Rep. Michelle Mussman

Filed: 3/27/2024

 

 


 

 


 
10300HB4896ham001LRB103 37153 RJT 71348 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4896

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4896 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
5Sections 22-85.5 and 22-94 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/22-85.5)
7    Sec. 22-85.5. Sexual misconduct in schools.
8    (a) This Section applies beginning on July 1, 2022.
9    (b) The General Assembly finds that:
10        (1) the success of students in school relies on safe
11    learning environments and healthy relationships with
12    school personnel;
13        (2) it is important for staff to maintain a
14    professional relationship with students at all times and
15    to define staff-student boundaries to protect students
16    from sexual misconduct by staff and staff from the

 

 

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1    appearance of impropriety;
2        (3) many breaches of staff-student boundaries do not
3    rise to the level of criminal behavior but do pose a
4    potential risk to student safety;
5        (4) repeated violations of staff–student boundaries
6    can indicate the grooming of a student for sexual abuse;
7        (5) it is necessary to uphold the State Board of
8    Education's Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators and for
9    each school district, charter school, or nonpublic school
10    to have an employee code of professional conduct policy;
11        (6) each school district, charter school, or nonpublic
12    school must have the ability to discipline educators for
13    breaches of its employee code of professional conduct
14    policy;
15        (7) each school district, charter school, or nonpublic
16    school must have the ability to know if any of its
17    educators have violated professional staff–student
18    boundaries in previous employment; and
19        (8) as bystanders, educators may have knowledge of
20    concerning behaviors that no one else is aware of, so they
21    need adequate training on sexual abuse, the employee code
22    of professional conduct policy, and federal and State
23    reporting requirements.
24    (c) In this Section, "sexual misconduct" means any act,
25including, but not limited to, any verbal, nonverbal, written,
26or electronic communication or physical activity, by an

 

 

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1employee or agent of the school district, charter school, or
2nonpublic school with direct contact with a student that is
3directed toward or with a student to establish a romantic or
4sexual relationship with the student. Such an act includes,
5but is not limited to, any of the following:
6        (1) A sexual or romantic invitation.
7        (2) Dating or soliciting a date.
8        (3) Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialog.
9        (4) Making sexually suggestive comments that are
10    directed toward or with a student.
11        (5) Self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual,
12    romantic, or erotic nature.
13        (6) A sexual, indecent, romantic, or erotic contact
14    with the student.
15    (d) To prevent sexual misconduct with students, each
16school district, charter school, or nonpublic school shall
17develop an employee code of professional conduct policy that
18addresses all of the following:
19        (1) Incorporates the Code of Ethics for Illinois
20    Educators.
21        (2) Incorporates the definition of "sexual misconduct"
22    in this Section.
23        (3) Identifies the expectations for employees and
24    agents of the school district, charter school, or
25    nonpublic school regarding how to maintain a professional
26    relationship with students, including the expectations for

 

 

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1    staff-student boundaries, recognizing the age and
2    developmental level of the students served, and
3    establishes guidelines for all of the following
4    situations:
5            (A) Transporting a student.
6            (B) Taking or possessing a photo or a video of a
7        student.
8            (C) Meeting with a student or contacting a student
9        outside of the employee's or agent's professional
10        role.
11        (4) References the employee reporting requirements
12    required under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting
13    Act and under Title IX of the federal Education Amendments
14    of 1972.
15        (5) References required employee training that is
16    related to child abuse and educator ethics that are
17    applicable under State and federal law.
18    (e) The employee code of professional conduct policy,
19guidelines established for all of the situations identified in
20paragraph (3) of subsection (d), and all available methods for
21how to report staff-student boundary violations within a
22school and to external agencies must be posted on the website,
23if any, of each school district, charter school, or nonpublic
24school and must be included in any staff, student, and or
25parent handbook provided by the school district, charter
26school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary

 

 

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1school.
2    (f) A violation of the employee code of professional
3conduct policy may subject an employee to disciplinary action
4up to and including dismissal from employment. Failure to
5report a violation of the employee code of professional
6conduct policy may subject an employee to disciplinary action
7up to and including dismissal from employment.
8(Source: P.A. 102-676, eff. 12-3-21.)
 
9    (105 ILCS 5/22-94)
10    Sec. 22-94. Employment history review.
11    (a) This Section applies to all permanent and temporary
12positions for employment with a school or a contractor of a
13school involving direct contact with children or students.
14    (b) In this Section:
15    "Contractor" means firms holding contracts with any school
16including, but not limited to, food service workers, school
17bus drivers and other transportation employees, who have
18direct contact with children or students.
19    "Direct contact with children or students" means the
20possibility of care, supervision, guidance, or control of
21children or students or routine interaction with children or
22students.
23    "School" means a public or nonpublic elementary or
24secondary school.
25    "Sexual misconduct" has the meaning ascribed to it in

 

 

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1subsection (c) of Section 22-85.5 of this Code.
2    (c) Prior to hiring an applicant to work directly with
3children or students, a school or contractor must ensure that
4the following criteria are met:
5        (1) the school or contractor has no knowledge or
6    information pertaining to the applicant that would
7    disqualify the applicant from employment;
8        (2) the applicant swears or affirms that the applicant
9    is not disqualified from employment;
10        (3) using the template developed by the State Board of
11    Education, the applicant provides all of the following:
12            (A) a list, including the name, address, telephone
13        number, and other relevant contact information of the
14        following:
15                (i) the applicant's current employer if the
16            applicant has direct contact with children or
17            students at the applicant's current employer;
18                (ii) all former employers of the applicant
19            that were schools or school contractors, as well
20            as all former employers at which the applicant had
21            direct contact with children or students;
22            (B) A written authorization that consents to and
23        authorizes disclosure by the applicant's current and
24        former employers under subparagraph (A) of this
25        paragraph (3) of the information requested under
26        paragraph (4) of this subsection (c) and the release

 

 

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1        of related records and that releases those employers
2        from any liability that may arise from such disclosure
3        or release of records pursuant to subsection (e).
4            (C) A written statement of whether the applicant:
5                (i) has been the subject of a sexual
6            misconduct allegation, unless a subsequent
7            investigation resulted in a finding that the
8            allegation was false, unfounded, or
9            unsubstantiated;
10                (ii) has ever been discharged from, been asked
11            to resign from, resigned from, or otherwise been
12            separated from any employment, has ever been
13            disciplined by an employer, or has ever had an
14            employment contract not renewed due to an
15            adjudication or finding of sexual misconduct or
16            while an allegation of sexual misconduct was
17            pending or under investigation, unless the
18            investigation resulted in a finding that the
19            allegation was false, unfounded, or
20            unsubstantiated; or
21                (iii) has ever had a license or certificate
22            suspended, surrendered, or revoked or had an
23            application for licensure, approval, or
24            endorsement denied due to an adjudication or
25            finding of sexual misconduct or while an
26            allegation of sexual misconduct was pending or

 

 

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1            under investigation, unless the investigation
2            resulted in a finding that the allegation was
3            false, unfounded, or unsubstantiated.
4        (4) The school, or contractor, or regional office of
5    education or intermediate service center on behalf of a
6    school district, pursuant to paragraph (1.5) of subsection
7    (i), shall initiate a review of the employment history of
8    the applicant by contacting those employers listed by the
9    applicant under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of this
10    subsection (c) and, using the template developed by the
11    State Board of Education, request all of the following
12    information:
13            (A) the dates of employment of the applicant;
14            (B) a statement as to whether the applicant:
15                (i) has been the subject of a sexual
16            misconduct allegation, unless a subsequent
17            investigation resulted in a finding that the
18            allegation was false, unfounded, or
19            unsubstantiated;
20                (ii) was discharged from, was asked to resign
21            from, resigned from, or was otherwise separated
22            from any employment, was disciplined by the
23            employer, or had an employment contract not
24            renewed due to an adjudication or finding of
25            sexual misconduct or while an allegation of sexual
26            misconduct was pending or under investigation,

 

 

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1            unless the investigation resulted in a finding
2            that the allegation was false, unfounded, or
3            unsubstantiated; or
4                (iii) has ever had a license or certificate
5            suspended, surrendered, or revoked due to an
6            adjudication or finding of sexual misconduct or
7            while an allegation of sexual misconduct was
8            pending or under investigation, unless the
9            investigation resulted in a finding that the
10            allegation was false, unfounded, or
11            unsubstantiated.
12            (C) The template shall include the following
13        option: if the employer does not have records or
14        evidence regarding the questions in items (i) through
15        (iii) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of
16        subsection (c), the employer may state that there is
17        no knowledge of information pertaining to the
18        applicant that would disqualify the applicant from
19        employment.
20        (5) For applicants licensed by the State Board of
21    Education, the school district, charter school, or
22    nonpublic school shall verify the applicant's reported
23    previous employers with previous employers in the State
24    Board of Education's educator licensure database to ensure
25    accuracy.
26    (d) An applicant who provides false information or

 

 

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1willfully fails to disclose information required in subsection
2(c) shall be subject to discipline, up to and including
3termination or denial of employment.
4    (e) No later than 20 days after receiving a request for
5information required under paragraph (4) of subsection (c), an
6employer who has or had an employment relationship with the
7applicant shall disclose the information requested. If the
8employer has an office of human resources or a central office,
9information shall be provided by that office. The employer who
10has or had an employment relationship with the applicant shall
11disclose the information on the template developed by the
12State Board of Education. For any affirmative response to
13items (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4)
14or subsection (c), the employer who has or had an employment
15relationship with the applicant shall provide additional
16information about the matters disclosed and all related
17records.
18    A school shall complete the template at time of separation
19from employment, or at the request of the employee, and
20maintain it as part of the employee's personnel file. If the
21school completes an investigation after an employee's
22separation from employment, the school shall update the
23information accordingly.
24    Information received under this Section shall not be
25deemed a public record.
26    A school or contractor who receives information under this

 

 

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1subsection (e) may use the information for the purpose of
2evaluating an applicant's fitness to be hired or for continued
3employment and may report the information, as appropriate, to
4the State Board of Education, a State licensing agency, a law
5enforcement agency, a child protective services agency,
6another school or contractor, or a prospective employer.
7    An employer, school, school administrator, regional office
8of education or intermediate service center, or contractor who
9provides information or records about a current or former
10employee or applicant under this Section is immune from
11criminal and civil liability for the disclosure of the
12information or records, unless the information or records
13provided were knowingly false. This immunity shall be in
14addition to and not a limitation on any other immunity
15provided by law or any absolute or conditional privileges
16applicable to the disclosure by virtue of the circumstances or
17the applicant's consent to the disclosure and shall extent to
18any circumstances when the employer, school, school
19administrator, or contractor in good faith shares findings of
20sexual misconduct with another employer.
21    Unless the laws of another state prevent the release of
22the information or records requested or disclosure is
23restricted by the terms of a contract entered into prior to the
24effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
25Assembly, and notwithstanding any other provisions of law to
26the contrary, an employer, school, school administrator,

 

 

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1contractor, or applicant shall report and disclose, in
2accordance with this Section, all relevant information,
3records, and documentation that may otherwise be confidential.
4    (f) A school or contractor may not hire an applicant who
5does not provide the information required under subsection (c)
6for a position involving direct contact with children or
7students.
8    (g) Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act
9of the 102nd General Assembly, a school or contractor may not
10enter into a collective bargaining agreement, an employment
11contract, an agreement for resignation or termination, a
12severance agreement, or any other contract or agreement or
13take any action that:
14        (1) has the effect of suppressing information
15    concerning a pending investigation or a completed
16    investigation in which an allegation was substantiated
17    related to a report of suspected sexual misconduct by a
18    current or former employee;
19        (2) affects the ability of the school or contractor to
20    report suspected sexual misconduct to the appropriate
21    authorities; or
22        (3) requires the school or contractor to expunge
23    information about allegations or findings of suspected
24    sexual misconduct from any documents maintained by the
25    school or contractor, unless, after an investigation, an
26    allegation is found to be false, unfounded, or

 

 

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1    unsubstantiated.
2    (h) Any provision of an employment contract or agreement
3for resignation or termination or a severance agreement that
4is executed, amended, or entered into on or after the
5effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
6Assembly and that is contrary to this Section is void and
7unenforceable.
8    (i) For substitute employees, all of the following apply:
9        (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (1.5) of
10    this subsection (i), the The employment history review
11    required by this Section is required only prior to the
12    initial hiring of a substitute employee or placement on a
13    school's approved substitute list and shall remain valid
14    as long as the substitute employee continues to be
15    employed by the same school or remains on the school's
16    approved substitute list.
17        (1.5) For a substitute teacher licensed under Section
18    21B-20 and seeking employment in more than one school
19    district, a school district's regional office of education
20    or intermediate service center may collect and share the
21    information and records under paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)
22    of subsection (c). A regional office of education's or
23    intermediate service center's participation in the
24    employment history review shall be limited to collecting
25    such information and records and sharing the information
26    and records with the school district or school districts.

 

 

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1    A regional office of education or intermediate service
2    center may not use the information and records collected
3    for the purpose of evaluating a substitute teacher
4    applicant's fitness to be hired, and the school district
5    shall complete all aspects of the employment history
6    review process, unless otherwise agreed to with the
7    regional office of education or intermediate service
8    center. The regional office of education or intermediate
9    service center is not responsible for the content or
10    completeness of the information or records shared by any
11    former employer or with the school district. A regional
12    office of education's or intermediate service center's
13    participation in the employment history review process
14    shall occur only prior to the initial hiring of a
15    substitute teacher by one of its member school districts
16    or prior to the initial placement of a substitute teacher
17    on the regional office of education's or intermediate
18    service center's approved substitute list. The employment
19    history review shall remain valid as long as the
20    substitute teacher continues to be employed by a school
21    district within the regional office of education's or
22    intermediate service center's jurisdiction or remains on
23    the regional office of education's or intermediate service
24    center's approved substitute list. A regional office of
25    education or intermediate service center participating in
26    the employment history review process shall promptly

 

 

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1    provide the school district in which the substitute
2    teacher is seeking employment with the collected
3    information and records. If the regional office of
4    education or intermediate service center receives updated
5    employment history review information or records, the
6    information or records shall be shared with the applicable
7    school districts by the regional office of education or
8    intermediate service center as provided in this Section.
9    If, at any time, a school district has information or
10    records that the school district would have immunity from
11    liability to share as part of an employment history
12    review, then the school district and its employees are
13    immune from liability on the same terms as provided in
14    subsection (e) if sharing such information or records with
15    the regional office of education or intermediate service
16    center that maintains the applicable approved substitute
17    list.
18        (2) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (1.5) of
19    this subsection (i), a A substitute employee seeking to be
20    added to another school's substitute list shall undergo an
21    additional employment history review under this Section.
22    Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (1.5) or
23    paragraph (3) of this subsection (i) or in subsection (k),
24    the appearance of a substitute employee on one school's
25    substitute list does not relieve another school from
26    compliance with this Section.

 

 

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1        (3) An employment history review conducted upon
2    initial hiring of a substitute employee by a contractor or
3    any other entity that furnishes substitute staffing
4    services to schools shall satisfy the requirements of this
5    Section for all schools using the services of that
6    contractor or other entity.
7        (4) A contractor or any other entity furnishing
8    substitute staffing services to schools shall comply with
9    paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (j).
10    (j) For employees of contractors, all of the following
11apply:
12        (1) The employment history review required by this
13    Section shall be performed, either at the time of the
14    initial hiring of an employee or prior to the assignment
15    of an existing employee to perform work for a school in a
16    position involving direct contact with children or
17    students. The review shall remain valid as long as the
18    employee remains employed by the same contractor, even if
19    assigned to perform work for other schools.
20        (2) A contractor shall maintain records documenting
21    employment history reviews for all employees as required
22    by this Section and, upon request, shall provide a school
23    for whom an employee is assigned to perform work access to
24    the records pertaining to that employee.
25        (3) Prior to assigning an employee to perform work for
26    a school in a position involving direct contact with

 

 

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1    children or students, the contractor shall inform the
2    school of any instance known to the contractor in which
3    the employee:
4            (A) has been the subject of a sexual misconduct
5        allegation unless a subsequent investigation resulted
6        in a finding that the allegation was false, unfounded,
7        or unsubstantiated;
8            (B) has ever been discharged, been asked to resign
9        from, resigned from, or otherwise been separated from
10        any employment, been removed from a substitute list,
11        been disciplined by an employer, or had an employment
12        contract not renewed due to an adjudication or finding
13        of sexual misconduct or while an allegation of sexual
14        misconduct was pending or under investigation, unless
15        the investigation resulted in a finding that the
16        allegation was false, unfounded, or unsubstantiated;
17        or
18            (C) has ever had a license or certificate
19        suspended, surrendered, or revoked due to an
20        adjudication or finding of sexual misconduct or while
21        an allegation of sexual misconduct was pending or
22        under investigation, unless the investigation resulted
23        in a finding that the allegation was false, unfounded,
24        or unsubstantiated.
25        (4) The contractor may not assign an employee to
26    perform work for a school in a position involving direct

 

 

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1    contact with children or students if the school objects to
2    the assignment after being informed of an instance listed
3    in paragraph (3).
4    (k) An applicant who has undergone an employment history
5review under this Section and seeks to transfer to or provide
6services to another school in the same school district,
7diocese, or religious jurisdiction, or to another school
8established and supervised by the same organization is not
9required to obtain additional reports under this Section
10before transferring.
11    (l) Nothing in this Section shall be construed:
12        (1) to prevent a prospective employer from conducting
13    further investigations of prospective employees or from
14    requiring applicants to provide additional background
15    information or authorizations beyond what is required
16    under this Section, nor to prevent a current or former
17    employer from disclosing more information than what is
18    required under this Section;
19        (2) to relieve a school, school employee, contractor
20    of the school, or agent of the school from any legal
21    responsibility to report sexual misconduct in accordance
22    with State and federal reporting requirements;
23        (3) to relieve a school, school employee, contractor
24    of the school, or agent of the school from any legal
25    responsibility to implement the provisions of Section 7926
26    of Chapter 20 of the United States Code; or

 

 

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1        (4) to prohibit the right of the exclusive bargaining
2    representative under a collective bargaining agreement to
3    grieve and arbitrate the validity of an employee's
4    termination or discipline for just cause.
5    (m) The State Board of Education shall develop the
6templates required under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection
7(c).
8(Source: P.A. 102-702, eff. 7-1-23.)".