Delivered via email: May 9, 2025
The House Labor & Commerce Committee held a subject matter hearing on HB1654 (Rep. Jawaharial Williams), which would allow school support staff to collect unemployment benefits during summer and other school breaks. IASB Governmental Relations staff testified in opposition, highlighting the significant fiscal impact on districts. Debate focused on current unemployment policy and potential costs. The Committee also heard SB1799 (Rep. Kevin Olickal), which would limit a district’s ability to use third-party contractors in emergency situations. This bill passed Labor & Commerce 18-10-0. The Illinois Education Association testified in support, citing long-term use of contracted school bus drivers. IASB remains opposed and has engaged with proponents and legislators to communicate concerns.
In the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing, and Charter Schools Committee, Rep. Katie Stuart introduced HJR12. IASB supports this resolution which reflects IASB Position Statement 5.19 Health Care Coverage. This bill creates a Task Force to study the possibility of purchasing health insurance pools and requires a wide array of stakeholders to be included. The Task Force will work to address the issues school districts in Southern and Central Illinois are experiencing related to finding affordable, quality health insurance plans.
The Senate Education Committee heard HB3772 (Sen. Kimberly Lightford), which would prohibit expulsions for K-2 students and require superintendents to approve K-2 suspensions of three days or more. While there have been revisions to the proposal, the legislation still limits suspension to the amount of time necessary to design and implement a behavior intervention plan (BIP) or safety plan for the student. The bill now heads to the Senate floor despite the opposition of school management groups, including IASB and a May 5 Call to Action, urging opposition to the bill.
The Senate Education Appropriations Committee met on May 6 to hold subject matter hearings on various FY26 education budget requests. IASB Governmental Relations staff testified in support of SB2655 (Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel), which would provide more funding for student transportation and special education services. The legislation would appropriate $1.36 billion to three Mandated Categorical (MCAT) line items: Special Education Transportation, Regular Education Transportation and Special Education private facility. This represents an increase of $295M to these three MCATs over FY25. IASB, along with other education organizations, put together a Fact Sheet to assist you when reaching out to legislators in support of this legislation.
The Senate Higher Education Committee voted on SCA3 to HB3522 (Sen. Christopher Belt), which would establish a direct admissions program to automatically admit qualifying students into Illinois public institutions of Higher Education (excluding University of Illinois Champaign and University of Illinois Chicago). IASB was involved in negotiations on HB3522 which passed the Senate Higher Education Committee 12-0-0, with the commitment by the sponsor to bring a future amendment on this legislation to address concerns raised by IASB relating to student privacy.
SFA1 and SFA2 to SB406 (Sen. Omar Aquino) require the Department of Early Education to establish an Early Childhood Integrated Data System to make equity-driven, inclusive, and data-informed decisions that create a simpler, better, and fairer system for all Illinois children and families. SB406 passed the Senate Education Committee 15-0-0.
SFA2 to SB708 (Sen. Laura Fine) requires schools' group accident and health benefit plans to cover the cost of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. SFA2 passed the Senate Insurance Committee 8-4-0.
SFA3 to SB851 (Sen. Laura Murphy) allows K-12 students to be transported in a multifunction school activity bus (MFSAB) for career-related activity, including a college, university, or student job site developed through a partnership with a school. SFA3 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB1430 (Sen. Omar Aquino) revises the Student Investment Account Act which allows for college savings by eliminating references to income-sharing agreements and expanding the definition and options for education financing. HB1430 passed the Senate Financial Institutions Committee 7-1-0.
HB1787 (Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel) was negotiated in the House by school management groups to limit the scope of the original bill to providing evacuation and lockdown drill trainings to full time substitute teachers which brought IASB to neutral. HB1787 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2337 (Sen. Dave Koehler) sets parameters around prospective mediation agreements for special education disputes. HB2337 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2390 (Sen. Laura Fine) addresses the process for member districts withdrawing from a special education joint agreement, including requiring that the district hold a public hearing and a develop a comprehensive plan, among other stipulations. HB2390 passed the Senate Education Committee 13-0-0.
HB2418 (Sen. Graciela Guzmán) creates the Commission on Youth Sports. HB2418 passed the Senate Public Health Committee 7-0-0.
HB2801 (Sen. Sally Turner) provides that, by July 1, 2026, ISBE shall provide a form on its website for organizations to submit opportunities for high students to participate in externships, internships, or volunteer work related to career and technical education career pathways. HB2801 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2802 (Sen. Doris Turner) concerns the daily pupil attendance calculation and allows for participation in a supervised career development experience to be an excused exemption. HB2802 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2962 (Sen. Laura Fine) provides that the Secretary of State shall issue a school bus driver permit with a restriction which will be valid for the operation of a school bus or a multifunction school active bus. The Secretary of State shall develop rules. HB2962 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
SFA3 to HB2986 (Sen. Doris Turner) makes a technical change to the underlining legislation by requiring the annual statement of affairs to be posted in a newspaper of general circulation to be met by December 1 of each year (instead of October). SFA3 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
SCA1 to HB2994 (Sen. Dave Koehler) allows parents or guardians of students receiving special education services to inspect and obtain copies of their child’s mental health records, regardless of the child's age. The legislation also ensures designated representatives of students who are 18 or older and involved in special education services have the same access, enabling better communication and informed decision-making for families and caretakers. SCA1 passed the Senate Education Committee 15-0-0.
HB3039 (Sen. Laura Ellman) allows a seventh or eighth grade student to enroll in a required high school course if the course is offered by the high school and the student passes the end of course exam. HB3039 passed the Senate Education Committee 13-1-0.
HB3096 (Sen. Javier Cervantes) provides that each high school must have at least one staff member as a contact for Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). HB3096 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB3097 (Sen. Javier Cervantes) requires schools to provide time during the school day for students to fill out a FAFSA. HB3096 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB3275 (Sen. Adriane Johnson) requires coaches to obtain and maintain a certification of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and adds responsibilities to the Safety Drill Act related to Cardiac Emergency Response plans. IASB has been involved in negotiations on HB3275 to address concerns with fiscal impact and address implementation concerns. HB3275 passed the Senate Education Committee 12-0-0 with the sponsor promising an amendment on this legislation to bring IASB to neutral.
HB3377 (Sen. John Curran) requires school districts to report data to ISBE on homeless students, including specific expenditures made, activities funded, and any additional auxiliary funding they may have received. HB3377 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
SCA1 to HB3500 (Sen. Paul Faraci) provides that, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, school districts shall provide informational material on the Illinois Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account program on their school district website. SCA1 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HCA1 to SB407 (Rep. Michael Crawford) creates a taskforce to study chronic absenteeism and to support the development of a state strategy to address the ongoing challenges presented by chronic absenteeism for pre-k to 12. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-0-0.
HCA1 to SB408 (Rep. Michael Crawford) amends the Illinois School Student Records Act to allow schools to keep a summary of performance for students that received special education services as a permanent record but does allow parents to opt out. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-0-0.
SB1605 (Rep. Mary Gill) provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, agricultural education, agricultural business, or any other course that relates to agriculture shall satisfy prerequisite requirements to graduate from high school. IASB supported the amendment in Committee. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 12-0-0.
SB1672 (Rep. Michelle Mussman) requires on or before July 1, 2026, all K-3 school districts must report information on early literacy screeners to ISBE. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 12-0-0.
HCA1 to SB1740 (Rep. Michelle Mussman) creates the Mandate Reduction Council to evaluate and assess mandates for the purpose of modifying, combining, or eliminating mandates. SB1740 also removes some outdated mandates from the School Code. The amendment added an additional member to the council. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 12-0-0.
HCA1 to SB2057 (Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin) requires ISBE to provide school districts with guidance for threat assessment procedures, rapid entry response plans, and cardiac emergency response plans. The amendment was at the request of IASB to allow districts time to implement. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-0-0.
HCA1 to SB2427 (Rep. Michelle Mussman) requires school districts to adopt a policy that prohibits student use of cellphones, with some exceptions such as emergencies and for technology used by students with disabilities. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-1-0.
SB1329 (Rep. Fred Crespo) is an initiative of the State Board of Education and allows ISBE to notify an educator’s current or most recent employer that the educator is being investigated for an alleged act of misconduct. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 8-0-0.
SB405 (Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid) makes a technical change to the section of the School Code which delineates the services that school counselors may provide. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 6-3-0.
HA2 to SB1583 (Rep. Gregg Johnson) is a gut-and-replace amendment which restores the original language in the bill (HB1869) after last week’s gut-and-replace amendment due to confusion over which version of the bill was moving. This bill allows the state superintendent to designate an ROE or ISC as a learning partner.
SB1947 (Rep. Laura Faver Dias) is an ISBE initiative which makes several changes to educator licensure requirements, including streamlining the tests for social workers, creating an expedited pathway for paraprofessionals, allowing for universities to offer an education preparation program at the Community Colleges, and addresses how the EdTPA will proceed which aligns with the EdTPA Task Force’s recommendations. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 9-0-0.
SB1920 (Rep. Laura Faver Dias) encourages districts to teach sign language, but noted that this bill will be amended to add language to require ISBE to provide guidance on Artificial Intelligence. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 9-0-0.
This Week at the Capitol
This week marked the second chamber’s committee deadline in the Illinois General Assembly, resulting in a full committee schedule as legislators worked to advance bills before the cutoff. The House Education Policy Committee was especially active, passing nine bills. Among the most notable was SB2427 (Rep. Michelle Mussman) which requires school districts to adopt a cell phone use policy. The bill passed with strong support, receiving a vote of 10-1-1. The Committee also passed SB191 (Rep. Bob Morgan) on an 11-0-0 vote; starting in 2031, all newly purchased school buses must be equipped with three-point safety belts.The House Labor & Commerce Committee held a subject matter hearing on HB1654 (Rep. Jawaharial Williams), which would allow school support staff to collect unemployment benefits during summer and other school breaks. IASB Governmental Relations staff testified in opposition, highlighting the significant fiscal impact on districts. Debate focused on current unemployment policy and potential costs. The Committee also heard SB1799 (Rep. Kevin Olickal), which would limit a district’s ability to use third-party contractors in emergency situations. This bill passed Labor & Commerce 18-10-0. The Illinois Education Association testified in support, citing long-term use of contracted school bus drivers. IASB remains opposed and has engaged with proponents and legislators to communicate concerns.
In the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing, and Charter Schools Committee, Rep. Katie Stuart introduced HJR12. IASB supports this resolution which reflects IASB Position Statement 5.19 Health Care Coverage. This bill creates a Task Force to study the possibility of purchasing health insurance pools and requires a wide array of stakeholders to be included. The Task Force will work to address the issues school districts in Southern and Central Illinois are experiencing related to finding affordable, quality health insurance plans.
The Senate Education Committee heard HB3772 (Sen. Kimberly Lightford), which would prohibit expulsions for K-2 students and require superintendents to approve K-2 suspensions of three days or more. While there have been revisions to the proposal, the legislation still limits suspension to the amount of time necessary to design and implement a behavior intervention plan (BIP) or safety plan for the student. The bill now heads to the Senate floor despite the opposition of school management groups, including IASB and a May 5 Call to Action, urging opposition to the bill.
The Senate Education Appropriations Committee met on May 6 to hold subject matter hearings on various FY26 education budget requests. IASB Governmental Relations staff testified in support of SB2655 (Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel), which would provide more funding for student transportation and special education services. The legislation would appropriate $1.36 billion to three Mandated Categorical (MCAT) line items: Special Education Transportation, Regular Education Transportation and Special Education private facility. This represents an increase of $295M to these three MCATs over FY25. IASB, along with other education organizations, put together a Fact Sheet to assist you when reaching out to legislators in support of this legislation.
The Senate Higher Education Committee voted on SCA3 to HB3522 (Sen. Christopher Belt), which would establish a direct admissions program to automatically admit qualifying students into Illinois public institutions of Higher Education (excluding University of Illinois Champaign and University of Illinois Chicago). IASB was involved in negotiations on HB3522 which passed the Senate Higher Education Committee 12-0-0, with the commitment by the sponsor to bring a future amendment on this legislation to address concerns raised by IASB relating to student privacy.
Legislation Passed Out of Senate Committees
SJR33 (Sen. Dale Fowler) confirms the denial of waiver request made by Cairo Unit School District 1. SJR33 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.SFA1 and SFA2 to SB406 (Sen. Omar Aquino) require the Department of Early Education to establish an Early Childhood Integrated Data System to make equity-driven, inclusive, and data-informed decisions that create a simpler, better, and fairer system for all Illinois children and families. SB406 passed the Senate Education Committee 15-0-0.
SFA2 to SB708 (Sen. Laura Fine) requires schools' group accident and health benefit plans to cover the cost of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. SFA2 passed the Senate Insurance Committee 8-4-0.
SFA3 to SB851 (Sen. Laura Murphy) allows K-12 students to be transported in a multifunction school activity bus (MFSAB) for career-related activity, including a college, university, or student job site developed through a partnership with a school. SFA3 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB1430 (Sen. Omar Aquino) revises the Student Investment Account Act which allows for college savings by eliminating references to income-sharing agreements and expanding the definition and options for education financing. HB1430 passed the Senate Financial Institutions Committee 7-1-0.
HB1787 (Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel) was negotiated in the House by school management groups to limit the scope of the original bill to providing evacuation and lockdown drill trainings to full time substitute teachers which brought IASB to neutral. HB1787 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2337 (Sen. Dave Koehler) sets parameters around prospective mediation agreements for special education disputes. HB2337 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2390 (Sen. Laura Fine) addresses the process for member districts withdrawing from a special education joint agreement, including requiring that the district hold a public hearing and a develop a comprehensive plan, among other stipulations. HB2390 passed the Senate Education Committee 13-0-0.
HB2418 (Sen. Graciela Guzmán) creates the Commission on Youth Sports. HB2418 passed the Senate Public Health Committee 7-0-0.
HB2801 (Sen. Sally Turner) provides that, by July 1, 2026, ISBE shall provide a form on its website for organizations to submit opportunities for high students to participate in externships, internships, or volunteer work related to career and technical education career pathways. HB2801 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2802 (Sen. Doris Turner) concerns the daily pupil attendance calculation and allows for participation in a supervised career development experience to be an excused exemption. HB2802 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB2962 (Sen. Laura Fine) provides that the Secretary of State shall issue a school bus driver permit with a restriction which will be valid for the operation of a school bus or a multifunction school active bus. The Secretary of State shall develop rules. HB2962 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
SFA3 to HB2986 (Sen. Doris Turner) makes a technical change to the underlining legislation by requiring the annual statement of affairs to be posted in a newspaper of general circulation to be met by December 1 of each year (instead of October). SFA3 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
SCA1 to HB2994 (Sen. Dave Koehler) allows parents or guardians of students receiving special education services to inspect and obtain copies of their child’s mental health records, regardless of the child's age. The legislation also ensures designated representatives of students who are 18 or older and involved in special education services have the same access, enabling better communication and informed decision-making for families and caretakers. SCA1 passed the Senate Education Committee 15-0-0.
HB3039 (Sen. Laura Ellman) allows a seventh or eighth grade student to enroll in a required high school course if the course is offered by the high school and the student passes the end of course exam. HB3039 passed the Senate Education Committee 13-1-0.
HB3096 (Sen. Javier Cervantes) provides that each high school must have at least one staff member as a contact for Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). HB3096 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB3097 (Sen. Javier Cervantes) requires schools to provide time during the school day for students to fill out a FAFSA. HB3096 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
HB3275 (Sen. Adriane Johnson) requires coaches to obtain and maintain a certification of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and adds responsibilities to the Safety Drill Act related to Cardiac Emergency Response plans. IASB has been involved in negotiations on HB3275 to address concerns with fiscal impact and address implementation concerns. HB3275 passed the Senate Education Committee 12-0-0 with the sponsor promising an amendment on this legislation to bring IASB to neutral.
HB3377 (Sen. John Curran) requires school districts to report data to ISBE on homeless students, including specific expenditures made, activities funded, and any additional auxiliary funding they may have received. HB3377 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
SCA1 to HB3500 (Sen. Paul Faraci) provides that, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, school districts shall provide informational material on the Illinois Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account program on their school district website. SCA1 passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0-0.
Senate Bills Passed Out of House Committees
HCA2 to SB71 (Rep. Jeff Keicher) provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the Office of Homeland Security shall provide school districts with guidance for implementing a response plan for the release or explosion of hazardous substances being transported. The amendment was at the request of IASB to allow districts time to implement. IASB supported the amendment in Committee. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 12-0-0.HCA1 to SB407 (Rep. Michael Crawford) creates a taskforce to study chronic absenteeism and to support the development of a state strategy to address the ongoing challenges presented by chronic absenteeism for pre-k to 12. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-0-0.
HCA1 to SB408 (Rep. Michael Crawford) amends the Illinois School Student Records Act to allow schools to keep a summary of performance for students that received special education services as a permanent record but does allow parents to opt out. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-0-0.
SB1605 (Rep. Mary Gill) provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, agricultural education, agricultural business, or any other course that relates to agriculture shall satisfy prerequisite requirements to graduate from high school. IASB supported the amendment in Committee. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 12-0-0.
SB1672 (Rep. Michelle Mussman) requires on or before July 1, 2026, all K-3 school districts must report information on early literacy screeners to ISBE. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 12-0-0.
HCA1 to SB1740 (Rep. Michelle Mussman) creates the Mandate Reduction Council to evaluate and assess mandates for the purpose of modifying, combining, or eliminating mandates. SB1740 also removes some outdated mandates from the School Code. The amendment added an additional member to the council. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 12-0-0.
HCA1 to SB2057 (Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin) requires ISBE to provide school districts with guidance for threat assessment procedures, rapid entry response plans, and cardiac emergency response plans. The amendment was at the request of IASB to allow districts time to implement. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-0-0.
HCA1 to SB2427 (Rep. Michelle Mussman) requires school districts to adopt a policy that prohibits student use of cellphones, with some exceptions such as emergencies and for technology used by students with disabilities. This bill passed the House Education Policy Committee 10-1-0.
SB1329 (Rep. Fred Crespo) is an initiative of the State Board of Education and allows ISBE to notify an educator’s current or most recent employer that the educator is being investigated for an alleged act of misconduct. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 8-0-0.
SB405 (Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid) makes a technical change to the section of the School Code which delineates the services that school counselors may provide. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 6-3-0.
HA2 to SB1583 (Rep. Gregg Johnson) is a gut-and-replace amendment which restores the original language in the bill (HB1869) after last week’s gut-and-replace amendment due to confusion over which version of the bill was moving. This bill allows the state superintendent to designate an ROE or ISC as a learning partner.
SB1947 (Rep. Laura Faver Dias) is an ISBE initiative which makes several changes to educator licensure requirements, including streamlining the tests for social workers, creating an expedited pathway for paraprofessionals, allowing for universities to offer an education preparation program at the Community Colleges, and addresses how the EdTPA will proceed which aligns with the EdTPA Task Force’s recommendations. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 9-0-0.
SB1920 (Rep. Laura Faver Dias) encourages districts to teach sign language, but noted that this bill will be amended to add language to require ISBE to provide guidance on Artificial Intelligence. This bill passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Admin. Licensing & Charter School Committee 9-0-0.