
9operation of law to and shall vest in the school board.
10    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) of this Section
11and upon final judgment, including the exhaustion of all
12appeals or a settlement between all parties, regarding claims
13set forth in the case of Township Trustees of Schools Township
1438 North, Range 12 East v. Lyons Township High School District
15No. 204 case N. 13 CH 23386 pending in 2018 in the Circuit
16Court of Cook County, Illinois, County Department, Chancery
17Division, and all related pending claims, the school board of
18Lyons Township High School District 204 may commence, by
19proper resolution, to withdraw from the jurisdiction and
20authority of the trustees of schools of Lyons Township and the
21township treasurer, provided that the school board shall, upon
22the adoption and passage of the resolution, elect or appoint
23its own school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this
24Code. Upon the adoption and passage of the resolution and the
25election or appointment by the school board of its own school
26treasurer commencing with the first day of the succeeding

 

 

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1fiscal year, but not prior to July 1, 2019: (1) the trustees of
2schools in the township shall no longer have or exercise any
3powers or duties with respect to the school district or with
4respect to the school business, operations, or assets of the
5school district; (2) all books and records of the trustees of
6schools and all moneys, securities, loanable funds, and other
7assets relating to the school business and affairs of the
8school district shall be transferred and delivered to the
9school board, allowing for a reasonable period of time not to
10exceed 90 days to liquidate any pooled investments; and (3)
11all legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly
12held by the trustees of schools in any common school lands,
13school buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the
14school board and all rights of property and causes of action
15pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
16lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
17operation of law to and shall vest in the school board. The
18changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the
19100th General Assembly are prospective only, starting from the
20effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
21Assembly, and shall not affect any legal action pending on the
22effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
23Assembly in the Illinois courts in which Lyons Township High
24School District 204 is a listed party.
25    Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c), the school board
26of South Holland School District 151 may, by proper

 

 

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1resolution, withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority of
2the trustees of schools of Thornton Township and the township
3treasurer, provided that the school board shall, upon the
4adoption and passage of the resolution, elect or appoint its
5own school treasurer as provided in Section 8-1 of this Code.
6Upon the adoption and passage of the resolution and the
7election or appointment by the school board of its own school
8treasurer: (1) the trustees of schools in the township shall
9no longer have or exercise any powers or duties with respect to
10the school district or with respect to the school business,
11operations, or assets of the school district; (2) all books
12and records of the trustees of schools and all moneys,
13securities, loanable funds, and other assets relating to the
14school business and affairs of the school district shall be
15transferred and delivered to the school board; and (3) all
16legal title to and all right, title, and interest formerly
17held by the trustees of schools in any common school lands,
18school buildings, or school sites used and occupied by the
19school board and all rights of property and causes of action
20pertaining to or constituting a part of the common school
21lands, buildings, or sites shall be deemed transferred by
22operation of law to and shall vest in the school board.
23    (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the
24offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of any
25township located in a Class II county school unit shall be
26abolished as provided in this subsection if all of the

 

 

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1following conditions are met:
2        (1) During the same 30 day period, each school board
3    of each elementary and unit school district that is
4    subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
5    treasurer and trustees of schools of the township in which
6    those offices are sought to be abolished gives written
7    notice by certified mail, return receipt requested to the
8    township treasurer and trustees of schools of that
9    township of the date of a meeting of the school board, to
10    be held not more than 90 nor less than 60 days after the
11    date when the notice is given, at which meeting the school
12    board is to consider and vote upon the question of whether
13    there shall be submitted to the electors of the school
14    district a proposition to abolish the offices of township
15    treasurer and trustee of schools of that township. None of
16    the notices given under this paragraph to the township
17    treasurer and trustees of schools of a township shall be
18    deemed sufficient or in compliance with the requirements
19    of this paragraph unless all of those notices are given
20    within the same 30 day period.
21        (2) Each school board of each elementary and unit
22    school district that is subject to the jurisdiction and
23    authority of the township treasurer and trustees of
24    schools of the township in which those offices are sought
25    to be abolished, by the affirmative vote of at least 5
26    members of the school board at a school board meeting of

 

 

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1    which notice is given as required by paragraph (1) of this
2    subsection, adopts a resolution requiring the secretary of
3    the school board to certify to the proper election
4    authorities for submission to the electors of the school
5    district at the next consolidated election in accordance
6    with the general election law a proposition to abolish the
7    offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of
8    that township. None of the resolutions adopted under this
9    paragraph by any elementary or unit school districts that
10    are subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the
11    township treasurer and trustees of schools of the township
12    in which those offices are sought to be abolished shall be
13    deemed in compliance with the requirements of this
14    paragraph or sufficient to authorize submission of the
15    proposition to abolish those offices to a referendum of
16    the electors in any such school district unless all of the
17    school boards of all of the elementary and unit school
18    districts that are subject to the jurisdiction and
19    authority of the township treasurer and trustees of
20    schools of that township adopt such a resolution in
21    accordance with the provisions of this paragraph.
22        (3) The school boards of all of the elementary and
23    unit school districts that are subject to the jurisdiction
24    and authority of the township treasurer and trustees of
25    schools of the township in which those offices are sought
26    to be abolished submit a proposition to abolish the

 

 

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1    offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of
2    that township to the electors of their respective school
3    districts at the same consolidated election in accordance
4    with the general election law, the ballot in each such
5    district to be in substantially the following form:
6    -------------------------------------------------------------
7
OFFICIAL BALLOT
8            Shall the offices of township
9            treasurer and                       YES
10            trustee of                      -------------
11            schools of Township .....           NO
12            Range ..... be abolished?
13    -------------------------------------------------------------
14        (4) At the consolidated election at which the
15    proposition to abolish the offices of township treasurer
16    and trustee of schools of a township is submitted to the
17    electors of each elementary and unit school district that
18    is subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the
19    township treasurer and trustee of schools of that
20    township, a majority of the electors voting on the
21    proposition in each such elementary and unit school
22    district votes in favor of the proposition as submitted to
23    them.
24    If in each elementary and unit school district that is
25subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
26treasurer and trustees of schools of the township in which

 

 

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1those offices are sought to be abolished a majority of the
2electors in each such district voting at the consolidated
3election on the proposition to abolish the offices of township
4treasurer and trustee of schools of that township votes in
5favor of the proposition as submitted to them, the proposition
6shall be deemed to have passed; but if in any such elementary
7or unit school district a majority of the electors voting on
8that proposition in that district fails to vote in favor of the
9proposition as submitted to them, then notwithstanding the
10vote of the electors in any other such elementary or unit
11school district on that proposition the proposition shall not
12be deemed to have passed in any of those elementary or unit
13school districts, and the offices of township treasurer and
14trustee of schools of the township in which those offices were
15sought to be abolished shall not be abolished, unless in each
16of those elementary and unit school districts remaining
17subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
18treasurer and trustees of schools of that township proceedings
19are again initiated to abolish those offices and all of the
20proceedings and conditions prescribed in paragraphs (1)
21through (4) of this subsection are repeated and met in each of
22those elementary and unit school districts.
23    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section
24or any other provision of the School Code, the offices of
25township treasurer and trustee of schools of a township that
26has a population of less than 200,000 and that contains a unit

 

 

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1school district and is located in a Class II county school unit
2shall also be abolished as provided in this subsection if all
3of the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of
4this subsection are met and if the following additional
5condition is met:
6        The electors in all of the school districts subject to
7    the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer
8    and trustees of schools of the township in which those
9    offices are sought to be abolished shall vote at the
10    consolidated election on the proposition to abolish the
11    offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of
12    that township. If a majority of the electors in all of the
13    school districts combined voting on the proposition vote
14    in favor of the proposition, then the proposition shall be
15    deemed to have passed; but if a majority of the electors
16    voting on the proposition in all of the school district
17    fails to vote in favor of the proposition as submitted to
18    them, then the proposition shall not be deemed to have
19    passed and the offices of township treasurer and trustee
20    of schools of the township in which those offices were
21    sought to be abolished shall not be abolished, unless and
22    until the proceedings detailed in paragraphs (1) through
23    (3) of this subsection and the conditions set forth in
24    this paragraph are met.
25    If the proposition to abolish the offices of township
26treasurer and trustee of schools of a township is deemed to

 

 

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1have passed at the consolidated election as provided in this
2subsection, those offices shall be deemed abolished by
3operation of law effective on January 1 of the calendar year
4immediately following the calendar year in which that
5consolidated election is held, provided that if after the
6election, the trustees of schools by resolution elect to
7abolish the offices of township treasurer and trustee of
8schools effective on July 1 immediately following the
9election, then the offices shall be abolished on July 1
10immediately following the election. On the date that the
11offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of a
12township are deemed abolished by operation of law, the school
13board of each elementary and unit school district and the
14school board of each high school district that is subject to
15the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
16trustees of schools of that township at the time those offices
17are abolished: (i) shall appoint its own school treasurer as
18provided in Section 8-1; and (ii) unless the term of the
19contract of a township treasurer expires on the date that the
20office of township treasurer is abolished, shall pay to the
21former township treasurer its proportionate share of any
22aggregate compensation that, were the office of township
23treasurer not abolished at that time, would have been payable
24to the former township treasurer after that date over the
25remainder of the term of the contract of the former township
26treasurer that began prior to but ends after that date. In

 

 

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1addition, on the date that the offices of township treasurer
2and trustee of schools of a township are deemed abolished as
3provided in this subsection, the school board of each
4elementary school, high school and unit school district that
5until that date is subject to the jurisdiction and authority
6of the township treasurer and trustees of schools of that
7township shall be deemed by operation of law to have agreed and
8assumed to pay and, when determined, shall pay to the Illinois
9Municipal Retirement Fund a proportionate share of the
10unfunded liability existing in that Fund at the time these
11offices are abolished in that calendar year for all annuities
12or other benefits then or thereafter to become payable from
13that Fund with respect to all periods of service performed
14prior to that date as a participating employee in that Fund by
15persons serving during those periods of service as a trustee
16of schools, township treasurer or regular employee in the
17office of the township treasurer of that township. That
18unfunded liability shall be actuarially determined by the
19board of trustees of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund,
20and the board of trustees shall thereupon notify each school
21board required to pay a proportionate share of that unfunded
22liability of the aggregate amount of the unfunded liability so
23determined. The amount so paid to the Illinois Municipal
24Retirement Fund by each of those school districts shall be
25credited to the account of the township in that Fund. For each
26elementary school, high school and unit school district under

 

 

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1the jurisdiction and authority of a township treasurer and
2trustees of schools of a township in which those offices are
3abolished as provided in this subsection, each such district's
4proportionate share of the aggregate compensation payable to
5the former township treasurer as provided in this paragraph
6and each such district's proportionate share of the aggregate
7amount of the unfunded liability payable to the Illinois
8Municipal Retirement Fund as provided in this paragraph shall
9be computed in accordance with the ratio that the number of
10pupils in average daily attendance in each such district for
11the school year last ending prior to the date on which the
12offices of township treasurer and trustee of schools of that
13township are abolished bears to the aggregate number of pupils
14in average daily attendance in all of those districts as so
15reported for that school year.
16    Upon abolition of the offices of township treasurer and
17trustee of schools of a township as provided in this
18subsection: (i) the regional board of school trustees, in its
19corporate capacity, shall be deemed the successor in interest
20to the former trustees of schools of that township with
21respect to the common school lands and township loanable funds
22of the township; (ii) all right, title and interest existing
23or vested in the former trustees of schools of that township in
24the common school lands and township loanable funds of the
25township, and all records, moneys, securities and other
26assets, rights of property and causes of action pertaining to

 

 

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1or constituting a part of those common school lands or
2township loanable funds, shall be transferred to and deemed
3vested by operation of law in the regional board of school
4trustees, which shall hold legal title to, manage and operate
5all common school lands and township loanable funds of the
6township, receive the rents, issues and profits therefrom, and
7have and exercise with respect thereto the same powers and
8duties as are provided by this Code to be exercised by regional
9boards of school trustees when acting as township land
10commissioners in counties having at least 220,000 but fewer
11than 2,000,000 inhabitants; (iii) the regional board of school
12trustees shall select to serve as its treasurer with respect
13to the common school lands and township loanable funds of the
14township a person from time to time also serving as the
15appointed school treasurer of any school district that was
16subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the township
17treasurer and trustees of schools of that township at the time
18those offices were abolished, and the person selected to also
19serve as treasurer of the regional board of school trustees
20shall have his compensation for services in that capacity
21fixed by the regional board of school trustees, to be paid from
22the township loanable funds, and shall make to the regional
23board of school trustees the reports required to be made by
24treasurers of township land commissioners, give bond as
25required by treasurers of township land commissioners, and
26perform the duties and exercise the powers of treasurers of

 

 

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1township land commissioners; (iv) the regional board of school
2trustees shall designate in the manner provided by Section
38-7, insofar as applicable, a depositary for its treasurer,
4and the proceeds of all rents, issues and profits from the
5common school lands and township loanable funds of that
6township shall be deposited and held in the account maintained
7for those purposes with that depositary and shall be expended
8and distributed therefrom as provided in Section 15-24 and
9other applicable provisions of this Code; and (v) whenever
10there is vested in the trustees of schools of a township at the
11time that office is abolished under this subsection the legal
12title to any school buildings or school sites used or occupied
13for school purposes by any elementary school, high school or
14unit school district subject to the jurisdiction and authority
15of those trustees of school at the time that office is
16abolished, the legal title to those school buildings and
17school sites shall be deemed transferred by operation of law
18to and invested in the school board of that school district, in
19its corporate capacity under Section 10-22.35B of this Code,
20the same to be held, sold, exchanged leased or otherwise
21transferred in accordance with applicable provisions of this
22Code.
23    Notwithstanding Section 2-3.25g of this Code, a waiver of
24a mandate established under this Section may not be requested.
25(Source: P.A. 100-374, eff. 8-25-17; 100-921, eff. 8-17-18.)
 
26    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,

 

 

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12021.