Page 443

House Bill No. 5506

Public Act No. 22-118 443 of 739

repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2022): (a) Any board of trustees of a state institution and any state agency other than the State Board of Education, the Technical Education and Career System or the Board of Governors of Higher Education or its constituent units, hereinafter referred to as the "employer", may authorize the superintendent or supervising agent to employ personnel for unclassified positions requiring a certificate under section 10-145 below the rank of superintendent. Any superintendent or supervising agent not authorized to employ such persons shall submit to such employer nominations for such positions under his jurisdiction and, from the persons so nominated, such employer may employ persons to fill such positions. Such employer shall accept or reject such nominations within one month from their submission. If such nominations are rejected, the superintendent or supervising agent shall submit to such employer other nominations, and such employer may employ persons from among those nominated to fill such positions and shall accept or reject such nominations within one month from their submission. The contract of employment of such unclassified personnel below the rank of superintendent shall be in writing and may be terminated at any time for any of the reasons enumerated in subdivisions (1) to (6), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section, but otherwise it shall be renewed for a second, third or fourth year unless such employee has been notified in writing prior to March first in one school year that such contract will not be renewed for the following year, provided, upon the employee's written request, such notice shall be supplemented within five days after receipt of such request by a statement of the reason or reasons for such failure to renew. Such employee may, upon written request filed with the employer within ten days after the receipt of such notice, be entitled to a hearing before the board to be held within fifteen days of such request. The employee shall have the right to appear with counsel of his choice at such hearing.