Delivered via email: May 28, 2021
As the 2021 spring legislative session inches closer to adjournment, many important issues are headed to the desk of Governor JB Pritzker (D-Chicago). The General Assembly still has major issues to tackle, including a budget, but it has been passing bills out of both chambers at an advanced pace. Subsequent Legislative Reports will cover additional bills passed before the General Assembly’s scheduled adjournment on May 31.
Below is a list of bills passed by both chambers of the General Assembly by category.
HB 234 (Hernandez, E., D-Cicero) provides that, beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, every public high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction on media literacy.
SB1830 (Loughran Cappel, D-Plainfield) provides that a semester or part of semester of financial literacy may be a part of the fulfillment of the mathematics requirement that each pupil entering the 9th grade must successfully complete to receive a high school diploma.
SB 2354 (Rezin, R-Morris) adds forensic speech to the list of options to fulfill the language arts graduation requirement.
SB 1767 (Belt, D-East St. Louis) for prevailing wage, requires the Department of Labor to make certain information available in a searchable database by the 16th day of each month.
SB 605 (Collins, D-Chicago) sets forth the elements to be included in school district policies on absenteeism and truancy and requires annual notification to students and parents.
HB 2584 (Murphy, R-Springfield) makes changes to specifications regarding stop signal arms under school bus regulations.
HB 160 (Didech, D-Buffalo Grove) requires schools to excuse students participating in religious fasting from components of physical education courses.
HB 169 (Didech) requires superintendents to develop and distribute information about absence for religious purposes, how the school should be notified by parents, and the process for making up schoolwork missed.
HB 290 (Hirschauer, D-West Chicago) requires school districts to notify parents of special education students that they may be eligible for additional services, benefits, or resources no later than 30 days from the implementation of the IEP and every year thereafter.
HB 1746 (Hoffman, D-Belleville) requires each school board to appoint at least one employee to act as a liaison to facilitate enrollment and transfer of records of students in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services.
HB 1785 (DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights) requires a school board to hold three public hearings with 10 days’ notice that includes a description of the school building the board is considering closing when a district is determining whether a site or building has become unnecessary, unsuitable, or inconvenient.
HB 2400 (Hirschauer) sets forth several limitations, requirements, and notice requirements regarding school safety drills.
SB 813 (Johnson, D-Waukegan), with respect to the Evidence-Based Funding formula, provides that, in recognition of the impact of COVID-19, the definition of "Average Student Enrollment" or "ASE" shall be adjusted for calculations for fiscal years 2022 through 2024.
SB 2434 (Harmon, D-Oak Park) allows intergovernmental sharing of student records and information between elementary and high schools that overlap in boundaries.
Hundreds of Bills Pass General Assembly Prior to May 31 Deadline
As the 2021 spring legislative session inches closer to adjournment, many important issues are headed to the desk of Governor JB Pritzker (D-Chicago). The General Assembly still has major issues to tackle, including a budget, but it has been passing bills out of both chambers at an advanced pace. Subsequent Legislative Reports will cover additional bills passed before the General Assembly’s scheduled adjournment on May 31.Below is a list of bills passed by both chambers of the General Assembly by category.
Curricular Changes
HB 24 (West, D-Rockford) provides that sex education course material and instruction for 6-12th grade must include sexting, the importance of internet safety, and identification of support personnel in the school district/community who can provide assistance and development of strategies for resisting peer pressure.HB 234 (Hernandez, E., D-Cicero) provides that, beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, every public high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction on media literacy.
SB1830 (Loughran Cappel, D-Plainfield) provides that a semester or part of semester of financial literacy may be a part of the fulfillment of the mathematics requirement that each pupil entering the 9th grade must successfully complete to receive a high school diploma.
SB 2354 (Rezin, R-Morris) adds forensic speech to the list of options to fulfill the language arts graduation requirement.
School Labor Bills
HB 12 (Costa-Howard, D-Lombard) requires school districts and other educational institutions to grant Family Medical Leave to employees who have been employed for 12 months and worked at least 1,000 hours in the previous 12 months.SB 1767 (Belt, D-East St. Louis) for prevailing wage, requires the Department of Labor to make certain information available in a searchable database by the 16th day of each month.
School District Policy Bills
HB 102 (Carroll, D-Northbrook) requires schools to adopt an anaphylactic policy developed by the ISBE and IDPH.SB 605 (Collins, D-Chicago) sets forth the elements to be included in school district policies on absenteeism and truancy and requires annual notification to students and parents.
School Transportation Bills
HB 343 (Batinick, R-Plainfield) changes the school day beginning from 7 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. for the special speed limits while passing schools.HB 2584 (Murphy, R-Springfield) makes changes to specifications regarding stop signal arms under school bus regulations.
School Operations Bills
HB 120 (Guzzardi, D-Chicago) requires school districts to allow team uniform modifications for the purposes of cultural values, religion, or modesty preferences.HB 160 (Didech, D-Buffalo Grove) requires schools to excuse students participating in religious fasting from components of physical education courses.
HB 169 (Didech) requires superintendents to develop and distribute information about absence for religious purposes, how the school should be notified by parents, and the process for making up schoolwork missed.
HB 290 (Hirschauer, D-West Chicago) requires school districts to notify parents of special education students that they may be eligible for additional services, benefits, or resources no later than 30 days from the implementation of the IEP and every year thereafter.
HB 1746 (Hoffman, D-Belleville) requires each school board to appoint at least one employee to act as a liaison to facilitate enrollment and transfer of records of students in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services.
HB 1785 (DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights) requires a school board to hold three public hearings with 10 days’ notice that includes a description of the school building the board is considering closing when a district is determining whether a site or building has become unnecessary, unsuitable, or inconvenient.
HB 2400 (Hirschauer) sets forth several limitations, requirements, and notice requirements regarding school safety drills.
SB 813 (Johnson, D-Waukegan), with respect to the Evidence-Based Funding formula, provides that, in recognition of the impact of COVID-19, the definition of "Average Student Enrollment" or "ASE" shall be adjusted for calculations for fiscal years 2022 through 2024.
SB 2434 (Harmon, D-Oak Park) allows intergovernmental sharing of student records and information between elementary and high schools that overlap in boundaries.