ICCTA Action Alert May 2, 2003 The Illinois General Assembly adjourned Thursday afternoon, May 1, marking the deadline for scheduled committee hearings affecting regular substantive legislation. Some additional hearings on bills can still be scheduled for amendments to legislative proposals and for bills with specific exemptions from the deadline. Both the Senate and House return to Springfield on Tuesday, May 6, to continue through the final portions of the spring session. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn the spring session on Friday, May 23; however most observers predict that final adjournment will probably come closer to the last days in May. COMMUNITY COLLEGE LOBBY DAY About 100 community college trustees, presidents and administrators met in Springfield on April 29 and 30 to discuss pending issues with members of the General Assembly. Trustees provided pertinent information about the Governor’s community college budget proposals for FY 2004 and told lawmakers that they were opposed to a bill that would require taping or video recordings of closed meetings under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. In spite of community colleges and many other local governments opposing the legislation, Senate Bill 1586 passed out of a House committee on a vote of 6-5. The bill was reported to the House floor for further consideration. COMMUNITY COLLEGE-RELATED BILLS THAT ARE ADVANCING House Bill 1387 -- City Colleges of Chicago Treasurer’s Bond (McCarthy - Wirsing) ICCTA Position: SUPPORT Makes the penalty of the treasurer’s bond for the City Colleges of Chicago the same as the penalty of the treasurers’ bonds of all other community college districts in Illinois. HB 1387 is on final passage in the Senate. HB 1457 -- Redefinition of Community College Educational Employee (O’Brien) ICCTA Position: OPPOSE Provides that an academic employee of a community college who provides less than three credit hours of instruction per academic semester is not an "educational employee." This permits faculty teaching three hours to qualify to join a collective bargaining unit, instead of the current six-hour requirement. HB 1457 has advanced to 2nd reading in the Senate. Senate Bill 1586 -- Verbatim Minutes of Closed Session (Obama) ICCTA Position: OPPOSE Requires that a public body make a verbatim audio or video recording of closed meetings. Establishes procedures for the availability to the public and the court of closed meeting minutes and recordings. SB 1586 has advanced to 2nd reading in the House. HB 221 -- Surplus State Property (Slone / Shadid) ICCTA Position: OPPOSE (in its current form) This bill amends the State Property Control Act to redefine the term "responsible officer" to exclude community college presidents. It also requires that unused state property leased by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services may not be leased at less than 60% of the fair market rental value rate unless specified conditions are met; provides procedures for determining the fair market rental value; and prohibits the sale of surplus real property if any state agency requests its transfer. The bill was introduced in response to the disposition of the former Zeller Mental Health Center in Peoria to Illinois Central College. HB 221 has advanced to 2nd reading in the Senate. HB 1119 -- Increase in IIA Grants (Turner) ICCTA Position: SUPPORT Changes the name of the Illinois Incentive for Access Grant Program to the Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access Grant Program and increases the maximum annual amount to $1,000 (from $500) for applicants with an expected family contribution of $0. HB 1119 has advanced to 2nd reading in the Senate. COMMUNITY COLLEGE-RELATED BILLS THAT ARE NOT ADVANCING HB 2279 -- Community College Dormitories (Leitch) ICCTA Position: SUPPORT Amends the Public Community College Act to allow a community college board to provide or contract for residential housing for students and employees. HB 2279 has been held in the Senate Rules Committee. HB 3024 -- Ban on Child Sex Offenders on Campus (Brady) ICCTA Position: SUPPORT Prohibits child sex offenders from knowingly being present in any institution of higher education building unless expressed permission is granted by the administrator of the institution. HB 3024 has been held on 1st reading in the Senate. Call ICCTA at 1-800-454-2282 for the latest legislative updates 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 | Home | News | Events | Links |