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91_SB0407 LRB9102537JMmb 1 AN ACT to change the date of the general primary 2 election, amending named Acts. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing 6 Sections 2A-1.1, 7-8, and 8-4 as follows: 7 (10 ILCS 5/2A-1.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 2A-1.1) 8 Sec. 2A-1.1. All Elections - Consolidated Schedule. (a) 9 In even-numbered years, the general election shall be held on 10 the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November; and an 11 election to be known as the general primary election shall be 12 held on the third Tuesday in March in years in which a 13 President is elected and the second Tuesday in August in 14 years in which a President is not elected; 15 (b) In odd-numbered years, an election to be known as 16 the consolidated election shall be held on the first Tuesday 17 in April except as provided in Section 2A-1.1a of this Act; 18 and an election to be known as the consolidated primary 19 election shall be held on the last Tuesday in February. 20 (Source: P.A. 90-358, eff. 1-1-98.) 21 (10 ILCS 5/7-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-8) 22 Sec. 7-8. The State central committee shall be composed 23 of one or two members from each congressional district in the 24 State and shall be elected as follows: 25 State Central Committee 26 (a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this 27 amendatory Act of 1983 the State central committee of each 28 political party shall certify to the State Board of Elections 29 which of the following alternatives it wishes to apply to the 30 State central committee of that party. -2- LRB9102537JMmb 1 Alternative A. At the general primary electionheld on2the third TuesdayinMarch1970, andat the primary held3 every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector may vote for 4 one candidate of his party for member of the State central 5 committee for the congressional district in which he resides. 6 The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be 7 declared elected State central committeeman from the 8 district. A political party may, in lieu of the foregoing, by 9 a majority vote of delegates at any State convention of such 10 party, determine to thereafter elect the State central 11 committeemen in the manner following: 12 At the county convention held by such political party 13 State central committeemen shall be elected in the same 14 manner as provided in this Article for the election of 15 officers of the county central committee, and such election 16 shall follow the election of officers of the county central 17 committee. Each elected ward, township or precinct 18 committeeman shall cast as his vote one vote for each ballot 19 voted in his ward, township, part of a township or precinct 20 in the last preceding primary election of his political 21 party. In the case of a county lying partially within one 22 congressional district and partially within another 23 congressional district, each ward, township or precinct 24 committeeman shall vote only with respect to the 25 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a 26 township or precinct is located. In the case of a 27 congressional district which encompasses more than one 28 county, each ward, township or precinct committeeman residing 29 within the congressional district shall cast as his vote one 30 vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a 31 township or precinct in the last preceding primary election 32 of his political party for one candidate of his party for 33 member of the State central committee for the congressional 34 district in which he resides and the Chairman of the county -3- LRB9102537JMmb 1 central committee shall report the results of the election to 2 the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections 3 shall certify the candidate receiving the highest number of 4 votes elected State central committeeman for that 5 congressional district. 6 The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide 7 for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election 8 of members of the State central committee. 9 Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall, 10 within 30 days after the adoption of this alternative, 11 appoint a person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent 12 member for that congressional district to serve as an 13 additional member of the State central committee until his or 14 her successor is elected at the general primary election in 15 1986. Each congressional committee shall make this 16 appointment by voting on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) 17 of this Section. In each congressional district at the 18 general primary election held in 1986 and every 4 years 19 thereafter, the male candidate receiving the highest number 20 of votes of the party's male candidates for State central 21 committeeman, and the female candidate receiving the highest 22 number of votes of the party's female candidates for State 23 central committeewoman, shall be declared elected State 24 central committeeman and State central committeewoman from 25 the district. At the general primary election held in 1986 26 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a party's candidates for 27 State central committeemen or State central committeewomen 28 from a congressional district are of the same sex, the 29 candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be 30 declared elected a State central committeeman or State 31 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a 32 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a 33 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the 34 second member of the State central committee from the -4- LRB9102537JMmb 1 district. This vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the 2 congressional committee of the political party, and the 3 person appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of 4 the congressional district and of the sex opposite that of 5 the committeeman or committeewoman elected at the general 6 primary election. Each congressional committee shall make 7 this appointment by voting on the basis set forth in 8 paragraph (e) of this Section. 9 Under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State 10 central committee of each political party shall be composed 11 of members elected or appointed from the several 12 congressional districts of the State, and of no other person 13 or persons whomsoever. The members of the State central 14 committee shall, within 30 days after each quadrennial 15 election of the full committee, meet in the city of 16 Springfield and organize by electing from among their own 17 number a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers 18 from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem 19 necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State 20 central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the 21 meeting, notify each member of the State central committee 22 elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting. 23 In the organization and proceedings of the State central 24 committee, each State central committeeman and State central 25 committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in 26 his or her congressional district by the primary electors of 27 his or her party at the primary election immediately 28 preceding the meeting of the State central committee. 29 Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State central committee of 30 any political party, the vacancy shall be filled by 31 appointment of the chairmen of the county central committees 32 of the political party of the counties located within the 33 congressional district in which the vacancy occurs and, if 34 applicable, the ward and township committeemen of the -5- LRB9102537JMmb 1 political party in counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants 2 located within the congressional district. If the 3 congressional district in which the vacancy occurs lies 4 wholly within a county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the 5 ward and township committeemen of the political party in that 6 congressional district shall vote to fill the vacancy. In 7 voting to fill the vacancy, each chairman of a county central 8 committee and each ward and township committeeman in counties 9 of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants shall have one vote for each 10 ballot voted in each precinct of the congressional district 11 in which the vacancy exists of his or her county, township, 12 or ward cast by the primary electors of his or her party at 13 the primary election immediately preceding the meeting to 14 fill the vacancy in the State central committee. The person 15 appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the 16 congressional district in which the vacancy occurs, shall be 17 a qualified voter, and, in a committee composed as provided 18 in Alternative B, shall be of the same sex as his or her 19 predecessor. A political party may, by a majority vote of the 20 delegates of any State convention of such party, determine to 21 return to the election of State central committeeman and 22 State central committeewoman by the vote of primary electors. 23 Any action taken by a political party at a State convention 24 in accordance with this Section shall be reported to the 25 State Board of Elections by the chairman and secretary of 26 such convention within 10 days after such action. 27 Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen 28 (b) At the general primary electionheld on the third29TuesdayinMarch,1972,and every 4 years thereafter, each 30 primary elector in cities having a population of 200,000 or 31 over may vote for one candidate of his party in his ward for 32 ward committeeman. Each candidate for ward committeeman must 33 be a resident of and in the ward where he seeks to be elected 34 ward committeeman. The one having the highest number of votes -6- LRB9102537JMmb 1 shall be such ward committeeman of such party for such ward. 2 At the primary election held on the third Tuesday in March, 3 1970, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in 4 counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more, 5 outside of cities containing a population of 200,000 or more, 6 may vote for one candidate of his party for township 7 committeeman. Each candidate for township committeeman must 8 be a resident of and in the township or part of a township 9 (which lies outside of a city having a population of 200,000 10 or more, in counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or 11 more), and in which township or part of a township he seeks 12 to be elected township committeeman. The one having the 13 highest number of votes shall be such township committeeman 14 of such party for such township or part of a township. At 15 each generaltheprimary electionheld on the third Tuesday16in March, 1970 and every 2 years thereafter, each primary 17 elector, except in counties having a population of 2,000,000 18 or over, may vote for one candidate of his party in his 19 precinct for precinct committeeman. Each candidate for 20 precinct committeeman must be a bona fide resident of the 21 precinct where he seeks to be elected precinct committeeman. 22 The one having the highest number of votes shall be such 23 precinct committeeman of such party for such precinct. The 24 official returns of the primary shall show the name of the 25 committeeman of each political party. 26 Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected 27 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such 28 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the 29 second year after their election. Except as otherwise 30 provided in this Section for certain State central 31 committeemen who have 2 year terms, all State central 32 committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen 33 shall continue as such committeemen until the date of primary 34 to be held in the fourth year after their election. However, -7- LRB9102537JMmb 1 a vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman when 2 a precinct committeeman ceases to reside in the precinct in 3 which he was elected and such precinct committeeman shall 4 thereafter neither have nor exercise any rights, powers or 5 duties as committeeman in that precinct, even if a successor 6 has not been elected or appointed. 7 (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist 8 of the precinct committeemen of such party, in the 9 multi-township assessing district formed pursuant to Section 10 2-10 of the Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the 11 purposes set forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In 12 the organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township 13 Central Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one 14 vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary 15 electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected. 16 County Central Committee 17 (d) The county central committee of each political party 18 in each county shall consist of the various township 19 committeemen, precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if 20 any, of such party in the county. In the organization and 21 proceedings of the county central committee, each precinct 22 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his 23 precinct by the primary electors of his party at the primary 24 at which he was elected; each township committeeman shall 25 have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part 26 of a township as the case may be by the primary electors of 27 his party at the primary election for the nomination of 28 candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately 29 preceding the meeting of the county central committee; and in 30 the organization and proceedings of the county central 31 committee, each ward committeeman shall have one vote for 32 each ballot voted in his ward by the primary electors of his 33 party at the primary election for the nomination of 34 candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately -8- LRB9102537JMmb 1 preceding the meeting of the county central committee. 2 Congressional Committee 3 (e) The congressional committee of each party in each 4 congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of 5 the county central committees of the counties composing the 6 congressional district, except that in congressional 7 districts wholly within the territorial limits of one county, 8 or partly within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with 9 the county lines of all of such counties, the precinct 10 committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen, if 11 any, of the party representing the precincts within the 12 limits of the congressional district, shall compose the 13 congressional committee. A State central committeeman in each 14 district shall be a member and the chairman or, when a 15 district has 2 State central committeemen, a co-chairman of 16 the congressional committee, but shall not have the right to 17 vote except in case of a tie. 18 In the organization and proceedings of congressional 19 committees composed of precinct committeemen or township 20 committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination 21 thereof, each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for 22 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of 23 his party at the primary at which he was elected, each 24 township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot 25 voted in his township or part of a township as the case may 26 be by the primary electors of his party at the primary 27 election immediately preceding the meeting of the 28 congressional committee, and each ward committeeman shall 29 have one vote for each ballot voted in each precinct of his 30 ward located in such congressional district by the primary 31 electors of his party at the primary election immediately 32 preceding the meeting of the congressional committee; and in 33 the organization and proceedings of congressional committees 34 composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of -9- LRB9102537JMmb 1 the counties within such district, each chairman of such 2 county central committee shall have one vote for each ballot 3 voted in his county by the primary electors of his party at 4 the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the 5 congressional committee. 6 Judicial District Committee 7 (f) The judicial district committee of each political 8 party in each judicial district shall be composed of the 9 chairman of the county central committees of the counties 10 composing the judicial district. 11 In the organization and proceedings of judicial district 12 committees composed of the chairmen of the county central 13 committees of the counties within such district, each 14 chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote 15 for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors 16 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding 17 the meeting of the judicial district committee. 18 Circuit Court Committee 19 (g) The circuit court committee of each political party 20 in each judicial circuit outside Cook County shall be 21 composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of 22 the counties composing the judicial circuit. 23 In the organization and proceedings of circuit court 24 committees, each chairman of a county central committee shall 25 have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the 26 primary electors of his party at the primary election 27 immediately preceding the meeting of the circuit court 28 committee. 29 Judicial Subcircuit Committee 30 (g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each 31 political party in each judicial subcircuit in Cook County 32 shall be composed of the ward and township committeemen of 33 the townships and wards composing the judicial subcircuit. 34 In the organization and proceedings of each judicial -10- LRB9102537JMmb 1 subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have 2 one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a 3 township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by 4 the primary electors of his party at the primary election 5 immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit 6 committee; and each ward committeeman shall have one vote for 7 each ballot voted in his ward or part of a ward, as the case 8 may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors of 9 his party at the primary election immediately preceding the 10 meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee. 11 Municipal Central Committee 12 (h) The municipal central committee of each political 13 party shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward 14 committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing 15 the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated 16 town or village. The voting strength of each precinct, 17 township or ward committeeman on the municipal central 18 committee shall be the same as his voting strength on the 19 county central committee. 20 For political parties, other than a statewide political 21 party, established only within a municipality or township, 22 the municipal or township managing committee shall be 23 composed of the party officers of the local established 24 party. The party officers of a local established party shall 25 be as follows: the chairman and secretary of the caucus for 26 those municipalities and townships authorized by statute to 27 nominate candidates by caucus shall serve as party officers 28 for the purpose of filling vacancies in nomination under 29 Section 7-61; for municipalities and townships authorized by 30 statute or ordinance to nominate candidates by petition and 31 primary election, the party officers shall be the party's 32 candidates who are nominated at the primary. If no party 33 primary was held because of the provisions of Section 7-5, 34 vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the party's -11- LRB9102537JMmb 1 remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's officers. 2 Powers 3 (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the 4 powers usually exercised by such committees and by the 5 officers thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of 6 this Article. The several committees herein provided for 7 shall not have power to delegate any of their powers, or 8 functions to any other person, officer or committee, but this 9 shall not be construed to prevent a committee from appointing 10 from its own membership proper and necessary subcommittees. 11 (j) The State central committee of a political party 12 which elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) 13 of this Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the 14 delegate selection rules of the national political party and 15 file a copy of such plan with the State Board of Elections 16 when approved by a national political party. 17 (k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a 18 Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State 19 central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the 20 State central committee of a political party which elects its 21 members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section, 22 the proxy shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and 23 township committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships 24 which lie entirely or partially within the Congressional 25 District from which the absent State central committeeman or 26 committeewoman was elected and the vote of the chairmen of 27 the county central committees of those counties which lie 28 entirely or partially within that Congressional District and 29 in which there are no ward or township committeemen. When 30 voting for such proxy the county chairman, ward committeeman 31 or township committeeman, as the case may be shall have one 32 vote for each ballot voted in his county, ward or township, 33 or portion thereof within the Congressional District, by the 34 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was -12- LRB9102537JMmb 1 elected. However, the absent State central committeeman or 2 committeewoman may designate a proxy when permitted by the 3 rules of a political party which elects its members by 4 Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section. 5 (Source: P.A. 90-627, eff. 7-10-98.) 6 (10 ILCS 5/8-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-4) 7 Sec. 8-4.A primary shall be held on the third Tuesday in8March of each even-numbered year forThe nomination of 9 candidates for legislative offices shall be made at the 10 general primary election. 11 (Source: P.A. 82-750.) 12 Section 10. The School Code is amended by changing 13 Sections 7A-2, 11A-3, 11B-3 and 33-1 as follows: 14 (105 ILCS 5/7A-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 7A-2) 15 Sec. 7A-2. Petition filing; notice; hearing; decision. 16 Any petition to dissolve a unit school district, create an 17 elementary school district therefrom and annex the same 18 territory to a contiguous high school district as provided in 19 Section 7A-1 shall be filed with the regional superintendent 20 of schools of the educational service region in which the 21 territory described in the petition or the greater portion of 22 the equalized assessed valuation of such territory is 23 situated, signed by at least 10% of the voters residing 24 within each district affected or by the boards of each 25 district affected. The petition shall: (i) request the 26 submission of the proposition at a regular scheduled election 27 for the purpose of voting for or against the dissolution of 28 such unit school district, creation of an elementary school 29 district therefrom and annexation of the same territory to an 30 existing contiguous high school district as provided in 31 Section 7A-1; (ii) describe the territory of the unit school -13- LRB9102537JMmb 1 district proposed to be dissolved which shall be stated in 2 the petition to be the same as the territory comprising the 3 proposed elementary school district and the same as the 4 territory proposed to be annexed to the existing contiguous 5 high school district; (iii) describe the territory of the 6 existing high school district to which the territory proposed 7 to be annexed is contiguous; and (iv) set forth the maximum 8 tax rates for educational and operations, building and 9 maintenance purposes and the purchase of school grounds, 10 pupil transportation, and fire prevention and safety purposes 11 which the annexing high school district and the elementary 12 school district proposed to be created each shall be 13 authorized to levy. 14 The petition may request that if the proposition to 15 dissolve a unit school district, create an elementary school 16 district therefrom, and annex the same territory to a 17 contiguous high school district is submitted to the voters at 18 the consolidated electionwhich occurs in April of19odd-numbered years, at the general primary electionwhich20occurs in March of even-numbered years, at the nonpartisan21election which occurs in November of odd-numbered years, or 22 at the general electionwhich occurs in November of23even-numbered years, that at that same election a board of 24 education be elected on a separate ballot to serve as the 25 board of education of the proposed new elementary school 26 district. Any election of board members at the same election 27 at which the proposition to create the elementary school 28 district to be served by that board is submitted to the 29 voters shall proceed under the supervision of the Regional 30 Superintendent as provided in Section 7A-6. 31 When the petition contains more than 10 signatures, the 32 petition shall designate a committee of 10 of the petitioners 33 as attorney in fact for all petitioners, any 7 of whom may 34 make binding stipulations on behalf of all petitioners as to -14- LRB9102537JMmb 1 any question with respect to the petition or hearing, 2 including the power to stipulate to accountings or waiver 3 thereof between school districts. The regional 4 superintendent of schools required to hold a hearing on the 5 petition as provided in this Section may accept any such 6 stipulation instead of evidence or proof of the matter 7 stipulated, or may refuse to accept any such stipulation. 8 Upon the filing of such petition with the regional 9 superintendent of schools as provided in this Section, such 10 regional superintendent of schools shall cause a copy of the 11 petition to be given to the board of each district affected 12 and to the regional superintendent of schools of any other 13 educational service region in which any part of the territory 14 described in the petition is situated. The regional 15 superintendent of schools with whom the petition is required 16 to be filed shall cause a notice thereof to be published at 17 least once each week for 3 successive weeks in at least one 18 newspaper having general circulation within the area of all 19 territory described in the petition. The notice shall state 20 when and to whom the petition was presented, the description 21 of the territory of the unit school district proposed to be 22 dissolved which shall be stated in the notice to be the same 23 as the territory comprising the proposed elementary school 24 district and the same as the territory proposed to be annexed 25 to the existing contiguous high school district, the 26 description of the existing high school district to which the 27 territory proposed to be annexed is contiguous, a statement 28 of the maximum tax rates for educational and operations, 29 building and maintenance purposes and the purchase of school 30 grounds, pupil transportation, and fire prevention and safety 31 purposes which the annexing high school district and the 32 proposed elementary school district each shall be authorized 33 to levy or establish, the prayer of the petition, and the day 34 on which the hearing upon the petition shall be held. The -15- LRB9102537JMmb 1 petitioners shall pay the expense of publishing the notice. 2 No more than 30 days after the last date on which the 3 required notice is published the regional superintendent of 4 schools with whom the petition is required to be filed shall 5 hold a hearing on the petition, provided that the regional 6 superintendent of schools may adjourn the hearing from time 7 to time or may continue the matter for want of sufficient 8 notice or other good cause. Prior to the hearing the 9 petitioners shall submit to the regional superintendent of 10 schools maps showing the districts affected, a written report 11 of financial and educational conditions of the districts 12 affected and the probable effect of the proposed dissolution 13 of the unit school district, creation of an elementary school 14 district therefrom and annexation of the same territory to 15 the existing contiguous high school district. The reports 16 and maps submitted by the petitioners shall be made a part of 17 the record of proceedings of the regional superintendent of 18 schools holding the hearing, and if the boards of the 19 districts affected are not the petitioners, such regional 20 superintendent of schools shall send copies of such reports 21 and maps to such boards not less than 5 days prior to the 22 date on which the hearing is to be held. 23 Upon the regional superintendent of schools determining 24 that the petitioners have paid the expense of publishing the 25 notice of hearing, that the petition as filed is proper and 26 -- if the petitioners be voters residing in each district 27 affected -- that the petition is in compliance with any 28 applicable petition requirements of the Election Code, the 29 regional superintendent of schools shall hear evidence as to 30 the school needs and conditions in all territory described in 31 the petition and in the area adjacent thereto, shall hear 32 evidence with respect to the ability of the elementary school 33 district proposed to be created and the ability of the 34 contiguous existing high school district, after the proposed -16- LRB9102537JMmb 1 annexation, to meet standards of recognition as prescribed by 2 the State Board of Education, shall take into consideration 3 any division of funds or assets if the petition is approved, 4 and shall determine whether it is for the best interests of 5 the schools of the area and the educational welfare of the 6 pupils therein that such unit school district be dissolved, 7 an elementary school district be created therefrom and the 8 same territory be annexed to an existing contiguous high 9 school district. No petition filed under this Article and no 10 referendum held pursuant to any petition so filed shall be 11 null and void or invalidated or deemed in noncompliance with 12 the Election Code because of the failure to publish a notice 13 of intention to file the petition or to attach to the 14 petition an affidavit attesting to the publication of that 15 notice as required under subsection (g) of Section 28-2 of 16 the Election Code for petitions that are not filed under 17 Article 7A, 11A, 11B, or 11D of the School Code. 18 At the hearing any resident of any territory described in 19 the petition and any regional superintendent of schools 20 entitled under the provisions of this Section to be given a 21 copy of the petition by the regional superintendent of 22 schools conducting the hearing may appear in person or by an 23 attorney at law in support of or in objection to the prayer 24 of the petition, and may submit evidence in support of either 25 such position. A transcript of the proceedings in the 26 hearing before the regional superintendent of schools shall 27 be prepared, and the expense of preparing the same shall be 28 paid by the petitioners. 29 Within 14 days after the conclusion of the hearing, the 30 regional superintendent of schools shall make a decision 31 either approving or denying the petition, and shall thereupon 32 submit the petition and all evidence taken at the hearing to 33 the State Superintendent of Education who shall, within 30 34 days thereafter, review the entire record of the proceedings -17- LRB9102537JMmb 1 had before the regional superintendent of schools, including 2 the transcript of such proceedings, and approve or deny the 3 petition upon consideration of and in accordance with the 4 following criteria: 5 (i) whether the proposed elementary school district 6 and the contiguous existing high school district after 7 the proposed annexation will have sufficient size (pupil 8 enrollment) and financial resources (assessed valuation) 9 to provide and maintain a recognized educational program 10 for their respective districts as proposed; 11 (ii) whether the dissolution of the unit school 12 district, creation of an elementary school district 13 therefrom and annexation of the same territory to the 14 existing high school district is for the best interests 15 of the schools of the area and the educational welfare of 16 the pupils therein; and 17 (iii) whether the territory of the proposed 18 elementary school district and the territory of the 19 contiguous existing high school district after the 20 proposed annexation are each compact and contiguous for 21 school purposes. 22 If the State Superintendent of Education denies the 23 petition the reasons for such denial shall be communicated to 24 the boards of each district affected, to any committee 25 designated as attorney in fact for the petitioners as 26 provided in this Section, to any regional superintendent of 27 schools entitled under the provisions of this Section to be 28 given a copy of the petition by the regional superintendent 29 of schools who conducted the hearing and to any resident of 30 any territory described in the petition who appears at the 31 hearing, or to any attorney at law appearing of record in the 32 hearing on behalf of any such board, committee, regional 33 superintendent of schools or resident otherwise entitled to 34 receive communication of the reasons for such denial; and no -18- LRB9102537JMmb 1 further proceedings shall be had. 2 (Source: P.A. 86-13; 87-10; 87-185; 87-839; 87-1270.) 3 (105 ILCS 5/11A-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 11A-3) 4 Sec. 11A-3. Petition filing; notice; hearing; decision. 5 A petition shall be filed with the Regional Superintendent of 6 the region in which the territory described in the petition 7 or that part of the territory with the greater per cent of 8 equalized assessed valuation is situated, signed by at least 9 200 voters residing in at least 3/4 of the school districts 10 or parts of districts and residing in the territory included 11 in the petition, or the petition may be filed by the board of 12 education of each of the school districts wholly or partially 13 included in the territory described in the petition. A 14 petition that is not filed by the board of education of each 15 of the school districts wholly or partially included in the 16 territory described in the petition must contain signatures 17 from 50 legal resident voters from each of the school 18 districts wholly or partially included in the territory 19 described in the petition or from 10% of the legal resident 20 voters from each of the school districts wholly or partially 21 included in the territory described in the petition, 22 whichever is lesser. Provided, however, that no petition 23 filed, or election held under this Article shall be null or 24 void or invalidated or deemed in noncompliance with the 25 Election Code for the failure of any person or persons 26 seeking the creation of a new school district hereunder to 27 publish a notice of intention to file such petition or to 28 attach an affidavit attesting to the publication of such 29 notice to such petition as required under subsection (g) of 30 Section 28-2 of the Election Code for petitions that are not 31 filed under Article 7A, 11A, 11B, or 11D of the School Code. 32 The petition shall (1) request the submission of the 33 proposition at a regular scheduled election for the purpose -19- LRB9102537JMmb 1 of voting for or against the establishment of a community 2 unit school district in the territory; (2) describe the 3 territory comprising the proposed district; (3) set forth the 4 maximum tax rates for educational, operations and maintenance 5 and the purchase and improvements of school grounds, pupil 6 transportation, and fire prevention and safety purposes the 7 proposed district shall be authorized to levy; and (4) 8 designate a committee of 10 of the petitioners, any 7 of whom 9 may at any time, prior to the final decision of the Regional 10 Superintendent, amend the petition in all respects (except 11 that there may not be an increase or decrease of more than 12 25% of the territory to be included in the proposed 13 district), and may make binding stipulations on behalf of all 14 petitioners as to any question with respect to the petition 15 or hearing and the Regional Superintendent may accept such 16 stipulation instead of evidence or proof of the matter 17 stipulated, which committee of petitioners may stipulate to 18 accountings or waiver thereof between school districts; 19 however, the Regional Superintendent may refuse to accept 20 such stipulation; those designated as the Committee of Ten 21 shall serve in such capacity until such time as the Regional 22 Superintendent should determine that, because of death, 23 resignation, transfer of residency from the territory, 24 failure to qualify or for any other reason, the office of a 25 particular member of the Committee is vacant. Failure of a 26 person designated as a member of the Committee of Ten to sign 27 the petition, whether filed prior or subsequent to September 28 23, 1983 (the effective date of P.A. 83-686), shall not 29 disqualify such person as a member thereof and such person 30 may sign the petition at any time prior to final disposition 31 of the petition and the conclusion of the proceedings to form 32 a unit district, including all litigation pertaining to the 33 petition or proceedings. Upon determination by the Regional 34 Superintendent that such vacancies exist, he shall so declare -20- LRB9102537JMmb 1 such vacancies and shall notify the remaining members to 2 appoint a petitioner or petitioners, as the case may be, to 3 fill the vacancies in the Committee of Ten so designated. 4 Such appointment by the Committee of Ten of any such new 5 membership shall be made by a simple majority vote of the 6 designated remaining members. The Committee of Ten shall 7 act, unless otherwise herein specified, by majority vote of 8 the membership. The Committee of Ten may voluntarily dismiss 9 their petition at any time before the final decision of the 10 Regional Superintendent. 11 The petition may request that the referendum at which the 12 proposition is submitted for the purpose of voting for or 13 against the establishment of a community unit school district 14 include as part of the proposition the election of board 15 members by school board district rather than at large. Any 16 petition requesting the election of board members by district 17 shall divide the proposed school district into 7 school board 18 districts, each of which must be compact and contiguous and 19 substantially equal in population to each other school board 20 district. Any election of board members by school board 21 district shall proceed under the supervision of the Regional 22 Superintendent as provided in Section 11A-8. The Committee of 23 Ten may amend any petition approved by the Regional 24 Superintendent and State Superintendent of Education prior to 25 July 29, 1988 to include as part of the proposition the 26 election of board members by district as provided above. The 27 Regional Superintendent shall, following approval by the 28 State Superintendent of Education, submit the proposition as 29 provided in the amended petition to the appropriate election 30 authorities. 31 The petition may request that if the proposition to 32 create a community unit school district is submitted to the 33 voters at the consolidated electionwhich occurs in April of34odd-numbered years, at the general primary electionwhich-21- LRB9102537JMmb 1occurs in March of even-numbered years, at the nonpartisan2election which occurs in November of odd-numbered years, or 3 at the general electionwhich occurs in November of4even-numbered years, that at that same election a board of 5 education be elected on a separate ballot to serve as the 6 board of education of the proposed new district. Any 7 election of board members at the same election at which the 8 proposition to create the district to be served by that board 9 is submitted to the voters shall proceed under the 10 supervision of the Regional Superintendent as provided in 11 Section 11A-8. 12 The petition may also request that the referendum at 13 which the proposition shall be submitted for the purpose of 14 voting for or against the establishment of a community unit 15 school district in the territory include a proposition on a 16 separate ballot authorizing the issuance of bonds by the 17 district when organized, in accordance with this Act. The 18 principal amount of the bonds and the purposes of issuance 19 shall be stated in such petition and in all notices and 20 propositions submitted thereunder. 21 A petition to form a new community unit school district 22 from the entire territory of 2 or more school districts may 23 also request that the bonded indebtedness of each existing 24 school district be assumed by the entire territory of the new 25 community unit school district in the manner provided by 26 subsection (b) of Section 11A-12. 27 Upon the filing of a petition with the Regional 28 Superintendent of the Region in which the greater portion of 29 the equalized assessed valuation of the territory described 30 in the petition lies, the Regional Superintendent shall cause 31 a copy of such petition to be given to each board of any 32 district involved in the proposed formation of the new 33 district and shall cause a notice thereof to be published at 34 least once each week for 3 successive weeks in at least one -22- LRB9102537JMmb 1 newspaper having general circulation within the area of the 2 territory of the proposed district. The notice shall state 3 when and to whom the petition was presented, the description 4 of the territory of the proposed district, if requested in 5 the petition a statement of the proposition to issue bonds 6 and indicating the amount and purpose thereof, and the day on 7 which the hearing upon the petition will be held. Not more 8 than 30 days after the publication of notice the Regional 9 Superintendent shall hold a hearing on the petition. 10 Upon the Regional Superintendent determining that the 11 petition, as filed or amended, is proper and is in compliance 12 with any applicable petition requirements set forth in the 13 Election Code, he shall hear evidence as to the school needs 14 and conditions of the territory and in the area within and 15 adjacent thereto and take into consideration the division of 16 funds and assets which will result from the organization of 17 the district, and shall determine whether it is for the best 18 interests of the schools of the area and the educational 19 welfare of the pupils therein that such district be 20 organized. 21 At the hearing, any resident in the proposed district or 22 any district affected thereby may appear in support of the 23 petition or to object thereto. The Regional Superintendent 24 may adjourn the hearing from time to time. Within 14 days 25 after the conclusion of the hearing the Regional 26 Superintendent shall make a decision either approving or 27 denying the petition. Upon the Regional Superintendent 28 approving or denying the petition he shall submit the 29 petition and all evidence submitted to the State 30 Superintendent of Education who shall, within 30 days after 31 the decision of the Regional Superintendent, approve or deny 32 the petition according to the following criteria: 33 He shall review the entire record of the proceedings had 34 before the Regional Superintendent, including the transcript -23- LRB9102537JMmb 1 of said proceedings, and based upon a review of the same 2 shall take into consideration: 3 (1) whether the proposed district will have 4 sufficient size (pupil enrollment) and financial 5 resources (assessed valuation) to provide and maintain a 6 recognized educational program for grades kindergarten 7 through 12; 8 (2) whether the proposed school district is for the 9 best interests of the schools of the area and the 10 educational welfare of the pupils therein; and 11 (3) whether the territory for the proposed school 12 district is compact and contiguous for school purposes. 13 If the State Superintendent of Education denies the 14 petition the reasons for such denial shall be communicated to 15 appropriate groups, agencies or instrumentalities 16 representing the petitioners. 17 If a majority of the voters in at least 2 community unit 18 school districts have voted in favor of a proposition to 19 create a new community unit school district, but the 20 proposition was not approved under the standards set forth in 21 Section 11A-8 of the School Code, then the members of the 22 Committee of Ten shall submit an amended petition for 23 consolidation to the boards of education of those districts 24 as long as the territory involved is compact and contiguous. 25 The petition submitted to the boards of education shall be 26 identical in form and substance to the petition previously 27 approved by the Regional Superintendent of Schools with the 28 sole exception that the territory comprising the proposed 29 district shall be amended to include the compact and 30 contiguous territory of those community unit school districts 31 in which a majority of the voters voted in favor of the 32 proposal. 33 Each board of education to which the petition is 34 submitted shall meet and vote to approve or not approve the -24- LRB9102537JMmb 1 amended petition no more than 30 days after it has been filed 2 with the board. The Regional Superintendent shall make 3 available to each board of education with which a petition 4 has been filed all transcripts and records of the previous 5 petition hearing. The boards of education shall, by the 6 appropriate resolution, approve or disapprove the amended 7 petition. No board of education may approve an amended 8 petition unless it first finds that the territory described 9 in the petition is compact and contiguous. 10 If a majority of the members of each board of education 11 to whom a petition is submitted votes in favor of the amended 12 petition, the approved petition shall be transmitted by the 13 secretary of each board of education to the State 14 Superintendent of Education who shall, within 30 days of 15 receipt, approve or deny the amended petition based on the 16 criteria stated in this Section which governed the State 17 Superintendent of Education in his initial review of the 18 petition. If approved by the State Superintendent of 19 Education, the petition shall be placed on the ballot at the 20 next regularly scheduled election. 21 (Source: P.A. 87-10; 87-185; 87-839; 87-1270; 88-555, eff. 22 7-27-94.) 23 (105 ILCS 5/11B-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 11B-3) 24 Sec. 11B-3. Petition filing; notice; hearing; decision. 25 A petition shall be filed with the Regional Superintendent of 26 the region in which the territory described in the petition 27 or the greater portion of the equalized assessed valuation of 28 the territory is situated, signed by at least 10% of the 29 voters residing within each district included in the 30 territory or filed by the boards of each school district 31 affected. The petition shall: (1) request the submission of 32 the proposition at a regular scheduled election for the 33 purpose of voting for or against the establishment of a -25- LRB9102537JMmb 1 combined school district in the territory; (2) describe the 2 territory comprising the proposed district by districts; (3) 3 set forth the maximum tax rates for educational, operations 4 and maintenance and the purchase and improvements of school 5 grounds, pupil transportation and fire prevention and safety 6 purposes the proposed district shall be authorized to levy; 7 and (4) designate a committee of 10 of the petitioners, any 7 8 of whom may at any time prior to the regional 9 superintendent's final decision amend the petition in all 10 respects and make binding stipulations on behalf of all 11 petitioners as to any question with respect to the petition 12 or hearing, including stipulations for accountings or the 13 waiver thereof between school districts. The regional 14 superintendent who is required to hold a hearing on the 15 petition as provided in this Section may accept any such 16 stipulation instead of evidence or proof of the matter 17 stipulated or may refuse to accept the stipulation. Those 18 designated as the Committee of Ten shall serve in that 19 capacity until such time as the regional superintendent 20 determines that because of death, resignation, transfer of 21 residency from the territory, failure to qualify or any other 22 reason the office of a particular member of the Committee is 23 vacant. Failure of a person designated as a member of the 24 Committee of Ten to sign the petition shall not disqualify 25 that person as a member thereof, and that person may sign the 26 petition at any time prior to final disposition of the 27 petition and the conclusion of the proceedings to form the 28 new combined school district, including all litigation 29 pertaining to the petition or proceedings. Upon 30 determination by the regional superintendent that vacancies 31 exist, he shall declare the vacancies and shall notify the 32 remaining members to appoint a petitioner or petitioners, as 33 the case may be, to fill the vacancies in the Committee of 34 Ten so designated. An appointment by the Committee of Ten to -26- LRB9102537JMmb 1 fill any such vacancy shall be made by a simple majority vote 2 of the designated remaining members. The Committee of Ten 3 shall act, unless otherwise herein specified, by majority 4 vote of the membership. The Committee of Ten may voluntarily 5 dismiss their petition at any time before the final decision 6 of the Regional Superintendent. 7 The petition may request that if the proposition to 8 create a combined school district is submitted to the voters 9 at the consolidated electionwhich occurs in April of10odd-numbered years, at the general primary electionwhich11occurs in March of even-numbered years, at the nonpartisan12election which occurs in November of odd-numbered years, or 13 at the general electionwhich occurs in November of14even-numbered years, that at that same election a board of 15 education be elected on a separate ballot to serve as the 16 board of education of the proposed new district. Any 17 election of board members at the same election at which the 18 proposition to create the district to be served by that board 19 is submitted to the voters shall proceed under the 20 supervision of the Regional Superintendent as provided in 21 Section 11B-7. 22 The petition may also request that the referendum include 23 a proposition on a separate ballot authorizing the issuance 24 of bonds by the district when organized in accordance with 25 this Article. The principal amount of the bonds and the 26 purposes of the issuance shall be stated in the petition and 27 in all notices and propositions submitted thereunder. 28 Upon the filing of a petition with the Regional 29 Superintendent under the provisions of Section 11B-2 of this 30 Article, the Regional Superintendent shall cause a copy of 31 such petition to be given to each board of any district 32 involved in the proposed formation of the new district and 33 shall cause a notice thereof to be published at least once 34 each week for 3 successive weeks in at least one newspaper -27- LRB9102537JMmb 1 having general circulation within the area of the territory 2 of the proposed district. The notice shall state when and to 3 whom the petition was presented, the description of the 4 territory of the proposed district, and the day on which the 5 hearing upon the petition will be held. Not more than 30 6 days after the publication of notice, the Regional 7 Superintendent shall hold a hearing on the petition. Prior 8 to the hearing, the petitioners shall submit to the Regional 9 Superintendent maps showing the districts involved, and any 10 other information pertinent to the proposed formation of a 11 new district. The reports and maps submitted shall be made a 12 part of the records of the proceedings of the Regional 13 Superintendent. A copy of the reports and maps submitted 14 shall be sent to the board of each district involved, not 15 less than 5 days prior to the date upon which the hearing is 16 to be held. The Regional Superintendent shall hear evidence 17 as to the school needs and conditions in the territory which 18 will form the proposed new district and as to the ability of 19 the proposed new district to meet the standards of 20 recognition as prescribed by the State Board of Education. 21 At the hearing, any resident in the territory described 22 in the petition may appear in person or by an attorney in 23 support of the petition or to object to the granting of the 24 petition and may present evidence in support of his position. 25 At the conclusion of the hearing, the Regional Superintendent 26 of schools shall within 14 days enter an order either 27 granting or denying the petition and shall deliver to any 28 attorney of record and affected school board a copy of his 29 order. Upon the Regional Superintendent approving or denying 30 the petition he shall submit the petition and all evidence 31 submitted to the State Superintendent of Education for 32 review. The Superintendent shall, within 30 days after the 33 decision of the Regional Superintendent, approve or deny the 34 petition according to the following criteria: -28- LRB9102537JMmb 1 He shall review the entire record of the proceedings had 2 before the Regional Superintendent, including the transcript 3 of said proceedings, and based upon a review of the same 4 shall take into consideration: 5 (1) whether the proposed district will have 6 sufficient size (pupil enrollment) and financial 7 resources (assessed valuation) to provide and maintain a 8 recognized educational program for the proposed school 9 district; 10 (2) whether the proposed school district is for the 11 best interests of schools of the area and the educational 12 welfare of the pupils therein; and 13 (3) whether the territory for the proposed school 14 district is compact and contiguous for school purposes. 15 If the State Superintendent of Education denies the 16 petition the reasons for such denial shall be communicated to 17 appropriate groups, agencies or instrumentalities 18 representing the petitioners and no further proceedings shall 19 be had. 20 (Source: P.A. 87-10; 87-107; 87-839; 87-1270.) 21 (105 ILCS 5/33-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 33-1) 22 Sec. 33-1. Board of Education - Election - Terms. In 23 all school districts, including special charter districts 24 having a population of 100,000 and not more than 500,000, 25 which adopt this Article, as hereinafter provided, there 26 shall be maintained a system of free schools in charge of a 27 board of education, which shall be a body politic and 28 corporate by the name of "Board of Education of the City 29 of....". The board shall consist of 7 members elected by the 30 voters of the district.Except as provided in Section 33-1b31of this Act,The regular election for members of the board 32 shall be held at the consolidated election and at the general 33 primary electionon the first Tuesday of April in odd-29- LRB9102537JMmb 1numbered years and on the third Tuesday of March in even2numbered years. The law governing the registration of voters 3 for the primary election shall apply to the regular election. 4 At the first regular election 7 persons shall be elected as 5 members of the board. The person who receives the greatest 6 number of votes shall be elected for a term of 5 years. The 7 2 persons who receive the second and third greatest number of 8 votes shall be elected for a term of 4 years. The person who 9 receives the fourth greatest number of votes shall be elected 10 for a term of 3 years. The 2 persons who receive the fifth 11 and sixth greatest number of votes shall be elected for a 12 term of 2 years. The person who receives the seventh 13 greatest number of votes shall be elected for a term of 1 14 year. Thereafter, at each regular election for members of the 15 board, the successors of the members whose terms expire in 16 the year of election shall be elected for a term of 5 years. 17 All terms shall commence on July 1 next succeeding the 18 elections. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the 19 board shall be filled by appointment until the next regular 20 election for members of the board. 21 In any school district which has adopted this Article, a 22 proposition for the election of board members by school board 23 district rather than at large may be submitted to the voters 24 of the district at the regular school election of any year in 25 the manner provided in Section 9-22. If the proposition is 26 approved by a majority of those voting on the propositions, 27 the board shall divide the school district into 7 school 28 board districts as provided in Section 9-22. At the regular 29 school election in the year following the adoption of such 30 proposition, one member shall be elected from each school 31 board district, and the 7 members so elected shall, by lot, 32 determine one to serve for one year, 2 for 2 years, one for 3 33 years, 2 for 4 years, and one for 5 years. Thereafter their 34 respective successors shall be elected for terms of 5 years. -30- LRB9102537JMmb 1 The terms of all incumbent members expire July 1 of the year 2 following the adoption of such a proposition. 3 Any school district which has adopted this Article may, 4 by referendum in accordance with Section 33-1a, adopt the 5 method of electing members of the board of education provided 6 in that Section. 7 Reapportionment of the voting districts provided for in 8 this Article or created pursuant to a court order, shall be 9 completed pursuant to Section 33-1c. 10 (Source: P.A. 82-1014; 86-1331.) 11 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 12 becoming law.