ICCTA - May 10, 2002 Action Alert

ICCTA Action Alert
May 10, 2002

The Illinois General Assembly adjourned yesterday after cancelling session for today (Friday, May 10). The Senate is scheduled to return to Springfield on Monday, May 13, while the House will not return until Tuesday, May 14. Both the House and the Senate are currently scheduled to adjourn the spring session on Friday, May 17, although many observers now believe that the General Assembly will not meet that deadline.

The main issue remaining before lawmakers is the task of crafting a balanced budget for FY 2003 with projected fewer revenues available than in FY 2002. Conversations among legislative "budgeteers" and other players have begun to take place, and several very general funding scenarios have been suggested. Only a few substantive issues affecting higher education and community colleges remain during the final days of this session.

LEGISLATION THAT HAS PASSED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AND WILL BE SENT TO THE GOVERNOR
The following bills have been passed by the General Assembly and sent to Gov. George Ryan for his consideration. The governor is now accepting letters regarding constituents’ views on these issues; please contact his office and ask him to consider ICCTA’s position when reviewing the 7 bills below. (You will need to write a separate letter or e-mail for each bill listed.) Please send copies of any correspondence received to ICCTA.

Mailing address:

The Hon. George Ryan

Governor of Illinois

207 State House

Springfield, IL 62706

governor@state.il.us

HB 1720 -- Collective Bargaining Rights for Part-Time Faculty
ICCTA Position: OPPOSE
Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act to redefine a "short-term employee." The change -- which provides that the employee must not have a reasonable expectation (instead of a reasonable assurance) that he or she will be rehired -- would permit part-time employees to organize and be recognized as a bargaining unit.

HB 2370 -- SURS "30 and Out" Retirement Option
ICCTA Position: SUPPORT
Amends the State Universities Retirement System Act to make permanent a currently temporary "30 and out" retirement provision. This change will allow retirement from the State Universities Retirement System at any age if the participant has accrued 30 years of service.

SB 1734 -- City Colleges of Chicago Procurement Threshold
ICCTA Position: SUPPORT
This ICCTA initiative amends the Public Community College Act to make the City Colleges of Chicago’s bidding thresholds the same as the state’s other 38 community college districts. It requires the CCC Board of Trustees to let a contract for supplies, materials, or work by competitive bidding if the contract involves an expenditure in excess of $10,000 (instead of $5,000).

SB 1756 -- Open Meetings Act - Minutes Posted on the Web
ICCTA Position: MONITOR
ICCTA modified its OPPOSE position on SB 1756 when a 72-hour meeting notice requirement (currently 48 hours) was removed from the bill. The bill now amends the Open Meetings Act to require that a public body post its meeting notices, agendas, and minutes on its website if the public body maintain its own website.

SB 2018 -- Career and Technical Education Fund
ICCTA Position: SUPPORT
Creates the Career and Technical Education Fund to be used by the Illinois Community College Board for operational expenses associated with the administration of such programs.

HB 4351 -- MAP Grants for Part-Time Students
ICCTA Position: SUPPORT
This bill removes a requirement that a student be enrolled for at least 6 semester or quarter hours for the term to maintain eligibility for the Monetary Award Program.

HB 4912 -- Minority Teacher Scholarship Program
ICCTA Position: SUPPORT
HB 4912 makes changes to the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program, such as allowing a person enrolled at the freshman level or graduate level to qualify for a scholarship, allowing qualifying students to be enrolled on a half-time basis, and requiring a scholarship recipient to begin teaching within the one-year period following termination of the undergraduate program.

For additional information on state legislative issues, contact ICCTA at 1-800-454-2282.

Illinois Community College Trustees Association
401 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 200
Springfield, IL 62701-1711
217-528-2858 (phone)
217-528-8662 (fax)
ICCTA@communitycolleges.org (e-mail)
http://www.communitycolleges.org