Education (Higher Education)

in committee · Illinois · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 84: $BD HIGHER ED-TECH

HB 84 appropriates $2 from the state's General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education. This funding is designated for the Board's ordinary and contingent expenses for fiscal year 2026, becoming effective on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $2 from General Revenue Fund to Higher Education Board for FY2026 expenses, directly funding public education through state budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $2 to Board of Higher Education for FY2026 expenses, directly funding higher education operations per bill summary.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Mar 4, 2025

SB 2628: $LEARN9-FACILITY RENOVATION

SB 2628 appropriates $5,000,000 to the LEARN 9 Campus in Waukegan for facility renovation, effective July 1, 2025. The bill directly funds physical upgrades to the campus infrastructure. It has no policy changes beyond authorizing this specific funding allocation. The bill was filed by Sen. Adriane Johnson on March 4, 2025, and referred to the Assignments committee.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $5M for campus facility renovation, directly allocating state funds for infrastructure under budget authority.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds physical infrastructure upgrades at a K-12 campus, directly supporting school facility maintenance and student environment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · Senate May 22, 2025

SB 1373: HIGHER ED-ACADEMIC ADVISORS

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Requires each governing board to ensure that an academic advisor or counselor acts with a duty of care or fiduciary duty to provide academic guidance and advice that is strictly in the best interest of the student whom he or she advises or counsels.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires academic advisors to act in students' best interest with fiduciary duty, strengthening student support in higher education governance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 2607: CAMPUS FREE SPEECH PROTECTION

Creates the Campus Free Speech Protection Act. Requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education to adopt policies governing free expression. Sets forth what those policies must ensure. Contains provisions concerning making those policies available to faculty and students. Sets forth both prohibited and permissible conduct. Provides for remedies for violations of the policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates free speech protections in higher education, supporting academic freedom as part of educational policy without restricting curriculum or funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Jan 13, 2025

SB 61: HIGHER ED-PREFERENCE ADMISSION

Creates the Preferential Admission Ban Act. Prohibits, beginning September 1, 2025, an independent institution of higher education from providing a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process. Provides that, on or before June 30, 2026, and annually thereafter, an independent institution of higher education shall report to the General Assembly and the Office of the Attorney General on whether the independent institution of higher education complied with the provisions of the Act and, if the independent institution of higher education did not comply with the provisions, the independent institution of higher education shall include additional specified information in its report. Requires the Office of the Attorney General to post the names of the independent institutions of higher education that violate the Act on its Internet website by the next fiscal year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBans legacy/donor preferences in higher education admissions, promoting equitable access to college opportunities as part of educational access policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · House Oct 15, 2025

HB 4156: TREASURER-COLLEGE SAVINGS POOL

Amends the State Treasurer Act. In provisions concerning the College Savings Pool, provides that trade schools and elementary or secondary public, private, or religious schools are also considered eligible educational institutions, subject to certain limitations. Provides that expenses, up to $10,000 per taxable year, for tuition in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school are considered qualified expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllows tax-advantaged tuition expenses up to $10k for K-12 schools, providing tax relief through expanded qualified expenses under state tax provisions.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands tax-advantaged savings for K-12 tuition, increasing educational access by including elementary/secondary schools in savings pool.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · House Mar 21, 2025

HB 2759: STUDENT BILL OF RIGHTS

Creates the Student Bill of Rights Act. Provides that the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education shall jointly establish, no later than January 1, 2026, a student bill of rights to outline that students in public schools and public institutions of higher education have a right to educational equity and to be free from discrimination based on race, sex, gender, socioeconomic status, and mental or physical ability. Provides that the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education shall publish the student bill of rights on their Internet websites and make a handout available. Provides that each public institution of higher education, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall have on their Internet websites a link to the student bill of rights published on the Board of Higher Education's Internet website. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates student bill of rights ensuring equity and anti-discrimination protections in public schools and higher education, advancing student rights and educational access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Feb 14, 2025

SB 2128: HIGHER ED-MAP-STUDENT VOTER

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that an institution of higher learning that participates in the Monetary Award Program may not release the personally identifiable information of any of its students for voter registration activities unless the student gives consent in writing.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects student privacy in higher education by requiring written consent before releasing personal data for voter registration, advancing educational access and student rights.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires written consent for sharing student data, directly protecting data privacy under technology policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Jan 29, 2025

SB 1372: HIGHER ED-STUDENT FREE SPEECH

Creates the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that the intent of the Act is for the requirements of the Act to apply equally to the governing board of each public institution of higher education in this State unless the Act provides otherwise. Defines "governing board of each public institution of higher education" and "public institution of higher education". Prohibits a public university from punishing students for exercising their right to free speech. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits punishment for student free speech in higher education, protecting academic freedom and educational access per the bill's explicit intent.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Jan 29, 2025

SB 1371: HIGHER ED-RURAL STUDENT-ADMIT

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Provides that if a public university has a law school, medical school, or nursing program, the governing board of the university shall establish an admissions process in which 25% of the students admitted to the law school, medical school, or nursing program shall be rural students; defines "rural student". Provides that the governing board shall require each of these rural students to agree to return to the county where the student's primary residence was located for a period of 3 years after graduation from the law school, medical school, or nursing program. Effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates 25% rural student admissions in law/med/nursing programs, expanding access for rural higher education students per bill's admissions requirement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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