Thousands of bills are introduced in Springfield every session. Here's some of the bills that we are supporting or following closely during the spring 2025 session of the 104th IL General Assembly.
IL-FPS Legislative Initiative
Strengthen SOPPA - HB 2696 [Fact Sheet] This bill would give families the right to sue tech companies and other school vendors who violate the Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA) instead of relying only on the IL Attorney General, who has taken no action to enforce the law's ban on data sales against state standardized testing contractors. Write to ask your state senator to sponsor this bill here.
Other bills we support
Too Young to Expel - SB 2423/HB 3772 [Fact Sheet] Schools are subjecting their youngest students to exclusionary discipline, like expulsion and suspension, too often, and disproportionately imposing these consequences on Black students and students with disabilities. This bill would ban expulsion for 2nd grade and below, and ensure that when students that age are suspended, their time out of school is kept to the minimum it takes to set up a behavior or safety plan to return the child to their educational environment. It also seeks to expand push-in supports for K-2.
Clean Air for Healthy Equitable Schools -HB 429/SB 2193[Fact Sheet] Initiative of Illinois Stakeholders for Air Quality in Schools. It includes not just ventilation verification assessments but the distribution of high-quality HEPA filters and air quality monitors to immediately improve air quality for all children, teachers, and staff in IL public schools.
Biometric Information in Schools - SB 1239 This bill would substantially strengthen the existing school code's restrictions on the collection of biometric information in schools, including prohibiting districts from purchasing or otherwise acquiring biometric systems to use on students and also prohibiting any collection or storage of biometric information or entering into agreements with contractors to do the same. Biometric data that schools previously held will be destroyed.
Bill we're opposing
Rollback reforms of seclusion and restraint - SB 1943 In spring of 2021, due to the hard work of disability rights advocacy groups and others, legislation and administrative rules finally passed to address horrific systemic abuse of students, via seclusion and restraint practices in schools across the state, exposed by investigative reporting by Pro Publica and the Chicago Tribune. SB 1943 would rollback crucial aspects of the reforms in PA 102-0339 with respect to training staff, reporting, investigations and limiting and eliminating practices that endanger students, even though data on seclusion and restraint has not yet shown significant improvements. Read more background on why this bill shouldn't pass here.
Looking for our past legislative agendas? 2024 - 103rd GA, 2023 - 103rd GA, 2022 - 102nd GA, 2021 - 102nd GA; 2020 - 101st GA; 2019 - 101st GA; 2018 - 100th GA