HB6131 EnrolledLRB099 18542 NHT 42921 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
527-24.2 and by adding Section 27-24.2a as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.2)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2)
7    Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course.
8Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of
9grades one through though 8, equivalent to one class period
10each week, and any school district which maintains grades 9
11through 12 shall offer a driver education course in any such
12school which it operates. Its curriculum shall include content
13dealing with Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois
14Vehicle Code, the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters
15insofar as they pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and
16the portions of the Litter Control Act relating to the
17operation of motor vehicles. The course of instruction given in
18grades 10 through 12 shall include an emphasis on the
19development of knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills
20necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles, including
21motorcycles insofar as they can be taught in the classroom, and
22instruction on distracted driving as a major traffic safety
23issue. In addition, the course shall include instruction on

 

 

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1special hazards existing at and required safety and driving
2precautions that must be observed at emergency situations,
3highway construction and maintenance zones, and railroad
4crossings and the approaches thereto. Beginning with the
52017-2018 school year, the course shall also include
6instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic
7stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be
8taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with
9law enforcement. The course of instruction required of each
10eligible student at the high school level shall consist of a
11minimum of 30 clock hours of classroom instruction and a
12minimum of 6 clock hours of individual behind-the-wheel
13instruction in a dual control car on public roadways taught by
14a driver education instructor endorsed by the State Board of
15Education. Both the classroom instruction part and the practice
16driving part of such driver education course shall be open to a
17resident or non-resident student attending a non-public school
18in the district wherein the course is offered. Each student
19attending any public or non-public high school in the district
20must receive a passing grade in at least 8 courses during the
21previous 2 semesters prior to enrolling in a driver education
22course, or the student shall not be permitted to enroll in the
23course; provided that the local superintendent of schools (with
24respect to a student attending a public high school in the
25district) or chief school administrator (with respect to a
26student attending a non-public high school in the district) may

 

 

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1waive the requirement if the superintendent or chief school
2administrator, as the case may be, deems it to be in the best
3interest of the student. A student may be allowed to commence
4the classroom instruction part of such driver education course
5prior to reaching age 15 if such student then will be eligible
6to complete the entire course within 12 months after being
7allowed to commence such classroom instruction.
8    Such a course may be commenced immediately after the
9completion of a prior course. Teachers of such courses shall
10meet the certification requirements of this Act and regulations
11of the State Board as to qualifications.
12    Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the
13school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50,
14to students who participate in the course, unless a student is
15unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for
16such a student must be waived. However, the district may
17increase this fee to an amount not to exceed $250 by school
18board resolution following a public hearing on the increase,
19which increased fee must be waived for students who participate
20in the course and are unable to pay for the course. The total
21amount from driver education fees and reimbursement from the
22State for driver education must not exceed the total cost of
23the driver education program in any year and must be deposited
24into the school district's driver education fund as a separate
25line item budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school
26district's driver education fund must be used solely for the

 

 

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1funding of a high school driver education program approved by
2the State Board of Education that uses driver education
3instructors endorsed by the State Board of Education.
4(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09; 97-145, eff. 7-14-11;
5revised 10-21-15.)
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.2a new)
7    Sec. 27-24.2a. Non-public school driver education course.
8Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, any non-public
9school's driver education course shall include instruction
10concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic stops,
11including a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken
12during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with law
13enforcement.
 
14    Section 10. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
15changing Section 6-419 as follows:
 
16    (625 ILCS 5/6-419)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-419)
17    Sec. 6-419. Rules and Regulations. The Secretary is
18authorized to prescribe by rule standards for the eligibility,
19conduct and operation of driver training schools, and
20instructors and to adopt other reasonable rules and regulations
21necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The
22Secretary may adopt rules exempting particular types of driver
23training schools from specific statutory provisions in

 

 

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1Sections 6-401 through 6-424, where application of those
2provisions would be inconsistent with the manner of instruction
3offered by those schools. The Secretary, in consultation with
4the State Board of Education, shall adopt course content
5standards for driver education for those persons under the age
6of 18 years, which shall include the operation and equipment of
7motor vehicles. After June 30, 2017, the course content
8standards for driver education provided by a driver training
9school to those persons under the age of 18 years shall include
10instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic
11stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be
12taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with
13law enforcement.
14(Source: P.A. 96-740, eff. 1-1-10; 96-962, eff. 7-2-10; 97-229,
15eff. 7-28-11; 97-1025, eff. 1-1-13.)