Bill Text: IL HR0359 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges the General Assembly to consider developing a campaign finance reform structure and implementing it specifically in regard to elections for the Chicago Board of Education. Encourages members of the Illinois General Assembly to work with city officials and interested members of the Chicago Public Schools community to develop legislation that may be introduced after the creation of an elected Chicago Board of Education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-06-23 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HR0359 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2019-HR0359-Introduced.html
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, Chicago Public Schools is the only school district | ||||||
3 | in the State of Illinois that, by law, requires an appointed | ||||||
4 | rather than elected school board; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, The Chicago Board of Education has the power to | ||||||
6 | levy property taxes, cut or increase funding for schools, set | ||||||
7 | the terms of teacher contracts, and decide whether neighborhood | ||||||
8 | schools should remain open or shutter their doors; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, The members of the Chicago Board of Education | ||||||
10 | making these crucial decisions, which impact every student, | ||||||
11 | parent, educator, businessperson, and homeowner in the city, | ||||||
12 | are not accountable to the general public but rather to the | ||||||
13 | Chicago mayor and special interests; and
| ||||||
14 | WHEREAS, The appointed school board system has led to the | ||||||
15 | privatization of school services and conflicts of interest, | ||||||
16 | including cases wherein board members profit from the school | ||||||
17 | district by contracting with businesses owned by the board | ||||||
18 | member; and
| ||||||
19 | WHEREAS, For years, concerned parents, community members | ||||||
20 | and their elected officials in the General Assembly have | ||||||
21 | advocated for legislation providing for an elected school board |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | for the City of Chicago; and
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The General Assembly is closer than ever to | ||||||
3 | passing such a measure and establishing an elected school board | ||||||
4 | in the near future; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, During recent elections, the amount of money | ||||||
6 | flowing into campaigns for candidates up and down the ballot | ||||||
7 | has been unprecedented, giving wealthy individuals and | ||||||
8 | corporations a large influence over voters; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, Across the United States, local communities have | ||||||
10 | taken action to curb the influence of big money in campaigns; | ||||||
11 | and
| ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, Unless action is taken by the State of Illinois | ||||||
13 | and the City of Chicago, funding from corporations and the | ||||||
14 | ultra-wealthy will flow into elections for the Chicago Board of | ||||||
15 | Education, leading board members to be accountable to special | ||||||
16 | interests rather than the local community; therefore, be it
| ||||||
17 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
18 | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
19 | we urge the General Assembly to consider developing a campaign | ||||||
20 | finance reform structure and implementing it specifically in | ||||||
21 | regard to elections for the Chicago Board of Education; and be |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | it further
| ||||||
2 | RESOLVED, That members of the Illinois General Assembly are | ||||||
3 | encouraged to work with city officials and interested members | ||||||
4 | of the Chicago Public Schools community to develop legislation | ||||||
5 | that may be introduced after the creation of an elected Chicago | ||||||
6 | Board of Education.
|