CHICAGO — A new amendment to the state’s school construction law went into effect following Gov. Pat Quinn’s signature of SB 639. The bill amends the current law in order to help encourage the rehabilitation of historic and older schools.

State law previously mandated that school districts “replace aging school buildings.” With the passage of the SB 639 amendment, school districts will now be able to weigh equally the option of rehabilitation versus replacement.

“This amendment will help school districts throughout the state retain historic schools that are often considered architecturally significant to their communities,” said Bonnie McDonald, president and CEO of Landmarks Illinois, a preservation advocacy group that helped initiate the legislation.