Bill Text: IL HB2953 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health Act. Creates the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health within the Department of Public Health to facilitate communication between the youth of the State of Illinois and specified State entities regarding the public health issues, interests, and needs that are important to the youth of the State of Illinois. Contains requirements for Advisory Board membership, meetings, and raising public awareness. Requires the Advisory Board to submit an annual report with specified information to the Governor and the General Assembly. Contains other provisions. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health Fund. Amends the School Code to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-02-16 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB2953 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB2953-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB2953 Introduced , by Rep. Daniel Didech SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.990 new
105 ILCS 5/26-1 from Ch. 122, par. 26-1
Creates the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health Act. Creates the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health within the Department of Public Health to facilitate communication between the youth of the State of Illinois and specified State entities regarding the public health issues, interests, and needs that are important to the youth of the State of Illinois. Contains requirements for Advisory Board membership, meetings, and raising public awareness. Requires the Advisory Board to submit an annual report with specified information to the Governor and the General Assembly. Contains other provisions. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health Fund. Amends the School Code to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning health.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health Act.
Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Advisory Board" means the Illinois Youth Advisory Board
of Public Health created under subsection (a) of Section 10.
"Chair" means the Chair of the Advisory Board who is
elected under subsection (b) of Section 25.
"Department" means the Illinois Department of Public
Health.
"Director" means the Director of Public Health.
"Elections Committee" means the Elections Committee
created under subsection (c) of Section 10.
"Fund" means the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public
Health Fund created under Section 55.
Section 10. The Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public
Health; Elections Committee.
(a) The Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health is
created within the Department to facilitate communication
between the youth of the State of Illinois, the Department,

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and the elected branches of State government regarding the
public health issues, interests, and needs important to the
youth of the State of Illinois. The Advisory Board has all of
the powers and responsibilities enumerated in this Act and any
other power or responsibility that may be conferred upon the
Advisory Board by law.
(b) The Advisory Board shall be staffed by a State agency,
representatives of the Department, or both, as designated by
the Director.
(c) The Elections Committee is created within the Advisory
Board to elect members of the Advisory Board in accordance
with Section 15. The Director shall appoint members of the
Elections Committee by selecting one representative from each
of the following offices within the Department:
(1) The Office of Health Care Regulation.
(2) The Office of Health Promotion.
(3) The Office of Health Protection.
(4) The Office of Disease Control.
(5) The Office of Policy, Planning, and Statistics.
(6) The Office of Preparedness and Response.
(7) The Office of Women's Health and Family Services.
Section 15. Advisory Board members; election; term of
office; applications.
(a) The Advisory Board shall consist of 15 members who are
elected to the Advisory Board by popular vote of the Elections

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Committee from a pool of applicants meeting the qualifications
under Section 20. The Elections Committee shall convene on or
before April 1 of each year to elect candidates to fill each
vacant or expiring Advisory Board member position. A
representative from the Elections Committee, appointed by the
Director, shall review potential candidates' membership
applications, serve as judge of the results of the election,
and notify existing Advisory Board members of the applicants
selected by the Elections Committee for Advisory Board
membership. Each candidate elected by the Elections Committee
for Advisory Board membership shall be notified of his or her
election to the Advisory Board on or before April 5 of the year
that he or she is elected.
(b) The term of office for initial members of the Advisory
Board shall begin on July 1, 2024 and expire on June 30, 2025.
Thereafter, the term for members of the Advisory Board shall
begin on the first Saturday in July of each year and expire one
day before the first Saturday in July of the following
calendar year. A person may serve as a member for up to 2 terms
if, for each term, the person meets all membership
requirements, submits an application created under subsection
(c), and is elected for membership by the Elections Committee
under subsection (a).
(c) On or before December 1, 2023, the Advisory Board
shall create an application that shall be used by candidates
to apply for Advisory Board membership. The Advisory Board, in

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conjunction with the Elections Committee, may modify the
application from time to time.
Section 20. Member qualifications. During each Advisory
Board member's term, the member shall meet all of the
following qualifications:
(1) The member must have been a resident of the State
of Illinois for at least one year prior to the member's
term.
(2) The member must be older than 14 years of age and
younger than 22 years of age. However, if the member will
become 23 years of age during his or her term, the member
may complete that term.
(3) The member must be enrolled as a student at a high
school, community college, college, or university in this
State. However, if the member will graduate from a high
school, community college, college, or university in this
State during his or her term, the member may complete that
term.
Section 25. Quorum; meetings; school attendance;
leadership positions.
(a) A majority of members elected to the Advisory Board
shall constitute a quorum.
(b) In addition to the annual in-person meeting required
under Section 30, the Advisory Board shall convene in person,

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by electronic means, or by telephone at least once monthly and
at any other time the Advisory Board deems necessary. Each
member of the Advisory Board shall be excused, without penalty
or consequence, from mandatory student attendance at the
school at which he or she is enrolled to participate in an
Advisory Board meeting convened under this subsection or under
Section 30. At the first meeting of the Advisory Board after
the election of Advisory Board members, the Advisory Board
shall elect one member to serve as the Advisory Board's Chair.
The Advisory Board may create additional Advisory Board
leadership positions, to be filled by members of the Advisory
Board, as the Advisory Board deems necessary.
Section 30. Annual in-person meeting. The Advisory Board
shall convene an annual in-person meeting at the end of each
membership term to present the General Assembly and the
Governor with the report required under Section 50, any
research conducted by the Advisory Board, and any
community-oriented activities recommended or undertaken by the
Advisory Board to improve the health of Illinois residents.
Section 35. Powers and responsibilities.
(a) The Advisory Board may exercise any of the following
powers:
(1) Collaborating with the Department on agreed
projects.

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(2) Creating community initiatives to support public
health.
(3) Voicing opinions on any public health matter
regarding the youth of Illinois.
(4) Drafting reports and advisory opinions for the
Department's consideration.
(5) Conducting periodic seminars for members of
Illinois communities that concern public health topics and
relate to the youth of Illinois.
(b) Members of the Advisory Board may attend Department
meetings and may advise the Department generally on matters
pertaining to youth and community public health initiatives.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to entitle an Advisory
Board member to vote on matters pending before the Department.
(c) The Chair is responsible for all of the following:
(1) For each Advisory Board meeting, creating an
agenda that is approved by a Department representative
appointed by the Director from the Elections Committee.
(2) Running Advisory Board meetings and facilitating
communication within the Advisory Board, including, but
not limited to, selecting one member to serve as Secretary
for each Advisory Board meeting who is responsible for
taking minutes throughout the meeting and submitting the
minutes to the Chair.
(3) Appointing members to serve in leadership
positions within the Advisory Board, if the Advisory Board

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deems the appointment necessary.
(4) Planning and reviewing meetings with the
Department representative appointed by the Director under
paragraph (1).
(5) Facilitating communication between the Advisory
Board and the Department.
Section 40. Outreach.
(a) On or before January 10 of each year, the Chair, with
support from the Advisory Board, shall notify all high
schools, community colleges, colleges, and universities in
this State that the time for applying to become a member of the
Advisory Board is open and that the application period shall
expire on March 15 of that year. The notice shall include the
requirements for Advisory Board membership and a copy of the
application for Advisory Board membership.
(b) Upon receiving notice under subsection (a) that the
application period is open, a high school, community college,
college, or university in this State shall make reasonable
attempts to notify interested students of the opportunity to
apply for Advisory Board membership.
(c) To raise public awareness of the Advisory Board, the
Advisory Board may:
(1) conduct a public awareness campaign;
(2) maintain a website and establish a social media
presence;

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(3) work with established youth groups to increase
public awareness of the Advisory Board; and
(4) employ any other means necessary to raise public
awareness of the Advisory Board's existence and purpose.
Section 45. Administrative support. Administrative support
for the Advisory Board shall be provided by the Department.
Members of the Advisory Board shall not receive compensation
for serving as members, but may be reimbursed, subject to
appropriation from the Fund or as approved by the Governor,
for expenses described under Section 55. A member of the
Advisory Board may receive credit toward required service
hours from his or her school for participation in the Advisory
Board. Moneys for travel expenses and administrative costs of
the Advisory Board shall be appropriated to the Advisory Board
from the Fund or as otherwise approved by the Governor.
Section 50. Annual report. The Advisory Board shall
electronically submit an annual report to the General Assembly
and the Governor detailing the Advisory Board's activities and
any legislation recommended by the Advisory Board.
Section 55. Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health
Fund. The Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health Fund
is created as a special fund in the State treasury. All moneys
in the Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation by the

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General Assembly, to reimburse Advisory Board members for
actual expenses incurred in traveling to Advisory Board
meetings, including, but not limited to, transportation, food,
and lodging, and for printing the annual report required under
Section 50.
Section 85. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.990 as follows:
(30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
Sec. 5.990. The Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public
Health Fund.
Section 90. The School Code is amended by changing Section
26-1 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/26-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-1)
(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 102-981)
Sec. 26-1. Compulsory school age; exemptions. Whoever has
custody or control of any child (i) between the ages of 7 and
17 years (unless the child has already graduated from high
school) for school years before the 2014-2015 school year or
(ii) between the ages of 6 (on or before September 1) and 17
years (unless the child has already graduated from high
school) beginning with the 2014-2015 school year shall cause
such child to attend some public school in the district

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wherein the child resides the entire time it is in session
during the regular school term, except as provided in Section
10-19.1, and during a required summer school program
established under Section 10-22.33B; provided, that the
following children shall not be required to attend the public
schools:
1. Any child attending a private or a parochial school
where children are taught the branches of education taught
to children of corresponding age and grade in the public
schools, and where the instruction of the child in the
branches of education is in the English language;
2. Any child who is physically or mentally unable to
attend school, such disability being certified to the
county or district truant officer by a competent physician
licensed in Illinois to practice medicine and surgery in
all its branches, a chiropractic physician licensed under
the Medical Practice Act of 1987, a licensed advanced
practice registered nurse, a licensed physician assistant,
or a Christian Science practitioner residing in this State
and listed in the Christian Science Journal; or who is
excused for temporary absence for cause by the principal
or teacher of the school which the child attends, with
absence for cause by illness being required to include the
mental or behavioral health of the child for up to 5 days
for which the child need not provide a medical note, in
which case the child shall be given the opportunity to

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make up any school work missed during the mental or
behavioral health absence and, after the second mental
health day used, may be referred to the appropriate school
support personnel; the exemptions in this paragraph (2) do
not apply to any female who is pregnant or the mother of
one or more children, except where a female is unable to
attend school due to a complication arising from her
pregnancy and the existence of such complication is
certified to the county or district truant officer by a
competent physician;
3. Any child necessarily and lawfully employed
according to the provisions of the law regulating child
labor may be excused from attendance at school by the
county superintendent of schools or the superintendent of
the public school which the child should be attending, on
certification of the facts by and the recommendation of
the school board of the public school district in which
the child resides. In districts having part-time
continuation schools, children so excused shall attend
such schools at least 8 hours each week;
4. Any child over 12 and under 14 years of age while in
attendance at confirmation classes;
5. Any child absent from a public school on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
the reason that he is unable to attend classes or to
participate in any examination, study, or work

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requirements on a particular day or days or at a
particular time of day because of religious reasons,
including the observance of a religious holiday or
participation in religious instruction, or because the
tenets of his religion forbid secular activity on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day. A
school board may require the parent or guardian of a child
who is to be excused from attending school because of
religious reasons to give notice, not exceeding 5 days, of
the child's absence to the school principal or other
school personnel. Any child excused from attending school
under this paragraph 5 shall not be required to submit a
written excuse for such absence after returning to school.
A district superintendent shall develop and distribute to
schools appropriate procedures regarding a student's
absence for religious reasons, how schools are notified of
a student's impending absence for religious reasons, and
the requirements of Section 26-2b of this Code;
6. Any child 16 years of age or older who (i) submits
to a school district evidence of necessary and lawful
employment pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Section and
(ii) is enrolled in a graduation incentives program
pursuant to Section 26-16 of this Code or an alternative
learning opportunities program established pursuant to
Article 13B of this Code;
7. A child in any of grades 6 through 12 absent from a

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public school on a particular day or days or at a
particular time of day for the purpose of sounding "Taps"
at a military honors funeral held in this State for a
deceased veteran. In order to be excused under this
paragraph 7, the student shall notify the school's
administration at least 2 days prior to the date of the
absence and shall provide the school's administration with
the date, time, and location of the military honors
funeral. The school's administration may waive this 2-day
notification requirement if the student did not receive at
least 2 days advance notice, but the student shall notify
the school's administration as soon as possible of the
absence. A student whose absence is excused under this
paragraph 7 shall be counted as if the student attended
school for purposes of calculating the average daily
attendance of students in the school district. A student
whose absence is excused under this paragraph 7 must be
allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed
during the absence. If the student satisfactorily
completes the school work, the day of absence shall be
counted as a day of compulsory attendance and he or she may
not be penalized for that absence; and
8. Any child absent from a public school on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
the reason that his or her parent or legal guardian is an
active duty member of the uniformed services and has been

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called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately
returned from deployment to a combat zone or
combat-support postings. Such a student shall be granted 5
days of excused absences in any school year and, at the
discretion of the school board, additional excused
absences to visit the student's parent or legal guardian
relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or
legal guardian. In the case of excused absences pursuant
to this paragraph 8, the student and parent or legal
guardian shall be responsible for obtaining assignments
from the student's teacher prior to any period of excused
absence and for ensuring that such assignments are
completed by the student prior to his or her return to
school from such period of excused absence; and .
(9) Any child absent from a public school on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
the reason that he or she is participating in an Illinois
Youth Advisory Board of Public Health meeting convened
under the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health
Act.
(Source: P.A. 102-266, eff. 1-1-22; 102-321, eff. 1-1-22;
102-406, eff. 8-19-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)
(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 102-981)
Sec. 26-1. Compulsory school age; exemptions. Whoever has
custody or control of any child (i) between the ages of 7 and

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17 years (unless the child has already graduated from high
school) for school years before the 2014-2015 school year or
(ii) between the ages of 6 (on or before September 1) and 17
years (unless the child has already graduated from high
school) beginning with the 2014-2015 school year shall cause
such child to attend some public school in the district
wherein the child resides the entire time it is in session
during the regular school term, except as provided in Section
10-19.1, and during a required summer school program
established under Section 10-22.33B; provided, that the
following children shall not be required to attend the public
schools:
1. Any child attending a private or a parochial school
where children are taught the branches of education taught
to children of corresponding age and grade in the public
schools, and where the instruction of the child in the
branches of education is in the English language;
2. Any child who is physically or mentally unable to
attend school, such disability being certified to the
county or district truant officer by a competent physician
licensed in Illinois to practice medicine and surgery in
all its branches, a chiropractic physician licensed under
the Medical Practice Act of 1987, a licensed advanced
practice registered nurse, a licensed physician assistant,
or a Christian Science practitioner residing in this State
and listed in the Christian Science Journal; or who is

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excused for temporary absence for cause by the principal
or teacher of the school which the child attends, with
absence for cause by illness being required to include the
mental or behavioral health of the child for up to 5 days
for which the child need not provide a medical note, in
which case the child shall be given the opportunity to
make up any school work missed during the mental or
behavioral health absence and, after the second mental
health day used, may be referred to the appropriate school
support personnel; the exemptions in this paragraph (2) do
not apply to any female who is pregnant or the mother of
one or more children, except where a female is unable to
attend school due to a complication arising from her
pregnancy and the existence of such complication is
certified to the county or district truant officer by a
competent physician;
3. Any child necessarily and lawfully employed
according to the provisions of the law regulating child
labor may be excused from attendance at school by the
county superintendent of schools or the superintendent of
the public school which the child should be attending, on
certification of the facts by and the recommendation of
the school board of the public school district in which
the child resides. In districts having part-time
continuation schools, children so excused shall attend
such schools at least 8 hours each week;

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4. Any child over 12 and under 14 years of age while in
attendance at confirmation classes;
5. Any child absent from a public school on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
the reason that he is unable to attend classes or to
participate in any examination, study, or work
requirements on a particular day or days or at a
particular time of day because of religious reasons,
including the observance of a religious holiday or
participation in religious instruction, or because the
tenets of his religion forbid secular activity on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day. A
school board may require the parent or guardian of a child
who is to be excused from attending school because of
religious reasons to give notice, not exceeding 5 days, of
the child's absence to the school principal or other
school personnel. Any child excused from attending school
under this paragraph 5 shall not be required to submit a
written excuse for such absence after returning to school.
A district superintendent shall develop and distribute to
schools appropriate procedures regarding a student's
absence for religious reasons, how schools are notified of
a student's impending absence for religious reasons, and
the requirements of Section 26-2b of this Code;
6. Any child 16 years of age or older who (i) submits
to a school district evidence of necessary and lawful

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employment pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Section and
(ii) is enrolled in a graduation incentives program
pursuant to Section 26-16 of this Code or an alternative
learning opportunities program established pursuant to
Article 13B of this Code;
7. A child in any of grades 6 through 12 absent from a
public school on a particular day or days or at a
particular time of day for the purpose of sounding "Taps"
at a military honors funeral held in this State for a
deceased veteran. In order to be excused under this
paragraph 7, the student shall notify the school's
administration at least 2 days prior to the date of the
absence and shall provide the school's administration with
the date, time, and location of the military honors
funeral. The school's administration may waive this 2-day
notification requirement if the student did not receive at
least 2 days advance notice, but the student shall notify
the school's administration as soon as possible of the
absence. A student whose absence is excused under this
paragraph 7 shall be counted as if the student attended
school for purposes of calculating the average daily
attendance of students in the school district. A student
whose absence is excused under this paragraph 7 must be
allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed
during the absence. If the student satisfactorily
completes the school work, the day of absence shall be

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counted as a day of compulsory attendance and he or she may
not be penalized for that absence; and
8. Any child absent from a public school on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
the reason that his or her parent or legal guardian is an
active duty member of the uniformed services and has been
called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately
returned from deployment to a combat zone or
combat-support postings. Such a student shall be granted 5
days of excused absences in any school year and, at the
discretion of the school board, additional excused
absences to visit the student's parent or legal guardian
relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or
legal guardian. In the case of excused absences pursuant
to this paragraph 8, the student and parent or legal
guardian shall be responsible for obtaining assignments
from the student's teacher prior to any period of excused
absence and for ensuring that such assignments are
completed by the student prior to his or her return to
school from such period of excused absence; and .
(9) Any child absent from a public school on a
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
the reason that he or she is participating in an Illinois
Youth Advisory Board of Public Health meeting convened
under the Illinois Youth Advisory Board of Public Health
Act.

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Any child from a public middle school or high school,
subject to guidelines established by the State Board of
Education, shall be permitted by a school board one school
day-long excused absence per school year for the child who is
absent from school to engage in a civic event. The school board
may require that the student provide reasonable advance notice
of the intended absence to the appropriate school
administrator and require that the student provide
documentation of participation in a civic event to the
appropriate school administrator.
(Source: P.A. 102-266, eff. 1-1-22; 102-321, eff. 1-1-22;
102-406, eff. 8-19-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-981, eff.
1-1-23.)
Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes
changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text
that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section
represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does
not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes
made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other
Public Act.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.