Amends the Freedom of Information Act and the Local Records Act. In the definition provisions of those Acts, defines the term "junk mail" and specifies that the term "public record" does not include junk mail.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Defines the terms "bona fide emergency" and "exigent circumstances". Provides that, if a quorum of the members of a public body is physically present at a meeting, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of, among other things, exigent circumstances concerning a family member (rather than because of, among other things, a family or other emergency). Makes technical changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - House Committee Amendment No. 3 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that an open or closed meeting subject to the Act may be conducted by audio or video conference, without the physical presence of a quorum of the members, if the National Weather Service has determined that all or part of the jurisdiction of the public body is located within an area that is subject to a severe weather alert on the day of the meeting. Makes conforming changes. Makes other technical changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "automated request" as a request that a public body has a reasonable belief was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence or submitted without any specific, affirmative action taken by a human. Provides that a public body shall respond to an automated request within 5 business days after receipt and provide certain types of notice to the requester. Provides procedures for the requester to dispute having the request treated as an automated request. Adds automated requests to certain provisions regarding requests for a commercial purpose and voluminous requests. Allows a public body to charge requesters for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records associated with an automated request. Provides that a person whose request to inspect or copy a public record is treated as an automated request may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor, with certain exceptions.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, except as otherwise provided in the Act or any other Illinois statute (rather than except as otherwise provided in the Act), a quorum of members of a public body must be physically present at the location of an open meeting or present by video or audio conference at the open meeting (now, members must be physically present at the meeting). Provides that a member is present by video or audio conference at an open meeting if the member can hear and be heard by all other members of the body who are participating in the meeting. Specifies that, if a member wishes to attend a meeting by video or audio conference, the member must notify the recording secretary or clerk of the public body before the meeting, unless providing that advance notice is impractical for the member. Repeals existing provisions concerning the participation of public body members in open meetings by video conference or other means.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, within 6 business days after an employer participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund approves a budget, that employer must post on its website the total compensation package for each employee having a total compensation package that exceeds $125,000 (rather than $75,000) per year. Provides that, at least 6 days before an employer participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund approves an employee's total compensation package that is equal to or in excess of $200,000 (rather than $150,000) per year, the employer must post on its website the total compensation package for that employee. Effective January 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold closed meetings to consider self evaluation, practices and procedures, or professional ethics, when meeting with a representative of a statewide or regional association (rather than only a statewide association) of which the public body is a member.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that electronic requests for public records must appear in their entirety within the body of the electronic submission and that no public body shall be required to open electronically attached files or hyperlinks to view or access the details of such a request. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, if a quorum of the members of the public body is physically present, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of performance of active military duty as a service member. Defines "active military duty" and "service member".

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Changes the definition of "person". Allows, within 5 business days after its receipt of the request, a public body that has a reasonable belief that a request was not submitted by a person to require the requester to verify orally or in writing that the requester is a person. Provides that the deadline for the public body to respond to the request shall be tolled until the requester verifies that he or she is a person. Provides that, if the requester fails to verify that he or she is a person within 30 days after the public body requests such a verification, then the public body may deny the request.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that for a 3-member body, 2 members of the body constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of 2 members is necessary to adopt any motion, resolution, or ordinance unless a greater number is otherwise provided. Provides that a Chicago Police District Council may hold a closed meeting involving public safety concerns to discuss (i) an ongoing, prior, or future law enforcement or official misconduct investigation or allegation thereof involving specific individuals or (ii) other topics that if discussed in an open meeting would pose an unreasonable risk to an ongoing criminal investigation or an unreasonable risk to the safety of specific individuals. Provides that an agenda for each regular meeting of a public body must be posted the principal office of the public body if such an office exists. Provides that if a public body has a website that is maintained by its full-time staff but does not have a principal office or single building where meetings are regularly held, that body is deemed to have complied with the requirement to post physical notice at the office or building of the meeting if the notice is timely posted on the public body's website. Excludes from the definition of "meeting" for a Chicago Police District Council a gathering of 2 members, except if gathered for a regularly scheduled meeting or otherwise gathered to adopt any motion, resolution, or ordinance. Provides a Chicago Police District Council may hold meetings by audio or video conference without the physical presence of the members under certain conditions except for required regularly scheduled meetings.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if a public body uses an electronic system for the submission of requests under the Act, then it shall employ a CAPTCHA test or other similar measures to verify that those electronically submitted requests are being made by a human.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, as used in the Act, the term "commercial purpose" means, among other things, the use of any part of a public record or records, or information derived from public records, in any form for any use or purpose that furthers the commercial, trade, or profit interests of the requester or the person on whose behalf the request is made.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/8/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Martha Deuter

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 15 business days (rather than 5 business days) after its receipt of the request, unless extended for an additional 10 business days (rather than 5 business days) for specified reasons. Provides that commercial requests must be responded to within 30 business days (rather than 21 working days).

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides the each public body shall post a brief description of itself and other specified information on its website (rather than at each of its administrative or regional offices). Provides that, if a public body does not maintain a website, it shall also post that information at each of its administrative or regional offices.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if the denial of a request includes a request for minutes or a verbatim record of a meeting of the public body closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act that have not been previously made available for public inspection, suit may be filed under a specified provision only after a 60-day period following (i) the receipt of the request by the public body or (ii) the issuance of a binding or non-binding opinion from the Public Access Counselor, whichever is later, to allow for review of the requested records as provided under the Open Meetings Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body and any officer or employee of a public body (rather than only a public body) that discloses records in accordance with an opinion of the Attorney General is immune from all liabilities by reason thereof and shall not be liable for penalties under the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Allows attendance by a means other than physical presence under certain circumstances if a member of a public body is prevented from physically attending because of any reason designated in rules adopted by the public body in accordance with certain provisions in the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Reduces the number of record requests that must be made for a person to be considered a recurrent requester under the Act. Provides that public bodies must respond to requests from recurrent requesters with 30 (rather than 21) days after receipt of a request. Specifies that notice that requests are being treated as recurrent requests must be provided only once every 30 days. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for persons designated as recurrent requesters to knowingly obtain a public record without disclosing their status as recurrent requesters.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/8/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Martha Deuter

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. In provisions regarding the authority to charge fees and the imposition of a fee for a voluminous request, removes requirements for an accounting of all personnel hours in connection with the request for public records.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding notice of changes to regular meeting dates, deletes requirements for publication in a newspaper or, in certain cases, posting in at least 3 prominent places within the governmental unit. Adds a requirement that notice of changes to regular meeting dates shall also be posted on the website of the public body.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/5/2026 - Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides if a public body is a local school council organized under the Chicago School District Article of the School Code, then, subject to certain requirements, an open or closed meeting subject to the Act may be conducted by audio or video conference, without the physical presence of a quorum of the members, as long as specified conditions are met. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that at a local school council's annual organizational meeting, the local school council shall take a vote to determine if meetings shall be held in-person or remotely; however, provides that a declaration by the Governor or Director of Public Health limiting the size of or prohibiting an in-person meeting shall supersede a local school council's vote to meet in-person. Provides that a local school council has the power and duty to pass resolutions requesting action from a member of the Chicago Board of Education representing the school, and to forward such resolutions to the member. Removes language providing that a school placed on probation that fails to make adequate progress in correcting deficiencies is subject to new local school council elections. Provides that the criteria for determining whether a school should remain on probation or the criteria for determining when a school is in educational crisis shall be delivered to each local school council on or before August 1 (rather than October 31) of each year. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/18/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/18/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that within 14 school days after receiving a written request for a federal Section 504 plan from a child's parent or guardian, a school district shall determine whether the clinical information provided by the parent or guardian is sufficient to support the need for a Section 504 plan, whether further evaluation is warranted to make that determination, or whether there is no basis for an evaluation or plan based on available information. Provides that if the district decides not to confer eligibility based on existing information or to conduct an evaluation, the district shall provide written notice to the parent or guardian explaining the rationale for the decision. Provides that if the district agrees to an evaluation, a meeting with the parent or guardian shall be held no later than 14 school days after receiving the written request. Requires the district to convene a team that shall identify the assessments necessary to complete the evaluation. Provides that for a student with documentation from a licensed health care provider indicating the need for an individualized health care plan to address a likely medical threat to the student's health or safety, the school's Section 504 plan team shall meet with the parent or guardian to consider creation of an interim Section 504 plan consistent with the health care provider's recommendations within 5 school days after receipt of the documentation, and if the Section 504 plan team agrees with the health care provider's recommendation, implementation of the requisite accommodations shall commence no later than 5 school days after the planning meeting. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

5/28/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. In the statute creating the offense of threatening a public official or human service provider, includes threatening a teacher, principal, or administrator of a public or private elementary or secondary school. Changes the name of the offense to threatening a public official, a human service provider, or a teacher, principal, or administrator of a public or private elementary or secondary school. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 to make conforming changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

10/15/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include the study of Latinx communities in the curriculum across all content areas, including the contributions made by individual Latinx communities in government and the arts, humanities, mathematics, and sciences, as well as the contributions of Latinx to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Allows the State Superintendent of Education to prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines for development of the unit of instruction. Requires a regional superintendent of schools to monitor a school district's compliance with the curricular requirements. Provides that each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction satisfying these requirements. Allows a school to meet the requirements through an online program or course.

  CURRENT STATUS

10/15/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires every public elementary school and high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Italian American history. Contains provisions governing this instruction. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

10/15/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law. Creates the High School and Area Vocational Center Grant Program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall award grants to high schools, area vocational centers, and area career centers for the instruction and training of preapprenticeship students in the clean energy industry and the construction industry. Lists purposes for the Program. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to adopt rules.

  CURRENT STATUS

10/28/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Township Code, the Park District Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, and the Public Community College Act. Provides that if a township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college has been issued a credit card, then, each month, the governing authority of the township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college shall vote to verify the validity of an itemized statement of all purchases made using the credit card in the preceding month. Provides that the itemized statement must include all purchases made using the credit card in the preceding month and may not be redacted. Provides that the vote shall solely be for the approval of the itemized statement of all purchases made using the credit card and shall not include any other expense approval. Provides that, if a township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college has a website maintained by a full-time staff, then the township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college shall publish each itemized statement on its website.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Creates the Educational Choice for Illinois Children Act. Contains legislative findings. Provides that the State Board of Education, in coordination with the Department of Revenue, shall establish and approve a list of scholarship granting organizations that meet the requirements of Section 70411 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to facilitate opting the State of Illinois into the school choice tax credit provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Provides that the list shall be published on the State Board of Education's Internet website. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, any pupil enrolled in the public schools who is of compulsory school age but who has not yet attended kindergarten at a public, private, or parochial school shall be required to satisfactorily complete kindergarten before advancing to first grade. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act of 2012. Provides that an educational institution that offers instruction or programs of study for which the participant or student is not charged any tuition or fees other than a nominal fee to cover the costs of books, tools, and similar materials shall not be considered a private business and vocational school.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. With respect to school action and facility master planning, defines "co-location" as a school action in which 2 or more separate schools, each under the direction of its own principal and local school council and maintaining a distinct program and attendance area or other enrollment, are assigned by the Chicago Board of Education to operate entirely within the same school building, but provides that the term does not include an existing school's temporary use of available, vacant, or underutilized space in a second school building to increase capacity or relieve overcrowding if: (1) that school continues to additionally operate in its current building under its own principal and local school council and to serve the same attendance area or population; and (2) the Board designates the use of the second building's space as a temporary measure for a specified period of time.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/22/2026 - Motions in Writing

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. With respect to the identification, evaluation, and placement of children, requires the State Superintendent of Education to send a copy of certain revised uniform notices by July 1 of every even-numbered year to each school district and statewide organization representing those school professions involved with individualized education programs. Requires the copy of the revised uniform notices to include an updated instruction guide and access to remote training materials. Provides that a third-party software provider that creates a platform for an individualized educational assessment form shall include a footnote that includes a reference to how to contact the State Board of Education, instructions on completing an individualized educational assessment form, an instructional video on how to fill out an individualized educational assessment form, and contact information for a person at the State Board of Education who can answer questions about completing an individualized educational assessment form. Prohibits a school district from modifying or customizing its individualized educational assessment form. Provides that the State Board of Education, in its adoption of rules regarding an individualized education program, may not include in an individualized educational assessment form a separate section regarding autism consideration.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the provision regarding automated speed enforcement systems in safety zones applies only to municipalities with a population of 25,000 (rather than 1,000,000) or more inhabitants in a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. Provides that "school student record" also means any written or electronic communications and any accompanying attachments in whole or in part sent to or from a parent, guardian, or other family member of a student that are maintained by a school or at its direction or by an employee of the school and that relate to the education, health, safety, discipline, or well-being of the student, regardless of whether the student may be individually identified.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the Governor shall annually designate by official proclamation the third Friday of September in each year as POW/MIA Recognition Day (rather than the third Friday of September in each year is designated as POW/MIA Recognition Day) to be observed in honor and remembrance of the men and women who, as POWs, have suffered captivity in foreign countries while in active service with the United States armed forces or who, as MIAs, have been recognized as missing in action in a time of war or during a period of hostilities (rather than who were recognized as POWs or MIAs in a time of war or during a period of hostilities). Provides that the Governor shall request, in the Governor's annual designation by official proclamation, that some portion of the third Friday of September be used for solemn contemplation on the plight of members of the United States armed forces who have been held prisoners of war and members of the United States armed forces who have been missing in action and the resolve of families and friends who continue to seek the fullest possible accounting for missing loved ones. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Removes language that requires, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade to, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign language courses.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that the Chicago Board of Education shall designate a traceable communication system to be the exclusive means for a district employee or volunteer to communicate electronically with students. Requires the principal of each public school to provide parents written or electronic notification within the first 10 days of the school year of each electronic school notification and communication program designated within the traceable communication system. Prohibits, with exceptions, a district employee or volunteer from communicating electronically with a student: (1) outside of the traceable communication system designated by the Board; or (2) through an unauthorized electronic communication program or application. Sets forth disciplinary actions that may be taken for violating the provisions. Allows a parent to submit written consent to authorize a designated district employee or volunteer who is not a family member to communicate electronically with his or her child outside of the traceable communication system. Includes an exception for family members who are district employees or volunteers. Sets forth reporting requirements. Requires the State Board of Education to develop a complaint form for parents to submit to the Board, the district, or the State Board of Education if a district employee or volunteer violates the provisions. Makes other changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires a school district maintaining any of grades 9 through 12 to provide all eligible students graduating from high school with the opportunity to register to vote. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act, various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish a pathway program in which any public high school student in this State who graduates in the top 10% of the student's graduating class or meets other standardized thresholds is guaranteed admission to at least one public university. Requires the Board to submit an annual report to the General Assembly (and make the report publicly available) that includes, with respect to public universities: (1) how many in-state residents were admitted in the prior academic year compared to the number of out-of-state residents that were admitted; (2) the tuition trends for students who are residents of this State; and (3) how many university graduates continue to reside within this State following graduation. With respect to each academic program of a public university that has a limited capacity to admit students due to a high demand for admission to the program, provides that at least 70% of the students admitted to the program must be residents of this State. Beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, prohibits the governing board of each public university from increasing its in-state tuition rate for a given academic year by a percentage that exceeds the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor for the 12 months ending on the previous December 31. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish a workforce incentive program in which a student who enrolls in a high-need field at an institution of higher learning may receive a grant to reduce tuition costs or loan forgiveness if the student commits to working in this State for at least 3 after graduation. Provides that under the program, a student from an underserved region of this State may also receive additional admission and tuition support from the Commission.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish and administer a program to strengthen this State's workforce by creating structured pipelines from public high schools into in-demand careers through public-private partnerships with employers, public community colleges, and school districts. Under the program, provides that the school board of each school district maintaining a high school shall allow the high school to partner with local employers and the community college district where the high school is located to establish a pathway program for careers in priority sectors. Requires the State Board and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to jointly approve the pathway program prior to implementation and maintain a registry of participating high schools and employers. Sets forth pathway program requirements. Provides that an employer participating in a pathway program that provides a qualifying paid internship or apprenticeship pathway shall receive from the State Board a $1,000 grant per student holding the internship or apprenticeship, not exceed $50,000 per year. Provides that at least 25% of any funds appropriated for implementation must be used to support pathway programs in high schools in high-poverty or rural school districts.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Board of Higher Education to create a school counselor stipend program. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students and eligible cooperating school counselors who qualify for the stipend program. Sets forth requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating school counselor who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report, in collaboration with the State Board of Education, evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Requires every public elementary and high school to include in its curriculum the study of the contributions made by Latin Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the requirement during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit and make recommendations for improvement. Provides that the failure by a school district or school to comply with the requirement shall result in a written warning for the first offense, and if the school district or school continues to fail to comply with the requirements, the school district or school shall face disciplinary action at the discretion of the regional superintendent. Requires the State Superintendent of Education to prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials and professional development opportunities that may be used as guidelines for the development of a Latin American unit of study. Effective August 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that "school psychologist" means a psychologist who, along with other qualifications, has graduated with a specialist degree, an equivalent degree with the completion of a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours, or a higher degree in school psychology (rather than a master's degree or higher degree in psychology or educational psychology) from an institution of higher learning and has had at least 1,200 clock hours of supervised experience (rather than one school year of full-time supervised experience) in the delivery of school psychological services. Makes changes to provide that school psychological services provided by qualified specialists who hold a Professional Educator License endorsed for school psychology may include, but are not limited to: (1) providing assessments; (2) creating and implementing prevention and intervention services that support student learning; (3) providing mental and behavioral health services; (4) acting as liaisons between public schools and community agencies; (5) evaluating program effectiveness; (6) providing crisis prevention, response, and intervention within the school setting; (7) providing consultation and collaboration; (8) supervising school psychologist interns enrolled in school psychology programs; (9) screening school enrollments to identify children who should be referred for individual study; and (10) developing any other necessary programs and services. Provides that a school psychologist may not provide school psychological services outside of his or her employment to any student in any school district that employs the school psychologist. Makes other changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to provide technical assistance for specific learning disabilities to school districts. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if the student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting. Effective July 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Requires, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, school boards to report specified data to the State Board of Education regarding computer science courses in schools maintaining any of grades kindergarten through 8. Requires the State Board to make the data publicly available. With respect to a Professional Educator License, provides that the State Board shall create an introductory content area endorsement for teaching computer science in grades 5 through 12 that allows licensed educators to teach introductory computer science courses. In provisions concerning required high school courses, provides that a computer science course (rather than an Advanced Placement computer science course) qualifies under the mathematics requirement. Requires each pupil entering the 9th grade beginning with the 2028-2029 school year to successfully complete one year of high school computer science and artificial intelligence as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, which may be taken in any of grades 7 through 12 and shall count toward the fulfillment of certain other high school graduation requirements. Requires the State Board to create guidelines for school districts. Provides that the computer science course requirement does not apply to a pupil transferring to a high school in this State from another state after the pupil's 11th grade year. Allows a school to enter into a cooperative resource sharing agreement to ensure that its students can enroll in a computer science course. Makes other changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that, with respect to a week of unemployment beginning on or after June 1, 2026, benefits shall be payable to an individual on the basis of wages for employment in other than an instructional, research, or principal administrative capacity performed for an educational institution or an educational service agency, as long as the individual is otherwise eligible for benefits. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In a provision regarding endorsements on Professional Educator Licenses, provides for a special education endorsement in the area of deaf-hard of hearing with sign proficiency.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Requires a school district's policy on sexual harassment to include a method for reporting instances of sexual harassment. Provides that the policy may not require that a report be made in a particular manner for a complaint to be considered formal or official for the purposes of initiating an investigation. Provides that under the policy, a school district employee who is found to have engaged in sexual harassment shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows the State Superintendent of Education to issue a short-term approval for a paraprofessional educator to an individual who does not meet the requirements necessary for issuance of an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement. Provides that the short-term approval authorizes an individual to serve as a paraprofessional educator in a school district, including a charter school, or a State-operated program, with the short-term approval expiring on June 30 immediately following the third full fiscal year after the approval was issued without renewal. Provides that upon expiration of the short-term approval, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement to the individual if the individual meets specified requirements.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that beginning July 1, 2026, funds for the special education teacher scholarship program shall be continuously appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Provides that this requirement constitutes an irrevocable and continuing appropriation of all amounts necessary for the purpose specified by the requirement to the fullest extent such appropriation is required. Effective July 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning sexual misconduct in schools, provides that guidelines established for certain situations and all available methods for how to report staff-student boundary violations within a school and to external agencies must be posted on the website, if any, of each school district, charter school, or nonpublic school and must be included in any staff, student, and (instead of or) parent handbook provided by the school district, charter school, or nonpublic school (instead of nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school). In provisions concerning an employment history review, requires a job applicant to provide the name, address, telephone number, and other relevant contact information of the applicant's current employer only if the applicant has direct contact with children or students at the applicant's current employer. Provides that for a licensed substitute teacher who is seeking employment in more than one school district, a school district's regional office of education or intermediate service center may collect and share specified information and records. Provides that a regional office of education's or intermediate service center's participation in the employment history review shall be limited to collecting such information and records and sharing the information and records with the school district or school districts. Sets forth other provisions concerning a regional office of education's or intermediate service center's participation in the employment history review and how long the review remains valid. Makes corresponding changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Public Employee Disability Act. Provides that, whenever an eligible employee suffers any injury or illness in the line of duty (rather than suffers any injury in the line of duty) which causes that employee to be unable to perform the employee's duties, the employee shall continue to be paid by the employing public entity on the same gross pay basis, inclusive of all pensionable salary, as the employee was paid before the injury (rather than paid by the employing public entity on the same basis as he was paid before the injury), with no deduction from and with continued accrual of any sick leave credits (rather than with no deduction from his sick leave credits) and specified other compensation, with other requirements. Makes technical changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/20/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Authorizes the Chicago Board of Education, by resolution, to provide for the compensation of its members. Specifies that the compensation provided for Board members may include, but is not limited to, reimbursement for expenses incurred while in the performance of their duties.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/26/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. In the definition of "abused child", provides that an abused child means a child whose parent or immediate family member, or any person responsible for the child's welfare, or any individual residing in the same home as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent commits the act of grooming a child for the purpose of establishing or attempting to establish a romantic or sexual relationship (rather than commits the offense of grooming, as defined in the Criminal Code of 2012). Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Allows the school board of a school district to use an adopted and verified program for e-learning days district-wide that permits student instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present on an election day because a school was selected to be a polling place (rather than adopt a research-based program for e-learning days district-wide that shall permit student instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present because a school was selected to be a polling place). Provides that e-learning days used for this purpose may not be counted in lieu of the district's scheduled emergency days.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Regional Superintendent of Schools Article of the School Code. With respect to the requirement that institutes provide instruction on trauma-informed practices and include the definitions of trauma, trauma-responsive learning environments, and whole child before the first student attendance day of each school year, makes changes to the definitions of "trauma" and "trauma-responsive learning environments". Defines "trauma-informed practices" to include awareness of populations for whom trauma may be ongoing, relational, and developmentally expressed over time. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires every rail carrier operating within the State to install, operate, and maintain pedestrian crossing gates at every grade crossing located within 1.5 miles of a school. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall have the authority to (i) determine the number, type, and location of the signs, signals, gates, or other protective devices and (ii) prescribe the division of the cost of the installation and subsequent maintenance of the signs, signals, gates, or other protective devices between the rail carrier or carriers, the public highway authority or other public authority in interest, and, in instances involving the use of the Grade Crossing Protection Fund, the Department of Transportation.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within the State shall require applicants for licensure as an official to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check to determine if such applicants have been convicted of any disqualifying, enumerated criminal or drug offenses or have been convicted, within 7 years of the application for licensure, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State. Contains provisions concerning the fingerprint-based criminal history records check and a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Provides that pending full clearance of all check requirements, the prospective official must be supervised at all times by an individual who received a qualifying result on all check components. Effective July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/30/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code regarding the establishment of kindergartens. With respect to a provision stating that kindergarten should provide opportunities for play-based learning, defines: (1) "play-based learning" as either guided play or student-initiated play; (2) "guided play" as intentional teacher-directed play with activities set up and led by a teacher that are aligned to learning goals or standards; and (3) "student-initiated play" as child-selected opportunities to build, pretend, create, move, or explore in an environment intentionally curated by a teacher to align with learning goals or standards.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that, by January 1, 2027, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State's Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program, shall establish an efficient process by which information about the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program is disseminated through the State Board to students, parents and guardians, transition planning and services coordinators at school districts, special education joint agreements, and other relevant educational agencies. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning twice-exceptional children, changes references from "children" to "students" and defines "twice-exceptional student". Provides that in the development of an individualized education program (IEP) or federal Section 504 plan for a twice-exceptional student, if the student's ability or achievement indicates that the student would benefit from advanced academic programs, then those abilities or achievement levels shall be recognized and addressed in the student's IEP or Section 504 plan and be reflected in the individualized services, goals, accommodations, and objectives for the student, while continuing to provide appropriate services and support for the student's disabilities in all educational settings. Sets forth what the services, goals, objectives, accommodations, and best practices for identifying and addressing the educational and related needs of a twice-exceptional student may include. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Creates the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force Act. Creates the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Task Force. Sets forth provisions regarding administrative support, membership, compensation, meetings, and hearings. Requires the Task Force to assess the current landscape of Hispanic-serving institutions and emerging Hispanic-serving institutions in the State; identify barriers to student access, retention, and completion; review existing State policies, funding formulas, and accountability frameworks to determine their impact on Hispanic-serving institutions and their students' success; examine best practices from other states related to supporting Hispanic-serving institutions; develop recommendations to improve access to and success in higher education for students, strengthen institutional capacity, improve coordination between State agencies and Hispanic-serving institutions, align Hispanic-serving institutions' efforts with State workforce and economic development priorities, and consider the feasibility of creating a permanent State initiative, designation, or funding mechanism to support Hispanic-serving institutions. Requires the Task Force to submit a written report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the Task Force's findings and recommendations for legislative, administrative, or budgetary action. Requires the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board to each post the report on their respective public websites. Dissolves the Task Force upon the submission of its report to the Governor and General Assembly. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2029. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. With respect to special education teacher scholarships, provides that up to 50 additional scholarships may be awarded each year to persons who qualify, subject to appropriation to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for this purpose.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Requires every voting member of a school board of a school district (other than the Chicago school district) to complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development and leadership training within the first year of every elected term (rather than within the first year of his or her first term). Provides that in addition to training, every voting member of a school board shall, within the first year of every elected term, tour any affiliated education buildings that a student may attend while under the direction of the school district. Effective July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Requires a policy on bullying to establish escalating interventions for students who engage in known, pervasive, and persistent bullying. Provides that in the event of the death by suicide of a student enrolled in a school district, the school district shall initiate a complete and transparent investigation to determine whether bullying or harassment related to the educational environment played a contributing role; sets forth investigation requirements. Requires the school district, upon completion of the investigation, to prepare a written investigative report summarizing findings, conclusions, and recommended corrective actions; sets forth report requirements. Allows the State Board of Education to review the report for compliance and to require a corrective action plan or an additional review if deficiencies are identified.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/3/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. Provides that in fixing the salaries of employees, a school board or the governing board of a joint agreement shall pay to employees an hourly rate of not less than (i) $20 for the 2027-2028 school year, (ii) $21 for the 2028-2029 school year, and (iii) $22 for the 2029-2030 school year. Provides that the minimum hourly rate for each school year thereafter shall equal the minimum salary rate for the previous school year increased by a percentage equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor for the previous school year. Provides that "employee" means any employee of a school district or joint agreement who provides educational support services to the district or joint agreement, including, but not limited to, custodial employees, transportation employees, food service providers, classroom assistants, administrative staff, or paraprofessional educators. Provides that an employee's salary shall include any amount paid by the school district or joint agreement on behalf of the employee, as employee contributions, to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the School Code. Requires each school district maintaining any elementary grades to provide its public school pupils enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8 with age-appropriate, active-transportation safety training. Sets forth the requirements for the active-transportation safety training. Allows a nonpublic school maintaining any elementary grades to provide its nonpublic school pupils enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8 with active-transportation safety training. Establishes timing requirements for receiving active-transportation safety training for students who have not previously received active-transportation safety training. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to maintain a comprehensive collection of active-transportation safety training materials. Makes other changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/6/2026 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a unit of local government may not hold or schedule an official meeting on the day of an election. Limits home rule powers. Defines terms.

  CURRENT STATUS

4/11/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body shall include in its list of records available under the Act the identification and a plain-text description of each of the types or categories of information of each field of each database of the public body. Provides that the public body shall provide a sufficient description of the structures of all databases under the control of the public body to allow a requester to request the public body to perform specific database queries.

  CURRENT STATUS

4/11/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

House Floor Amendment No. 1 - Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that an elected or appointed member of a public body of a township may satisfy specified training requirements of the Act by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents townships created under the Township Code. Provides that a public body may not hold or schedule a regular or special meeting on the day of an election. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that electronic requests for public records must appear in their entirety within the body of the electronic submission and that no public body shall be required to open electronically attached files or hyperlinks to view or access the details of such a request. Allows, within 5 business days after its receipt of the request, a public body that has a reasonable belief that a request was not submitted by a person to require the requester to verify orally or in writing that the requester is a person. Provides that documents that have been determined to be security sensitive under certain requirements related to the U.S. Nuclear Regulation Commission and National Materials Program are exempt from inspection and copying under the Act. Amends the Local Records Act to make a conforming change. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

11/21/2025 - Effective Date January 1, 2026

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from disclosure any studies, drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda, and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record is not exempt if the record has remained in draft form for more than a 12-month period and public dollars were spent by a unit of local government to conduct such a study.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - To Government Operations

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding training, requires the Public Access Counselor to complete an accessibility review for electronic training under the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and rules adopted under that Act. Provides for procedures to bring the training into compliance with the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act. Requires the establishment of an accessibility helpline, with certain requirements.

  CURRENT STATUS

6/2/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 15 business days (rather than 5 business days) after its receipt of the request, unless extended for an additional 10 business days (rather than 5 business days) for specified reasons. Provides that commercial requests must be responded to within 30 business days (rather than 21 working days).

  CURRENT STATUS

6/2/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Allows attendance by a means other than physical presence under certain circumstances if a member of a public body is prevented from physically attending because of any reason designated in rules adopted by the public body in accordance with certain provisions in the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

6/2/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. In provisions regarding the authority to charge fees and the imposition of a fee for a voluminous request, removes requirements for an accounting of all personnel hours in connection with the request for public records.

  CURRENT STATUS

6/2/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding notice of changes to regular meeting dates, deletes requirements for publication in a newspaper or, in certain cases, posting in at least 3 prominent places within the governmental unit. Adds a requirement that notice of changes to regular meeting dates shall also be posted on the website of the public body.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/7/2025 - Referred to Senate Assignments

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if the denial of a request includes a request for minutes or a verbatim record of a meeting of the public body closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act that have not been previously made available for public inspection, suit may be filed under a specified provision only after a 60-day period following (i) the receipt of the request by the public body or (ii) the issuance of a binding or non-binding opinion from the Public Access Counselor, whichever is later, to allow for review of the requested records as provided under the Open Meetings Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

6/2/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Reduces the number of record requests that must be made for a person to be considered a recurrent requester under the Act. Provides that public bodies must respond to requests from recurrent requesters with 30 (rather than 21) days after receipt of a request. Specifies that notice that requests are being treated as recurrent requests must be provided only once every 30 days. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for persons designated as recurrent requesters to knowingly obtain a public record without disclosing their status as recurrent requesters.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - To Government Operations

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides the each public body shall post a brief description of itself and other specified information on its website (rather than at each of its administrative or regional offices). Provides that, if a public body does not maintain a website, it shall also post that information at each of its administrative or regional offices.

  CURRENT STATUS

6/2/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body and any officer or employee of a public body (rather than only a public body) that discloses records in accordance with an opinion of the Attorney General is immune from all liabilities by reason thereof and shall not be liable for penalties under the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

6/2/2025 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 - Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Provides that, on or before the 2026-2027 school year, each school board (and each charter school beginning with the 2026-2027 school year) shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that (i) at a minimum, prohibits a student from using a wireless communication device during instructional time, except as otherwise provided, and (ii) incorporates guidance for secure and accessible storage of wireless devices during instructional time or directs the school district superintendent or his or her designee to provide such guidance. Provides that the policy may not prohibit a student from using a wireless communication device during instructional time (i) if a licensed physician determines that the possession or use of a wireless communication device is necessary for the health or well-being of the student and the student uses the wireless communication device as prescribed by the licensed physician, (ii) to fulfill an individualized education program or a plan developed under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or (iii) if the wireless communication device is necessary for students who are English learners to access learning materials. Provides that the policy may allow for certain exceptions. Prohibits a school district or charter school from enforcing the policy through fees, fines, or the deployment of a school resource officer or local law enforcement officer. Requires a school board or charter school to review its policy at least once every 3 years and make any necessary and appropriate revisions to the policy. Provides that a school district or charter school shall publicly post the policy on its website. Provides that if the school district or charter school does not operate a website, then the school district or charter school shall provide a copy of the policy to the parents or guardians of every enrolled student.

House Committee Amendment No. 1 - Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill, and makes the following changes: Provides that the wireless communication device policy shall incorporate guidance for secure and accessible storage of wireless devices within a school building (instead of wireless devices) during instructional time. Allows a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner (instead of just a licensed physician) to determine that the possession or use of a wireless communication device is necessary for the management of a student's health care (instead of for the health and well-being of a student). Allows a student to use a wireless communication device to fulfill an individualized education program, a federal Section 504 plan, the student's health care provider's medical orders, or another written accommodation plan (instead of just an individualized education program or federal Section 504 plan).

  CURRENT STATUS

6/1/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

If and only if Senate Bill 243 of the 104th General Assembly, as amended by House Amendment No. 1, becomes law, then the Open Meetings Act is amended to allow a public body to hold closed meetings to consider self evaluation, practices and procedures, or professional ethics, when meeting with a representative of a statewide association (rather than a statewide or regional association) of which the public body is a member. Effective upon becoming law or on the date Senate Bill 243 of the 104th General Assembly takes effect, whichever is later.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - Postponed - Executive