Public Act 099-0720
 
HB6131 EnrolledLRB099 18542 NHT 42921 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
27-24.2 and by adding Section 27-24.2a as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.2)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2)
    Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course.
Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of
grades one through though 8, equivalent to one class period
each week, and any school district which maintains grades 9
through 12 shall offer a driver education course in any such
school which it operates. Its curriculum shall include content
dealing with Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois
Vehicle Code, the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters
insofar as they pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and
the portions of the Litter Control Act relating to the
operation of motor vehicles. The course of instruction given in
grades 10 through 12 shall include an emphasis on the
development of knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills
necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles, including
motorcycles insofar as they can be taught in the classroom, and
instruction on distracted driving as a major traffic safety
issue. In addition, the course shall include instruction on
special hazards existing at and required safety and driving
precautions that must be observed at emergency situations,
highway construction and maintenance zones, and railroad
crossings and the approaches thereto. Beginning with the
2017-2018 school year, the course shall also include
instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic
stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be
taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with
law enforcement. The course of instruction required of each
eligible student at the high school level shall consist of a
minimum of 30 clock hours of classroom instruction and a
minimum of 6 clock hours of individual behind-the-wheel
instruction in a dual control car on public roadways taught by
a driver education instructor endorsed by the State Board of
Education. Both the classroom instruction part and the practice
driving part of such driver education course shall be open to a
resident or non-resident student attending a non-public school
in the district wherein the course is offered. Each student
attending any public or non-public high school in the district
must receive a passing grade in at least 8 courses during the
previous 2 semesters prior to enrolling in a driver education
course, or the student shall not be permitted to enroll in the
course; provided that the local superintendent of schools (with
respect to a student attending a public high school in the
district) or chief school administrator (with respect to a
student attending a non-public high school in the district) may
waive the requirement if the superintendent or chief school
administrator, as the case may be, deems it to be in the best
interest of the student. A student may be allowed to commence
the classroom instruction part of such driver education course
prior to reaching age 15 if such student then will be eligible
to complete the entire course within 12 months after being
allowed to commence such classroom instruction.
    Such a course may be commenced immediately after the
completion of a prior course. Teachers of such courses shall
meet the certification requirements of this Act and regulations
of the State Board as to qualifications.
    Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the
school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50,
to students who participate in the course, unless a student is
unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for
such a student must be waived. However, the district may
increase this fee to an amount not to exceed $250 by school
board resolution following a public hearing on the increase,
which increased fee must be waived for students who participate
in the course and are unable to pay for the course. The total
amount from driver education fees and reimbursement from the
State for driver education must not exceed the total cost of
the driver education program in any year and must be deposited
into the school district's driver education fund as a separate
line item budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school
district's driver education fund must be used solely for the
funding of a high school driver education program approved by
the State Board of Education that uses driver education
instructors endorsed by the State Board of Education.
(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09; 97-145, eff. 7-14-11;
revised 10-21-15.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.2a new)
    Sec. 27-24.2a. Non-public school driver education course.
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, any non-public
school's driver education course shall include instruction
concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic stops,
including a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken
during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with law
enforcement.
 
    Section 10. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
changing Section 6-419 as follows:
 
    (625 ILCS 5/6-419)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-419)
    Sec. 6-419. Rules and Regulations. The Secretary is
authorized to prescribe by rule standards for the eligibility,
conduct and operation of driver training schools, and
instructors and to adopt other reasonable rules and regulations
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The
Secretary may adopt rules exempting particular types of driver
training schools from specific statutory provisions in
Sections 6-401 through 6-424, where application of those
provisions would be inconsistent with the manner of instruction
offered by those schools. The Secretary, in consultation with
the State Board of Education, shall adopt course content
standards for driver education for those persons under the age
of 18 years, which shall include the operation and equipment of
motor vehicles. After June 30, 2017, the course content
standards for driver education provided by a driver training
school to those persons under the age of 18 years shall include
instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic
stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be
taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with
law enforcement.
(Source: P.A. 96-740, eff. 1-1-10; 96-962, eff. 7-2-10; 97-229,
eff. 7-28-11; 97-1025, eff. 1-1-13.)