98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB3004

Introduced 2/7/2014, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
See Index

Amends the School Code with respect to the suspension and expulsion of pupils. Provides for the expulsion of pupils by removing a pupil from a school or educational setting for a period of more than 10 school days for posing a significant threat of imminent serious harm to other pupils or to staff (instead of providing for the expulsion of pupils guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct). Provides for the suspension of pupils by removing a pupil from a school or educational setting for a period of not more than 10 days for a serious act of misconduct (instead of providing for the suspension of pupils guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct); makes related changes. Sets forth limitations on out-of-school suspensions. Requires behavioral support services and alternative educational services to be provided to certain students. Provides that, unless otherwise required by statute for a specific criminal offense, a student may not be arrested or otherwise cited for a criminal offense committed during school hours while on school grounds, in a school vehicle, or at a school activity or school-sanctioned event unless the offense constitutes a felony or the student has committed an identical offense within the preceding 6 months. Requires reports to be made for certain incidents. Provides that students may not be counseled by any school employee to leave school voluntarily in order to avoid formal disciplinary proceedings or because of any other disciplinary concerns. Provides that a student may not be issued a monetary fine or fee as a disciplinary consequence. Provides for charter school and alternative school application.
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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

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1 AN ACT concerning education.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
510-22.6, 13A-11, 27A-5, and 34-19 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/10-22.6) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6)
7 Sec. 10-22.6. Suspension or expulsion of pupils; school
8searches.
9 (a) To expel pupils by removing a pupil from a school or
10educational setting for a period of more than 10 school days
11for posing a significant threat of imminent serious harm to
12other pupils or to staff, guilty of gross disobedience or
13misconduct, including gross disobedience or misconduct
14perpetuated by electronic means, and no action shall lie
15against them for such expulsion. Expulsion shall take place
16only after the parents have been requested to appear at a
17meeting of the board, or with a hearing officer appointed by
18it, to discuss their child's behavior. Such request shall be
19made by registered or certified mail and shall state the time,
20place and purpose of the meeting. The board, or a hearing
21officer appointed by it, at such meeting shall state the
22reasons for dismissal and the date on which the expulsion is to
23become effective. If a hearing officer is appointed by the

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1board he shall report to the board a written summary of the
2evidence heard at the meeting and the board may take such
3action thereon as it finds appropriate. An expelled pupil may
4be immediately transferred to an alternative program in the
5manner provided in Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil
6must not be denied transfer because of the expulsion, except in
7cases in which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the
8safety of students or staff in the alternative program.
9 (b) To suspend or by policy to authorize the superintendent
10of the district or the principal, assistant principal, or dean
11of students of any school to suspend pupils by removing a pupil
12from a school or educational setting for a period of not more
13than 10 school days for a serious act of misconduct guilty of
14gross disobedience or misconduct, or to suspend pupils guilty
15of gross disobedience or misconduct on the school bus from
16riding the school bus for a serious act of misconduct on the
17school bus, and no action shall lie against them for such
18suspensions suspension. The board may by policy authorize the
19superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
20principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend pupils
21guilty of such acts for a period not to exceed 10 school days.
22If a pupil is suspended for a serious act of due to gross
23disobedience or misconduct on a school bus, the board may
24suspend the pupil in excess of 10 school days for safety
25reasons. Any suspension shall be reported immediately to the
26parents or guardian of such pupil along with a full statement

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1of the reasons for such suspension and a notice of their right
2to a review. The school board must be given a summary of the
3notice, including the reason for the suspension and the
4suspension length. Upon request of the parents or guardian the
5school board or a hearing officer appointed by it shall review
6such action of the superintendent or principal, assistant
7principal, or dean of students. At such review the parents or
8guardian of the pupil may appear and discuss the suspension
9with the board or its hearing officer. If a hearing officer is
10appointed by the board he shall report to the board a written
11summary of the evidence heard at the meeting. After its hearing
12or upon receipt of the written report of its hearing officer,
13the board may take such action as it finds appropriate. A pupil
14who is suspended in excess of 20 school days may be immediately
15transferred to an alternative program in the manner provided in
16Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil must not be denied
17transfer because of the suspension, except in cases in which
18such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety of
19students or staff in the alternative program.
20 (c) The Department of Human Services shall be invited to
21send a representative to consult with the board at such meeting
22whenever there is evidence that mental illness may be the cause
23for expulsion or suspension.
24 (d) The board may expel a student for a definite period of
25time not to exceed 2 calendar years, as determined on a case by
26case basis. A student who is determined to have brought one of

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1the following objects to school, any school-sponsored activity
2or event, or any activity or event that bears a reasonable
3relationship to school shall be expelled for a period of not
4less than one year:
5 (1) A firearm. For the purposes of this Section,
6 "firearm" means any gun, rifle, shotgun, weapon as defined
7 by Section 921 of Title 18 of the United States Code,
8 firearm as defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners
9 Identification Card Act, or firearm as defined in Section
10 24-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. The expulsion period
11 under this subdivision (1) may be modified by the
12 superintendent, and the superintendent's determination may
13 be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
14 (2) A knife, brass knuckles or other knuckle weapon
15 regardless of its composition, a billy club, or any other
16 object if used or attempted to be used to cause bodily
17 harm, including "look alikes" of any firearm as defined in
18 subdivision (1) of this subsection (d). The expulsion
19 requirement under this subdivision (2) may be modified by
20 the superintendent, and the superintendent's determination
21 may be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
22 Expulsion or suspension shall be construed in a manner
23consistent with the Federal Individuals with Disabilities
24Education Act.
25 A student who is subject to suspension or expulsion as
26provided in this Section may be eligible for a transfer to an

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1alternative school program in accordance with Article 13A of
2the School Code.
3 Out-of-school suspensions of up to 3 school days may be
4used only when necessary to protect the safety of other
5students or staff within the school or to avoid a significant
6disruption of the educational process. A student may not be
7removed from school for longer than 3 school days or removed to
8an alternative setting for disciplinary reasons unless it is
9necessary to avoid a significant threat of imminent serious
10harm to other students or to staff. All school exclusions must
11be limited in duration to the greatest extent practicable.
12 The provisions of this subsection (d) apply in all school
13districts, including special charter districts and districts
14organized under Article 34.
15 (d-5) The board may suspend or by regulation authorize the
16superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
17principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend a
18student for a period not to exceed 10 school days or may expel
19a student for a definite period of time not to exceed 2
20calendar years, as determined on a case by case basis, if (i)
21that student has been determined to have made an explicit
22threat on an Internet website against a school employee, a
23student, or any school-related personnel, (ii) the Internet
24website through which the threat was made is a site that was
25accessible within the school at the time the threat was made or
26was available to third parties who worked or studied within the

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1school grounds at the time the threat was made, and (iii) the
2threat could be reasonably interpreted as threatening to the
3safety and security of the threatened individual because of his
4or her duties or employment status or status as a student
5inside the school. The provisions of this subsection (d-5)
6apply in all school districts, including special charter
7districts and districts organized under Article 34 of this
8Code.
9 (e) To maintain order and security in the schools, school
10authorities may inspect and search places and areas such as
11lockers, desks, parking lots, and other school property and
12equipment owned or controlled by the school, as well as
13personal effects left in those places and areas by students,
14without notice to or the consent of the student, and without a
15search warrant. As a matter of public policy, the General
16Assembly finds that students have no reasonable expectation of
17privacy in these places and areas or in their personal effects
18left in these places and areas. School authorities may request
19the assistance of law enforcement officials for the purpose of
20conducting inspections and searches of lockers, desks, parking
21lots, and other school property and equipment owned or
22controlled by the school for illegal drugs, weapons, or other
23illegal or dangerous substances or materials, including
24searches conducted through the use of specially trained dogs.
25If a search conducted in accordance with this Section produces
26evidence that the student has violated or is violating either

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1the law, local ordinance, or the school's policies or rules,
2such evidence may be seized by school authorities, and
3disciplinary action may be taken. School authorities may also
4turn over such evidence to law enforcement authorities. The
5provisions of this subsection (e) apply in all school
6districts, including special charter districts and districts
7organized under Article 34.
8 (f) Suspension or expulsion may include suspension or
9expulsion from school and all school activities and a
10prohibition from being present on school grounds.
11 (g) A school district may adopt a policy providing that if
12a student is suspended or expelled for any reason from any
13public or private school in this or any other state, the
14student must complete the entire term of the suspension or
15expulsion in an alternative school program under Article 13A of
16this Code or an alternative learning opportunities program
17under Article 13B of this Code before being admitted into the
18school district if there is no threat to the safety of students
19or staff in the alternative program. This subsection (g)
20applies to all school districts, including special charter
21districts and districts organized under Article 34 of this
22Code.
23 (h) Students who are suspended out of school for longer
24than 3 school days or removed to an alternative setting for
25disciplinary reasons must be provided with behavioral support
26services, as well alternative educational services, to promote

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1their successful return to their regular school. This
2subsection (h) applies to all school districts, including
3special charter districts and districts organized under
4Article 34 of this Code.
5 (i) Unless otherwise required by statute for a specific
6criminal offense, a student may not be arrested or otherwise
7cited for a criminal offense committed during school hours
8while on school grounds, in a school vehicle, or at a school
9activity or school-sanctioned event unless the offense
10constitutes a felony in one of the classes defined in the
11Criminal Code of 2012 or the student has committed an identical
12offense within the preceding 6 months while on school grounds,
13in a school vehicle, or at a school activity or
14school-sanctioned event.
15 Nothing in this subsection (i) shall require the referral
16of a student suspected of committing a felony offense to a law
17enforcement officer or law enforcement agency. School
18employees and officials retain their authority and discretion
19under existing law to address a student's behavior through the
20existing school discipline structure as modified by this
21amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly.
22 Nothing in this subsection (i) limits the rights and duties
23of teachers, school administrators, other school district
24employees, and law enforcement officers from reporting and
25responding to criminal conduct by any individual who is not a
26student under the school district's jurisdiction.

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1 This subsection (i) applies to all school districts,
2including special charter districts and districts organized
3under Article 34 of this Code.
4 (j) All incidents resulting in an out-of-school suspension
5longer than 3 days, removal to an alternative setting, arrest,
6or criminal citation must be documented in a written report
7that includes a detailed description of the behavior at issue
8and an explanation of why the actions taken were necessary.
9These individual reports must be immediately provided to the
10parent or guardian of the student and must be complied by each
11school district into an annual summary report that is available
12for public review. This subsection (j) applies to all school
13districts, including special charter districts and districts
14organized under Article 34 of this Code.
15 (k) Students may not be counseled by any school employee to
16leave school voluntarily in order to avoid formal disciplinary
17proceedings or because of any other disciplinary concerns. A
18student may not be issued a monetary fine or fee as a
19disciplinary consequence.
20(Source: P.A. 96-633, eff. 8-24-09; 96-998, eff. 7-2-10;
2197-340, eff. 1-1-12; 97-495, eff. 1-1-12; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12;
2297-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)
23 (105 ILCS 5/13A-11)
24 Sec. 13A-11. Chicago public schools.
25 (a) The Chicago Board of Education may establish

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1alternative schools within Chicago and may contract with third
2parties for services otherwise performed by employees,
3including those in a bargaining unit, in accordance with
4Sections 34-8.1, 34-18, and 34-49.
5 (b) Alternative schools operated by third parties within
6Chicago shall be exempt from all provisions of this the School
7Code, except provisions concerning:
8 (1) student Student civil rights;
9 (2) staff Staff civil rights;
10 (3) health Health and safety;
11 (4) performance Performance and financial audits;
12 (5) the The Illinois Goals Assessment Program;
13 (6) Chicago learning outcomes;
14 (7) Sections 2-3.25a through 2-3.25j of this the School
15 Code;
16 (8) the The Inspector General; and
17 (9) Section 34-2.4b of this the School Code; and .
18 (10) the discipline of students under Sections 10-22.6
19 and 34-19 of this Code.
20(Source: P.A. 89-383, eff. 8-18-95; 89-636, eff. 8-9-96.)
21 (105 ILCS 5/27A-5)
22 Sec. 27A-5. Charter school; legal entity; requirements.
23 (a) A charter school shall be a public, nonsectarian,
24nonreligious, non-home based, and non-profit school. A charter
25school shall be organized and operated as a nonprofit

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1corporation or other discrete, legal, nonprofit entity
2authorized under the laws of the State of Illinois.
3 (b) A charter school may be established under this Article
4by creating a new school or by converting an existing public
5school or attendance center to charter school status. Beginning
6on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
7General Assembly, in all new applications submitted to the
8State Board or a local school board to establish a charter
9school in a city having a population exceeding 500,000,
10operation of the charter school shall be limited to one campus.
11The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the
1293rd General Assembly do not apply to charter schools existing
13or approved on or before the effective date of this amendatory
14Act.
15 (b-5) In this subsection (b-5), "virtual-schooling" means
16the teaching of courses through online methods with online
17instructors, rather than the instructor and student being at
18the same physical location. "Virtual-schooling" includes
19without limitation instruction provided by full-time, online
20virtual schools.
21 From April 1, 2013 through April 1, 2014, there is a
22moratorium on the establishment of charter schools with
23virtual-schooling components in school districts other than a
24school district organized under Article 34 of this Code. This
25moratorium does not apply to a charter school with
26virtual-schooling components existing or approved prior to

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1April 1, 2013 or to the renewal of the charter of a charter
2school with virtual-schooling components already approved
3prior to April 1, 2013.
4 On or before March 1, 2014, the Commission shall submit to
5the General Assembly a report on the effect of
6virtual-schooling, including without limitation the effect on
7student performance, the costs associated with
8virtual-schooling, and issues with oversight. The report shall
9include policy recommendations for virtual-schooling.
10 (c) A charter school shall be administered and governed by
11its board of directors or other governing body in the manner
12provided in its charter. The governing body of a charter school
13shall be subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Open
14Meetings Act.
15 (d) A charter school shall comply with all applicable
16health and safety requirements applicable to public schools
17under the laws of the State of Illinois.
18 (e) Except as otherwise provided in the School Code, a
19charter school shall not charge tuition; provided that a
20charter school may charge reasonable fees for textbooks,
21instructional materials, and student activities.
22 (f) A charter school shall be responsible for the
23management and operation of its fiscal affairs including, but
24not limited to, the preparation of its budget. An audit of each
25charter school's finances shall be conducted annually by an
26outside, independent contractor retained by the charter

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1school. Annually, by December 1, every charter school must
2submit to the State Board a copy of its audit and a copy of the
3Form 990 the charter school filed that year with the federal
4Internal Revenue Service.
5 (g) A charter school shall comply with all provisions of
6this Article, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and
7its charter. A charter school is exempt from all other State
8laws and regulations in this the School Code governing public
9schools and local school board policies, except the following:
10 (1) Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this the School
11 Code regarding criminal history records checks and checks
12 of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide
13 Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database of
14 applicants for employment;
15 (2) Sections 10-22.6, 24-24, 34-19, and 34-84A of this
16 the School Code regarding discipline of students;
17 (3) the The Local Governmental and Governmental
18 Employees Tort Immunity Act;
19 (4) Section 108.75 of the General Not For Profit
20 Corporation Act of 1986 regarding indemnification of
21 officers, directors, employees, and agents;
22 (5) the The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;
23 (6) the The Illinois School Student Records Act;
24 (7) Section 10-17a of this the School Code regarding
25 school report cards; and
26 (8) the The P-20 Longitudinal Education Data System

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1 Act.
2 The change made by Public Act 96-104 to this subsection (g)
3is declaratory of existing law.
4 (h) A charter school may negotiate and contract with a
5school district, the governing body of a State college or
6university or public community college, or any other public or
7for-profit or nonprofit private entity for: (i) the use of a
8school building and grounds or any other real property or
9facilities that the charter school desires to use or convert
10for use as a charter school site, (ii) the operation and
11maintenance thereof, and (iii) the provision of any service,
12activity, or undertaking that the charter school is required to
13perform in order to carry out the terms of its charter.
14However, a charter school that is established on or after the
15effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General
16Assembly and that operates in a city having a population
17exceeding 500,000 may not contract with a for-profit entity to
18manage or operate the school during the period that commences
19on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
20General Assembly and concludes at the end of the 2004-2005
21school year. Except as provided in subsection (i) of this
22Section, a school district may charge a charter school
23reasonable rent for the use of the district's buildings,
24grounds, and facilities. Any services for which a charter
25school contracts with a school district shall be provided by
26the district at cost. Any services for which a charter school

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1contracts with a local school board or with the governing body
2of a State college or university or public community college
3shall be provided by the public entity at cost.
4 (i) In no event shall a charter school that is established
5by converting an existing school or attendance center to
6charter school status be required to pay rent for space that is
7deemed available, as negotiated and provided in the charter
8agreement, in school district facilities. However, all other
9costs for the operation and maintenance of school district
10facilities that are used by the charter school shall be subject
11to negotiation between the charter school and the local school
12board and shall be set forth in the charter.
13 (j) A charter school may limit student enrollment by age or
14grade level.
15 (k) If the charter school is approved by the Commission,
16then the Commission charter school is its own local education
17agency.
18(Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11; 97-154, eff. 1-1-12;
1997-813, eff. 7-13-12; 98-16, eff. 5-24-13.)
20 (105 ILCS 5/34-19) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-19)
21 Sec. 34-19. By-laws, rules and regulations; business
22transacted at regular meetings; voting; records. The board
23shall, subject to the limitations in this Article, establish
24by-laws, rules and regulations, which shall have the force of
25ordinances, for the proper maintenance of a uniform system of

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1discipline for both employees and pupils, and for the entire
2management of the schools, and may fix the school age of
3pupils, the minimum of which in kindergartens shall not be
4under 4 years, except that, based upon an assessment of the
5child's readiness, children who have attended a non-public
6preschool and continued their education at that school through
7kindergarten, were taught in kindergarten by an appropriately
8certified teacher, and will attain the age of 6 years on or
9before December 31 of the year of the 2009-2010 school term and
10each school term thereafter may attend first grade upon
11commencement of such term, and in grade schools shall not be
12under 6 years. It may expel a pupil by removing the pupil from
13a school or educational setting for a period of more than 10
14school days for posing a significant threat of imminent serious
15harm to other pupils or to staff, suspend a pupil by removing
16the pupil from a school or educational setting for a period of
17not more than 10 school days for a serious act of misconduct,
18or, subject to the limitations of all policies established or
19adopted under Section 14-8.05, otherwise discipline any pupil
20found guilty of violating gross disobedience, misconduct or
21other violation of the by-laws, rules, and regulations,
22including gross disobedience or misconduct perpetuated by
23electronic means. Students may not be counseled by any school
24employee to leave school voluntarily in order to avoid formal
25disciplinary proceedings or because of any other disciplinary
26concerns. A student may not be issued a monetary fine or fee as

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1a disciplinary consequence. An expelled pupil may be
2immediately transferred to an alternative program in the manner
3provided in Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil must not
4be denied transfer because of the expulsion, except in cases in
5which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety
6of students or staff in the alternative program. A pupil who is
7suspended in excess of 20 school days may be immediately
8transferred to an alternative program in the manner provided in
9Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil must not be denied
10transfer because of the suspension, except in cases in which
11such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety of
12students or staff in the alternative program. The bylaws, rules
13and regulations of the board shall be enacted, money shall be
14appropriated or expended, salaries shall be fixed or changed,
15and textbooks, electronic textbooks, and courses of
16instruction shall be adopted or changed only at the regular
17meetings of the board and by a vote of a majority of the full
18membership of the board; provided that notwithstanding any
19other provision of this Article or the School Code, neither the
20board or any local school council may purchase any textbook for
21use in any public school of the district from any textbook
22publisher that fails to furnish any computer diskettes as
23required under Section 28-21. Funds appropriated for textbook
24purchases must be available for electronic textbook purchases
25and the technological equipment necessary to gain access to and
26use electronic textbooks at the local school council's

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1discretion. The board shall be further encouraged to provide
2opportunities for public hearing and testimony before the
3adoption of bylaws, rules and regulations. Upon all
4propositions requiring for their adoption at least a majority
5of all the members of the board the yeas and nays shall be
6taken and reported. The by-laws, rules and regulations of the
7board shall not be repealed, amended or added to, except by a
8vote of 2/3 of the full membership of the board. The board
9shall keep a record of all its proceedings. Such records and
10all by-laws, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, may be
11proved by a copy thereof certified to be such by the secretary
12of the board, but if they are printed in book or pamphlet form
13which are purported to be published by authority of the board
14they need not be otherwise published and the book or pamphlet
15shall be received as evidence, without further proof, of the
16records, by-laws, rules and regulations, or any part thereof,
17as of the dates thereof as shown in such book or pamphlet, in
18all courts and places where judicial proceedings are had.
19 Notwithstanding any other provision in this Article or in
20the School Code, the board may delegate to the general
21superintendent or to the attorney the authorities granted to
22the board in the School Code, provided such delegation and
23appropriate oversight procedures are made pursuant to board
24by-laws, rules and regulations, adopted as herein provided,
25except that the board may not delegate its authorities and
26responsibilities regarding (1) budget approval obligations;

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1(2) rule-making functions; (3) desegregation obligations; (4)
2real estate acquisition, sale or lease in excess of 10 years as
3provided in Section 34-21; (5) the levy of taxes; or (6) any
4mandates imposed upon the board by "An Act in relation to
5school reform in cities over 500,000, amending Acts herein
6named", approved December 12, 1988 (P.A. 85-1418).
7(Source: P.A. 96-864, eff. 1-21-10; 96-1403, eff. 7-29-10;
897-340, eff. 1-1-12; 97-495, eff. 1-1-12; 97-813, eff.
97-13-12.)

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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance