Bill Text: IL SB1703 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Adds October 7 (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Remembrance Day) as a commemorative holiday. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-3)

Status: (Passed) 2013-08-02 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 98-0156 [SB1703 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-SB1703-Engrossed.html

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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 Section
24-2 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/24-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 24-2)
Sec. 24-2. Holidays.
(a) Teachers shall not be required to teach on Saturdays,
nor, except as provided in subsection (b) of this Section,
shall teachers or other school employees, other than
noncertificated school employees whose presence is necessary
because of an emergency or for the continued operation and
maintenance of school facilities or property, be required to
work on legal school holidays, which are January 1, New Year's
Day; the third Monday in January, the Birthday of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.; February 12, the Birthday of President
Abraham Lincoln; the first Monday in March (to be known as
Casimir Pulaski's birthday); Good Friday; the day designated as
Memorial Day by federal law; July 4, Independence Day; the
first Monday in September, Labor Day; the second Monday in
October, Columbus Day; November 11, Veterans' Day; the Thursday
in November commonly called Thanksgiving Day; and December 25,
Christmas Day. School boards may grant special holidays

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whenever in their judgment such action is advisable. No
deduction shall be made from the time or compensation of a
school employee on account of any legal or special holiday.
(b) A school board or other entity eligible to apply for
waivers and modifications under Section 2-3.25g of this Code is
authorized to hold school or schedule teachers' institutes,
parent-teacher conferences, or staff development on the third
Monday in January (the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.); February 12 (the Birthday of President Abraham Lincoln);
the first Monday in March (known as Casimir Pulaski's
birthday); the second Monday in October (Columbus Day); and
November 11 (Veterans' Day), provided that:
(1) the person or persons honored by the holiday are
recognized through instructional activities conducted on
that day or, if the day is not used for student attendance,
on the first school day preceding or following that day;
and
(2) the entity that chooses to exercise this authority
first holds a public hearing about the proposal. The entity
shall provide notice preceding the public hearing to both
educators and parents. The notice shall set forth the time,
date, and place of the hearing, describe the proposal, and
indicate that the entity will take testimony from educators
and parents about the proposal.
(c) Commemorative holidays, which recognize specified
patriotic, civic, cultural or historical persons, activities,

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or events, are regular school days. Commemorative holidays are:
January 28 (to be known as Christa McAuliffe Day and observed
as a commemoration of space exploration), February 15 (the
birthday of Susan B. Anthony), March 29 (Viet Nam War Veterans'
Day), September 11 (September 11th Day of Remembrance), the
school day immediately preceding Veterans' Day (Korean War
Veterans' Day), October 1 (Recycling Day), October 7 (Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans Remembrance Day), December 7 (Pearl
Harbor Veterans' Day), and any day so appointed by the
President or Governor. School boards may establish
commemorative holidays whenever in their judgment such action
is advisable. School boards shall include instruction relative
to commemorated persons, activities, or events on the
commemorative holiday or at any other time during the school
year and at any point in the curriculum when such instruction
may be deemed appropriate. The State Board of Education shall
prepare and make available to school boards instructional
materials relative to commemorated persons, activities, or
events which may be used by school boards in conjunction with
any instruction provided pursuant to this paragraph.
(d) City of Chicago School District 299 shall observe March
4 of each year as a commemorative holiday. This holiday shall
be known as Mayors' Day which shall be a day to commemorate and
be reminded of the past Chief Executive Officers of the City of
Chicago, and in particular the late Mayor Richard J. Daley and
the late Mayor Harold Washington. If March 4 falls on a

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Saturday or Sunday, Mayors' Day shall be observed on the
following Monday.
(Source: P.A. 95-699, eff. 11-9-07; 96-640, eff. 8-24-09.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.