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SB1465 Engrossed |
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LRB094 10837 NHT 41338 b |
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| AN ACT concerning education.
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| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| represented in the General Assembly:
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| Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section |
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| 2-3.137 as follows:
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| (105 ILCS 5/2-3.137 new) |
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| Sec. 2-3.137. Textbook weight standards. |
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| (a) The General Assembly finds and declares all of the
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| following: |
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| (1) Backpacks of elementary and secondary school |
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| pupils often contain textbooks, binders, calculators, |
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| personal computers,
lunches, a change of clothing, sports |
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| equipment, and more. |
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| (2) Elementary and secondary school pupils are |
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| carrying
backpacks weighing as much as 40 pounds. |
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| (3) Chiropractors, physical therapists, and |
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| pediatricians are
seeing an increased number of children |
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| for spinal column
injuries, nontraumatic back pain, and |
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| significant postural
changes from overloaded backpacks. |
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| (4) Chiropractors and pediatricians recommend that |
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| backpacks not exceed more than 15% of a pupil's body |
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| weight. |
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| (5) In 1999, more than 3,400 pupils between 5 and 14 |
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| years of age, inclusive, sought treatment in hospital |
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| emergency rooms for
injuries related to backpacks or book |
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| bags according to the
United States Consumer Product Safety |
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| Commission. |
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| (b) On or before July 1, 2006, the State Board of
Education |
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| shall adopt maximum weight standards for textbooks
used by |
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| pupils in elementary and secondary schools. The weight
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| standards shall take into consideration the health risks to
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| pupils who transport textbooks to and from school each day.
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