SB3867 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 25793 RJT 35127 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB3867

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Sen. Adriane Johnson

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-20.13	from Ch. 122, par. 10-20.13
105 ILCS 5/34-21.6	from Ch. 122, par. 34-21.6

Amends the School Code. Provides that all school boards shall waive fees assessed by the district for each student with a parent who is a veteran with an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

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 Sections 10-20.13 and 34-21.6 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.13) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-20.13)

Sec. 10-20.13. Textbooks for children of parents unable to buy them and other fees.

(a) To purchase, at the expense of the district, a sufficient number of textbooks for children whose parents are unable to buy them, including but not limited to children living in households that meet the free lunch or breakfast eligibility guidelines established by the federal government pursuant to Section 1758 of the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758; 7 C.F.R. 245 et seq.), subject to verification as set forth in subsection (c) of this Section. Such textbooks shall be loaned only, and the directors shall require the teacher to see that they are properly cared for and returned at the end of each term of school.

(b) To waive all fees assessed by the district on children whose parents are unable to afford them, including but not limited to children living in households that meet the free lunch or breakfast eligibility guidelines established by the federal government pursuant to Section 1758 of the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758; 7 C.F.R. 245 et seq.) and students whose parents are veterans with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, subject to verification as set forth in subsection (c) of this Section. The school board shall adopt written policies and procedures for such waiver of fees in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.

(c) Any school board that participates in a federally funded, school-based child nutrition program and uses a student's application for, eligibility for, or participation in the federally funded, school-based child nutrition program (42 U.S.C. 1758; 7 C.F.R. 245 et seq.) as the basis for waiving fees assessed by the school district must follow the verification requirements of the federally funded, school-based child nutrition program (42 U.S.C. 1758; 7 C.F.R. 245.6a).

A school board that establishes a process for the determination of eligibility for waiver of fees assessed by the school district that is completely independent of a student's application for, eligibility for, or participation in a federally funded, school-based child nutrition program may provide for fee waiver verification no more often than every 60 calendar days. Information obtained during the independent, fee waiver verification process indicating that the student does not meet free lunch or breakfast eligibility guidelines may be used to deny the waiver of the student's fees, provided that any information obtained through this independent process for determining or verifying eligibility for fee waivers shall not be used to determine or verify eligibility for any federally funded, school-based child nutrition program.

(Source: P.A. 96-360, eff. 9-1-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-21.6) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-21.6)

Sec. 34-21.6. Waiver of fees.

(a) The board shall waive all fees assessed by the district on children whose parents are unable to afford them, including but not limited to children living in households that meet the free lunch or breakfast eligibility guidelines established by the federal government pursuant to Section 1758 of the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758; 7 C.F.R. 245 et seq.) and students whose parents are veterans with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, subject to verification as set forth in subsection (b) of this Section. The board shall develop written policies and procedures implementing this Section in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.

(b) If the board participates in a federally funded, school-based child nutrition program and uses a student's application for, eligibility for, or participation in the federally funded, school-based child nutrition program (42 U.S.C. 1758; 7 C.F.R. 245 et seq.) as the basis for waiving fees assessed by the district, then the board must follow the verification requirements of the federally funded, school-based child nutrition program (42 U.S.C. 1758; 7 C.F.R. 245.6a).

If the board establishes a process for the determination of eligibility for waiver of fees assessed by the district that is completely independent of a student's application for, eligibility for, or participation in a federally funded, school-based child nutrition program, the board may provide for fee waiver verification no more often than every 60 calendar days. Information obtained during the independent, fee waiver verification process indicating that the student does not meet free lunch or breakfast eligibility guidelines may be used to deny the waiver of the student's fees, provided that any information obtained through this independent process for determining or verifying eligibility for fee waivers shall not be used to determine or verify eligibility for any federally funded, school-based child nutrition program.

(Source: P.A. 96-360, eff. 9-1-09.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.