99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB0494

 

Introduced , by Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.25o
105 ILCS 5/10-21.9  from Ch. 122, par. 10-21.9
105 ILCS 5/21B-80
105 ILCS 5/34-18.5  from Ch. 122, par. 34-18.5

    Amends the School Code. In provisions requiring a criminal history records check to be performed with regard to applicants for employment with a school district or non-public school and whether those applicants may be employed, makes changes concerning the types of convictions checked for and when those convictions occurred. In provisions concerning the conviction of certain offenses as grounds for revocation of an educator license, changes the definitions of "narcotics offense" and "sex offense". Effective immediately.


LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0494LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 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 Sections
52-3.25o, 10-21.9, 21B-80, and 34-18.5 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25o)
7    Sec. 2-3.25o. Registration and recognition of non-public
8elementary and secondary schools.
9    (a) Findings. The General Assembly finds and declares (i)
10that the Constitution of the State of Illinois provides that a
11"fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational
12development of all persons to the limits of their capacities"
13and (ii) that the educational development of every school
14student serves the public purposes of the State. In order to
15ensure that all Illinois students and teachers have the
16opportunity to enroll and work in State-approved educational
17institutions and programs, the State Board of Education shall
18provide for the voluntary registration and recognition of
19non-public elementary and secondary schools.
20    (b) Registration. All non-public elementary and secondary
21schools in the State of Illinois may voluntarily register with
22the State Board of Education on an annual basis. Registration
23shall be completed in conformance with procedures prescribed by

 

 

HB0494- 2 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1the State Board of Education. Information required for
2registration shall include assurances of compliance (i) with
3federal and State laws regarding health examination and
4immunization, attendance, length of term, and
5nondiscrimination and (ii) with applicable fire and health
6safety requirements.
7    (c) Recognition. All non-public elementary and secondary
8schools in the State of Illinois may voluntarily seek the
9status of "Non-public School Recognition" from the State Board
10of Education. This status may be obtained by compliance with
11administrative guidelines and review procedures as prescribed
12by the State Board of Education. The guidelines and procedures
13must recognize that some of the aims and the financial bases of
14non-public schools are different from public schools and will
15not be identical to those for public schools, nor will they be
16more burdensome. The guidelines and procedures must also
17recognize the diversity of non-public schools and shall not
18impinge upon the noneducational relationships between those
19schools and their clientele.
20    (c-5) Prohibition against recognition. A non-public
21elementary or secondary school may not obtain "Non-public
22School Recognition" status unless the school requires all
23certified and non-certified applicants for employment with the
24school, after July 1, 2007, to authorize a fingerprint-based
25criminal history records check as a condition of employment to
26determine if such applicants have been convicted of any sex

 

 

HB0494- 3 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1offense as defined in subsection (a) of Section 21B-80 of this
2Code, have been convicted of any narcotics offense as defined
3in subsection (a) of Section 21B-80 of this Code within 5 years
4of the application for employment, of the enumerated criminal
5or drug offenses set forth in Section 21-23a of this Code or
6have been convicted, within 2 7 years of the application for
7employment, of any other felony under the laws of this State or
8of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or
9against the laws of the United States that, if committed or
10attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony
11under the laws of this State.
12    Authorization for the check shall be furnished by the
13applicant to the school, except that if the applicant is a
14substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one
15non-public school, a teacher seeking concurrent part-time
16employment positions with more than one non-public school (as a
17reading specialist, special education teacher, or otherwise),
18or an educational support personnel employee seeking
19employment positions with more than one non-public school, then
20only one of the non-public schools employing the individual
21shall request the authorization. Upon receipt of this
22authorization, the non-public school shall submit the
23applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, social security
24number, fingerprint images, and other identifiers, as
25prescribed by the Department of State Police, to the Department
26of State Police.

 

 

HB0494- 4 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1    The Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of
2Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based
3criminal history records check, records of convictions,
4forever and hereafter, until expunged, to the president or
5principal of the non-public school that requested the check.
6The Department of State Police shall charge that school a fee
7for conducting such check, which fee must be deposited into the
8State Police Services Fund and must not exceed the cost of the
9inquiry. Subject to appropriations for these purposes, the
10State Superintendent of Education shall reimburse non-public
11schools for fees paid to obtain criminal history records checks
12under this Section.
13    A non-public school may not obtain recognition status
14unless the school also performs a check of the Statewide Sex
15Offender Database, as authorized by the Sex Offender Community
16Notification Law, for each applicant for employment, after July
171, 2007, to determine whether the applicant has been
18adjudicated a sex offender.
19    Any information concerning the record of convictions
20obtained by a non-public school's president or principal under
21this Section is confidential and may be disseminated only to
22the governing body of the non-public school or any other person
23necessary to the decision of hiring the applicant for
24employment. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from
25the Department of State Police shall be provided to the
26applicant for employment. Upon a check of the Statewide Sex

 

 

HB0494- 5 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1Offender Database, the non-public school shall notify the
2applicant as to whether or not the applicant has been
3identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex offender. Any
4information concerning the records of conviction obtained by
5the non-public school's president or principal under this
6Section for a substitute teacher seeking employment in more
7than one non-public school, a teacher seeking concurrent
8part-time employment positions with more than one non-public
9school (as a reading specialist, special education teacher, or
10otherwise), or an educational support personnel employee
11seeking employment positions with more than one non-public
12school may be shared with another non-public school's principal
13or president to which the applicant seeks employment. Any
14person who releases any criminal history record information
15concerning an applicant for employment is guilty of a Class A
16misdemeanor and may be subject to prosecution under federal
17law, unless the release of such information is authorized by
18this Section.
19    No non-public school may obtain recognition status that
20knowingly employs a person, hired after July 1, 2007, for whom
21a Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of
22Investigation fingerprint-based criminal history records check
23and a Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been
24initiated or who has been convicted of any sex offense as
25defined in subsection (a) of Section 21B-80 of this Code, has
26been convicted of any narcotics offense as defined in

 

 

HB0494- 6 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1subsection (a) of Section 21B-80 of this Code within 5 years of
2the application for employment, or has been convicted of
3offense enumerated in Section 21B-80 of this Code or any
4offense committed or attempted in any other state or against
5the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted
6in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of
7those offenses. No non-public school may obtain recognition
8status under this Section that knowingly employs a person who
9has been found to be the perpetrator of sexual or physical
10abuse of a minor under 18 years of age pursuant to proceedings
11under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
12    In order to obtain recognition status under this Section, a
13non-public school must require compliance with the provisions
14of this subsection (c-5) from all employees of persons or firms
15holding contracts with the school, including, but not limited
16to, food service workers, school bus drivers, and other
17transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with
18pupils. Any information concerning the records of conviction or
19identification as a sex offender of any such employee obtained
20by the non-public school principal or president must be
21promptly reported to the school's governing body.
22    (d) Public purposes. The provisions of this Section are in
23the public interest, for the public benefit, and serve secular
24public purposes.
25    (e) Definition. For purposes of this Section, a non-public
26school means any non-profit, non-home-based, and non-public

 

 

HB0494- 7 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1elementary or secondary school that is in compliance with Title
2VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which
3satisfies the requirements of Section 26-1 of this Code.
4(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)
 
5    (105 ILCS 5/10-21.9)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-21.9)
6    Sec. 10-21.9. Criminal history records checks and checks of
7the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and
8Violent Offender Against Youth Database.
9    (a) Certified and noncertified applicants for employment
10with a school district, except school bus driver applicants,
11are required as a condition of employment to authorize a
12fingerprint-based criminal history records check to determine
13if such applicants have been convicted of any of the enumerated
14criminal offenses in subsection (c) of this Section, have been
15convicted of any of the enumerated or drug offenses in
16subsection (c) of this Section within 5 years of the
17application for employment with the school district, or have
18been convicted, within 2 7 years of the application for
19employment with the school district, of any other felony under
20the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted
21in any other state or against the laws of the United States
22that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been
23punishable as a felony under the laws of this State.
24Authorization for the check shall be furnished by the applicant
25to the school district, except that if the applicant is a

 

 

HB0494- 8 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one school
2district, a teacher seeking concurrent part-time employment
3positions with more than one school district (as a reading
4specialist, special education teacher or otherwise), or an
5educational support personnel employee seeking employment
6positions with more than one district, any such district may
7require the applicant to furnish authorization for the check to
8the regional superintendent of the educational service region
9in which are located the school districts in which the
10applicant is seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent
11part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel
12employee. Upon receipt of this authorization, the school
13district or the appropriate regional superintendent, as the
14case may be, shall submit the applicant's name, sex, race, date
15of birth, social security number, fingerprint images, and other
16identifiers, as prescribed by the Department of State Police,
17to the Department. The regional superintendent submitting the
18requisite information to the Department of State Police shall
19promptly notify the school districts in which the applicant is
20seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time
21teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee
22that the check of the applicant has been requested. The
23Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of
24Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based
25criminal history records check, records of convictions, until
26expunged, to the president of the school board for the school

 

 

HB0494- 9 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1district that requested the check, or to the regional
2superintendent who requested the check. The Department shall
3charge the school district or the appropriate regional
4superintendent a fee for conducting such check, which fee shall
5be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and shall not
6exceed the cost of the inquiry; and the applicant shall not be
7charged a fee for such check by the school district or by the
8regional superintendent, except that those applicants seeking
9employment as a substitute teacher with a school district may
10be charged a fee not to exceed the cost of the inquiry. Subject
11to appropriations for these purposes, the State Superintendent
12of Education shall reimburse school districts and regional
13superintendents for fees paid to obtain criminal history
14records checks under this Section.
15    (a-5) The school district or regional superintendent shall
16further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database,
17as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law,
18for each applicant.
19    (a-6) The school district or regional superintendent shall
20further perform a check of the Statewide Murderer and Violent
21Offender Against Youth Database, as authorized by the Murderer
22and Violent Offender Against Youth Community Notification Law,
23for each applicant.
24    (b) Any information concerning the record of convictions
25obtained by the president of the school board or the regional
26superintendent shall be confidential and may only be

 

 

HB0494- 10 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1transmitted to the superintendent of the school district or his
2designee, the appropriate regional superintendent if the check
3was requested by the school district, the presidents of the
4appropriate school boards if the check was requested from the
5Department of State Police by the regional superintendent, the
6State Superintendent of Education, the State Teacher
7Certification Board, any other person necessary to the decision
8of hiring the applicant for employment, or for clarification
9purposes the Department of State Police or Statewide Sex
10Offender Database, or both. A copy of the record of convictions
11obtained from the Department of State Police shall be provided
12to the applicant for employment. Upon the check of the
13Statewide Sex Offender Database, the school district or
14regional superintendent shall notify an applicant as to whether
15or not the applicant has been identified in the Database as a
16sex offender. If a check of an applicant for employment as a
17substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent
18educational support personnel employee in more than one school
19district was requested by the regional superintendent, and the
20Department of State Police upon a check ascertains that the
21applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated
22criminal offenses in subsection (c) of this Section, has not
23been convicted of any of the enumerated or drug offenses in
24subsection (c) of this Section within 5 years of the
25application for employment with the school district, or has not
26been convicted, within 2 7 years of the application for

 

 

HB0494- 11 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1employment with the school district, of any other felony under
2the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted
3in any other state or against the laws of the United States
4that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been
5punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and so
6notifies the regional superintendent and if the regional
7superintendent upon a check ascertains that the applicant has
8not been identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex
9offender, then the regional superintendent shall issue to the
10applicant a certificate evidencing that as of the date
11specified by the Department of State Police the applicant has
12not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal offenses
13in subsection (c) of this Section, has not been convicted of
14any of the enumerated or drug offenses in subsection (c) of
15this Section within 5 years of the application for employment
16with the school district, or has not been convicted, within 2 7
17years of the application for employment with the school
18district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or
19of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or
20against the laws of the United States that, if committed or
21attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony
22under the laws of this State and evidencing that as of the date
23that the regional superintendent conducted a check of the
24Statewide Sex Offender Database, the applicant has not been
25identified in the Database as a sex offender. The school board
26of any school district may rely on the certificate issued by

 

 

HB0494- 12 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1any regional superintendent to that substitute teacher,
2concurrent part-time teacher, or concurrent educational
3support personnel employee or may initiate its own criminal
4history records check of the applicant through the Department
5of State Police and its own check of the Statewide Sex Offender
6Database as provided in subsection (a). Any person who releases
7any confidential information concerning any criminal
8convictions of an applicant for employment shall be guilty of a
9Class A misdemeanor, unless the release of such information is
10authorized by this Section.
11    (c) No school board shall knowingly employ a person who has
12been convicted of any sex offense as defined in subsection (a)
13of Section 21B-80 of this Code or has been convicted of any
14narcotics offense as defined in subsection (a) of Section
1521B-80 of this Code within 5 years of the application for
16employment with the school district offense that would subject
17him or her to license suspension or revocation pursuant to
18Section 21B-80 of this Code. Further, no school board shall
19knowingly employ a person who has been found to be the
20perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of any minor under 18
21years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the
22Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
23    (d) No school board shall knowingly employ a person for
24whom a criminal history records check and a Statewide Sex
25Offender Database check has not been initiated.
26    (e) Upon receipt of the record of a conviction of or a

 

 

HB0494- 13 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1finding of child abuse by a holder of any certificate issued
2pursuant to Article 21 or Section 34-8.1 or 34-83 of the School
3Code, the State Superintendent of Education may initiate
4certificate suspension and revocation proceedings as
5authorized by law.
6    (e-5) The superintendent of the employing school board
7shall, in writing, notify the State Superintendent of Education
8and the applicable regional superintendent of schools of any
9certificate holder whom he or she has reasonable cause to
10believe has committed an intentional act of abuse or neglect
11with the result of making a child an abused child or a
12neglected child, as defined in Section 3 of the Abused and
13Neglected Child Reporting Act, and that act resulted in the
14certificate holder's dismissal or resignation from the school
15district. This notification must be submitted within 30 days
16after the dismissal or resignation. The certificate holder must
17also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice by the
18superintendent. All correspondence, documentation, and other
19information so received by the regional superintendent of
20schools, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Board
21of Education, or the State Teacher Certification Board under
22this subsection (e-5) is confidential and must not be disclosed
23to third parties, except (i) as necessary for the State
24Superintendent of Education or his or her designee to
25investigate and prosecute pursuant to Article 21 of this Code,
26(ii) pursuant to a court order, (iii) for disclosure to the

 

 

HB0494- 14 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1certificate holder or his or her representative, or (iv) as
2otherwise provided in this Article and provided that any such
3information admitted into evidence in a hearing is exempt from
4this confidentiality and non-disclosure requirement. Except
5for an act of willful or wanton misconduct, any superintendent
6who provides notification as required in this subsection (e-5)
7shall have immunity from any liability, whether civil or
8criminal or that otherwise might result by reason of such
9action.
10    (f) After January 1, 1990 the provisions of this Section
11shall apply to all employees of persons or firms holding
12contracts with any school district including, but not limited
13to, food service workers, school bus drivers and other
14transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with
15the pupils of any school in such district. For purposes of
16criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex
17Offender Database on employees of persons or firms holding
18contracts with more than one school district and assigned to
19more than one school district, the regional superintendent of
20the educational service region in which the contracting school
21districts are located may, at the request of any such school
22district, be responsible for receiving the authorization for a
23criminal history records check prepared by each such employee
24and submitting the same to the Department of State Police and
25for conducting a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database
26for each employee. Any information concerning the record of

 

 

HB0494- 15 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1conviction and identification as a sex offender of any such
2employee obtained by the regional superintendent shall be
3promptly reported to the president of the appropriate school
4board or school boards.
5    (g) In order to student teach in the public schools, a
6person is required to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal
7history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender
8Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against
9Youth Database prior to participating in any field experiences
10in the public schools. Authorization for and payment of the
11costs of the checks must be furnished by the student teacher.
12Results of the checks must be furnished to the higher education
13institution where the student teacher is enrolled and the
14superintendent of the school district where the student is
15assigned.
16    (h) Upon request of a school, school district, community
17college district, or private school, any information obtained
18by a school district pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section
19within the last year must be made available to that school,
20school district, community college district, or private
21school.
22(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1452, eff. 8-20-10;
2396-1489, eff. 1-1-11; 97-154, eff. 1-1-12; 97-248, eff. 1-1-12;
2497-607, eff. 8-26-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)
 
25    (105 ILCS 5/21B-80)

 

 

HB0494- 16 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1    Sec. 21B-80. Conviction of certain offenses as grounds for
2revocation of license.
3    (a) As used in this Section:
4    "Narcotics offense" means any one or more of the following
5offenses:
6        (1) (Blank). Any offense defined in the Cannabis
7    Control Act, except those defined in subdivisions (a) and
8    (b) of Section 4 and subdivision (a) of Section 5 of the
9    Cannabis Control Act and any offense for which the holder
10    of a license is placed on probation under the provisions of
11    Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act, provided that if
12    the terms and conditions of probation required by the court
13    are not fulfilled, the offense is not eligible for this
14    exception.
15        (2) Any offense defined in the Illinois Controlled
16    Substances Act, except any offense for which the holder of
17    a license is placed on probation under the provisions of
18    Section 410 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act,
19    provided that if the terms and conditions of probation
20    required by the court are not fulfilled, the offense is not
21    eligible for this exception.
22        (3) Any offense defined in the Methamphetamine Control
23    and Community Protection Act, except any offense for which
24    the holder of a license is placed on probation under the
25    provision of Section 70 of that Act, provided that if the
26    terms and conditions of probation required by the court are

 

 

HB0494- 17 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1    not fulfilled, the offense is not eligible for this
2    exception.
3        (4) Any attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in
4    items (2) and (1) through (3) of this definition.
5        (5) Any offense committed or attempted in any other
6    state or against the laws of the United States that, if
7    committed or attempted in this State, would have been
8    punishable as one or more of the offenses listed in items
9    (2) (1) through (4) of this definition.
10The changes made by Public Act 96-431 to the definition of
11"narcotics offense" are declaratory of existing law.
12    "Sex offense" means any one or more of the following
13offenses:
14        (A) Any offense defined in Sections 11-6 and , 11-9
15    through 11-9.5, inclusive, and 11-30, of the Criminal Code
16    of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; Sections 11-14.1
17    11-14 through 11-21, inclusive, of the Criminal Code of
18    1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; Sections 11-23 (if
19    punished as a Class 3 felony), 11-24, 11-25, and 11-26 of
20    the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; and
21    Sections 11-1.20, 11-1.30, 11-1.40, 11-1.50, 11-1.60,
22    12-4.9, 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, 12-16, 12-32, 12-33,
23    and 12C-45 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal
24    Code of 2012.
25        (B) Any attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in
26    item (A) of this definition.

 

 

HB0494- 18 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1        (C) Any offense committed or attempted in any other
2    state that, if committed or attempted in this State, would
3    have been punishable as one or more of the offenses listed
4    in items (A) and (B) of this definition.
5    (b) Whenever the holder of any license issued pursuant to
6this Article has been convicted of any sex offense or narcotics
7offense, the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith
8suspend the license. If the conviction is reversed and the
9holder is acquitted of the offense in a new trial or the
10charges against him or her are dismissed, the State
11Superintendent of Education shall forthwith terminate the
12suspension of the license. When the conviction becomes final,
13the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith revoke
14the license.
15    (c) Whenever the holder of a license issued pursuant to
16this Article has been convicted of attempting to commit,
17conspiring to commit, soliciting, or committing first degree
18murder or a Class X felony or any offense committed or
19attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United
20States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would
21have been punishable as one or more of the foregoing offenses,
22the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith suspend
23the license. If the conviction is reversed and the holder is
24acquitted of that offense in a new trial or the charges that he
25or she committed that offense are dismissed, the State
26Superintendent of Education shall forthwith terminate the

 

 

HB0494- 19 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1suspension of the license. When the conviction becomes final,
2the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith revoke
3the license.
4(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11; incorporates 96-1551, eff.
57-1-11; 97-1109, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.5)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-18.5)
7    Sec. 34-18.5. Criminal history records checks and checks of
8the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and
9Violent Offender Against Youth Database.
10    (a) Certified and noncertified applicants for employment
11with the school district are required as a condition of
12employment to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history
13records check to determine if such applicants have been
14convicted of any of the enumerated criminal offenses in
15subsection (c) of this Section, have been convicted of any of
16the enumerated or drug offenses in subsection (c) of this
17Section within 5 years of the application for employment with
18the school district, or have been convicted, within 2 7 years
19of the application for employment with the school district, of
20any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense
21committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws
22of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this
23State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of
24this State. Authorization for the check shall be furnished by
25the applicant to the school district, except that if the

 

 

HB0494- 20 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1applicant is a substitute teacher seeking employment in more
2than one school district, or a teacher seeking concurrent
3part-time employment positions with more than one school
4district (as a reading specialist, special education teacher or
5otherwise), or an educational support personnel employee
6seeking employment positions with more than one district, any
7such district may require the applicant to furnish
8authorization for the check to the regional superintendent of
9the educational service region in which are located the school
10districts in which the applicant is seeking employment as a
11substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent
12educational support personnel employee. Upon receipt of this
13authorization, the school district or the appropriate regional
14superintendent, as the case may be, shall submit the
15applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, social security
16number, fingerprint images, and other identifiers, as
17prescribed by the Department of State Police, to the
18Department. The regional superintendent submitting the
19requisite information to the Department of State Police shall
20promptly notify the school districts in which the applicant is
21seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time
22teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee
23that the check of the applicant has been requested. The
24Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of
25Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based
26criminal history records check, records of convictions, until

 

 

HB0494- 21 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1expunged, to the president of the school board for the school
2district that requested the check, or to the regional
3superintendent who requested the check. The Department shall
4charge the school district or the appropriate regional
5superintendent a fee for conducting such check, which fee shall
6be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and shall not
7exceed the cost of the inquiry; and the applicant shall not be
8charged a fee for such check by the school district or by the
9regional superintendent. Subject to appropriations for these
10purposes, the State Superintendent of Education shall
11reimburse the school district and regional superintendent for
12fees paid to obtain criminal history records checks under this
13Section.
14    (a-5) The school district or regional superintendent shall
15further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database,
16as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law,
17for each applicant.
18    (a-6) The school district or regional superintendent shall
19further perform a check of the Statewide Murderer and Violent
20Offender Against Youth Database, as authorized by the Murderer
21and Violent Offender Against Youth Community Notification Law,
22for each applicant.
23    (b) Any information concerning the record of convictions
24obtained by the president of the board of education or the
25regional superintendent shall be confidential and may only be
26transmitted to the general superintendent of the school

 

 

HB0494- 22 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1district or his designee, the appropriate regional
2superintendent if the check was requested by the board of
3education for the school district, the presidents of the
4appropriate board of education or school boards if the check
5was requested from the Department of State Police by the
6regional superintendent, the State Superintendent of
7Education, the State Teacher Certification Board or any other
8person necessary to the decision of hiring the applicant for
9employment. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from
10the Department of State Police shall be provided to the
11applicant for employment. Upon the check of the Statewide Sex
12Offender Database, the school district or regional
13superintendent shall notify an applicant as to whether or not
14the applicant has been identified in the Database as a sex
15offender. If a check of an applicant for employment as a
16substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent
17educational support personnel employee in more than one school
18district was requested by the regional superintendent, and the
19Department of State Police upon a check ascertains that the
20applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated
21criminal offenses in subsection (c) of this Section, has not
22been convicted of any of the enumerated or drug offenses in
23subsection (c) of this Section within 5 years of the
24application for employment with the school district, or has not
25been convicted, within 2 7 years of the application for
26employment with the school district, of any other felony under

 

 

HB0494- 23 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted
2in any other state or against the laws of the United States
3that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been
4punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and so
5notifies the regional superintendent and if the regional
6superintendent upon a check ascertains that the applicant has
7not been identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex
8offender, then the regional superintendent shall issue to the
9applicant a certificate evidencing that as of the date
10specified by the Department of State Police the applicant has
11not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal offenses
12in subsection (c) of this Section, has not been convicted of
13any of the enumerated or drug offenses in subsection (c) of
14this Section within 5 years of the application for employment
15with the school district, or has not been convicted, within 2 7
16years of the application for employment with the school
17district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or
18of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or
19against the laws of the United States that, if committed or
20attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony
21under the laws of this State and evidencing that as of the date
22that the regional superintendent conducted a check of the
23Statewide Sex Offender Database, the applicant has not been
24identified in the Database as a sex offender. The school board
25of any school district may rely on the certificate issued by
26any regional superintendent to that substitute teacher,

 

 

HB0494- 24 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1concurrent part-time teacher, or concurrent educational
2support personnel employee or may initiate its own criminal
3history records check of the applicant through the Department
4of State Police and its own check of the Statewide Sex Offender
5Database as provided in subsection (a). Any person who releases
6any confidential information concerning any criminal
7convictions of an applicant for employment shall be guilty of a
8Class A misdemeanor, unless the release of such information is
9authorized by this Section.
10    (c) The board of education shall not knowingly employ a
11person who has been convicted of any sex offense as defined in
12subsection (a) of Section 21B-80 of this Code or has been
13convicted of any narcotics offense as defined in subsection (a)
14of Section 21B-80 of this Code within 5 years of the
15application for employment with the school district offense
16that would subject him or her to license suspension or
17revocation pursuant to Section 21B-80 of this Code. Further,
18the board of education shall not knowingly employ a person who
19has been found to be the perpetrator of sexual or physical
20abuse of any minor under 18 years of age pursuant to
21proceedings under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
22    (d) The board of education shall not knowingly employ a
23person for whom a criminal history records check and a
24Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been initiated.
25    (e) Upon receipt of the record of a conviction of or a
26finding of child abuse by a holder of any certificate issued

 

 

HB0494- 25 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1pursuant to Article 21 or Section 34-8.1 or 34-83 of the School
2Code, the State Superintendent of Education may initiate
3certificate suspension and revocation proceedings as
4authorized by law.
5    (e-5) The general superintendent of schools shall, in
6writing, notify the State Superintendent of Education of any
7certificate holder whom he or she has reasonable cause to
8believe has committed an intentional act of abuse or neglect
9with the result of making a child an abused child or a
10neglected child, as defined in Section 3 of the Abused and
11Neglected Child Reporting Act, and that act resulted in the
12certificate holder's dismissal or resignation from the school
13district. This notification must be submitted within 30 days
14after the dismissal or resignation. The certificate holder must
15also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice by the
16superintendent. All correspondence, documentation, and other
17information so received by the State Superintendent of
18Education, the State Board of Education, or the State Teacher
19Certification Board under this subsection (e-5) is
20confidential and must not be disclosed to third parties, except
21(i) as necessary for the State Superintendent of Education or
22his or her designee to investigate and prosecute pursuant to
23Article 21 of this Code, (ii) pursuant to a court order, (iii)
24for disclosure to the certificate holder or his or her
25representative, or (iv) as otherwise provided in this Article
26and provided that any such information admitted into evidence

 

 

HB0494- 26 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1in a hearing is exempt from this confidentiality and
2non-disclosure requirement. Except for an act of willful or
3wanton misconduct, any superintendent who provides
4notification as required in this subsection (e-5) shall have
5immunity from any liability, whether civil or criminal or that
6otherwise might result by reason of such action.
7    (f) After March 19, 1990, the provisions of this Section
8shall apply to all employees of persons or firms holding
9contracts with any school district including, but not limited
10to, food service workers, school bus drivers and other
11transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with
12the pupils of any school in such district. For purposes of
13criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex
14Offender Database on employees of persons or firms holding
15contracts with more than one school district and assigned to
16more than one school district, the regional superintendent of
17the educational service region in which the contracting school
18districts are located may, at the request of any such school
19district, be responsible for receiving the authorization for a
20criminal history records check prepared by each such employee
21and submitting the same to the Department of State Police and
22for conducting a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database
23for each employee. Any information concerning the record of
24conviction and identification as a sex offender of any such
25employee obtained by the regional superintendent shall be
26promptly reported to the president of the appropriate school

 

 

HB0494- 27 -LRB099 04171 NHT 24192 b

1board or school boards.
2    (g) In order to student teach in the public schools, a
3person is required to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal
4history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender
5Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against
6Youth Database prior to participating in any field experiences
7in the public schools. Authorization for and payment of the
8costs of the checks must be furnished by the student teacher.
9Results of the checks must be furnished to the higher education
10institution where the student teacher is enrolled and the
11general superintendent of schools.
12    (h) Upon request of a school, school district, community
13college district, or private school, any information obtained
14by the school district pursuant to subsection (f) of this
15Section within the last year must be made available to that
16school, school district, community college district, or
17private school.
18(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1452, eff. 8-20-10;
1997-154, eff. 1-1-12; 97-248, eff. 1-1-12; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11;
2097-813, eff. 7-13-12.)
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.