Bill Text: IL SB0123 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Creates the Waiver Process Task Force. Sets forth provisions concerning membership, meetings, and support services. Provides that the purposes of the Task Force are to examine the current waiver response process and make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver response at the elementary and secondary school levels in this State; develop and use metrics to access the viability of waiver requests and the impact of such requests on students in kindergarten through grade 12; promote training and professional development on creating waiver requests that include accountability measures for teachers and other community stakeholders across this State; identify and seek local, State, and national resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process; and complete such other strategies as may be identified by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability measures proposed in requested waivers. Requires the Task Force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2025. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-03-05 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mark L. Walker [SB0123 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB0123-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB0123 Introduced 1/17/2025, by Sen. Linda Holmes SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new
Amends the School Code. Creates the Waiver Process Task Force. Sets forth provisions concerning membership, meetings, and support services. Provides that the purposes of the Task Force are to examine the current waiver response process and make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver response at the elementary and secondary school levels in this State; develop and use metrics to access the viability of waiver requests and the impact of such requests on students in kindergarten through grade 12; promote training and professional development on creating waiver requests that include accountability measures for teachers and other community stakeholders across this State; identify and seek local, State, and national resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process; and complete such other strategies as may be identified by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability measures proposed in requested waivers. Requires the Task Force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2025. Effective immediately.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.25g-5 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new)
Sec. 2-3.25g-5. Waiver Process Task Force.
(a) The Waiver Process Task Force is created. The Task
Force shall consist of the following voting members:
(1) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(2) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
(3) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the
President of the Senate;
(4) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the
Minority Leader of the Senate;
(5) the Lieutenant Governor or his or her designee;
(6) the State Superintendent of Education or his or
her designee, who shall serve as a co-chairperson of the
Task Force;
(7) the Director of Public Health or his or her
designee, who shall serve as a co-chairperson of the Task

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Force;
(8) the Chief Executive Officer of City of Chicago
School District 299, appointed by the Chicago Board of
Education;
(9) 2 representatives from a statewide organization
representing health, physical education, recreation, and
dance, appointed by the head of that organization, of
which one representative is a current teacher and one is a
retired teacher;
(10) a representative of City of Chicago School
District 299, appointed by the Chicago Board of Education;
(11) 2 representatives of a statewide professional
teachers' organization, appointed by the head of that
organization;
(12) 2 representatives of a statewide professional
teachers' organization other than the statewide
professional teachers' organization in paragraph (11),
appointed by the head of that organization;
(13) a representative of an organization representing
professional teachers in a city having a population of
more than 500,000, appointed by the head of that
organization;
(14) a representative of a statewide organization
representing principals, appointed by the head of that
organization;
(15) a representative of a statewide organization

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representing school administrators, appointed by the head
of that organization;
(16) a representative of a statewide organization
representing school boards, appointed by the head of that
organization;
(17) a representative of a statewide organization
representing school business officials, appointed by the
head of that organization;
(18) a representative of a statewide organization
representing parents, appointed by the head of that
organization;
(19) a representative of a national research and
advocacy organization focused on cardiovascular health and
wellness, appointed by the head of that organization;
(20) a representative of an organization that
advocates for healthy school environments, appointed by
the head of that organization;
(21) a representative of a not-for-profit organization
serving children and youth, appointed by the head of that
organization;
(22) a representative of a not-for-profit organization
that partners to promote prevention and improve public
health systems that maximize the health and quality of
life of the people of this State, appointed by the head of
that organization;
(23) a representative of a statewide organization

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representing driver education and safety, appointed by the
head of that organization;
(24) a representative of a statewide organization
representing adapted physical education, appointed by the
head of that organization;
(25) a representative of a statewide organization
representing health education, appointed by the head of
that organization; and
(26) a representative from a regional office of
education, appointed by the State Superintendent of
Education.
Additional members may be appointed to the Task Force with
the approval of the co-chairpersons. All members of the Task
Force shall serve without compensation.
(b) The Task Force shall meet at the call of the
co-chairpersons, with the initial meeting of the Task Force
being held as soon as possible after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
(c) The State Board of Education and the Department of
Public Health shall provide assistance and necessary staff
support services to the Task Force.
(d) The purposes of the Task Force are to:
(1) examine the current waiver response process and
make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver
response at the elementary and secondary school levels in
this State, including educating and promoting leadership

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on the waiver response process among school districts and
school officials;
(2) develop and use metrics to access the viability of
waiver requests and the impact of such requests on
students in kindergarten through grade 12;
(3) promote training and professional development on
creating waiver requests that include accountability
measures for teachers and other community stakeholders
across this State;
(4) identify and seek local, State, and national
resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process;
and
(5) complete such other strategies as may be
identified by the Task Force.
(e) The Task Force shall make recommendations to the
Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be
requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and
how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability
measures proposed in requested waivers. The Task Force shall
focus on updating the waiver request process, the waiver
acceptance or denial process, and ways to hold waiver
applicants accountable for meeting the stated goals of
waivers.
(f) On or before December 31, 2025, the Task Force must
report its recommendations by filing copies of its report with
the Governor and the General Assembly. Upon filing its report,

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the Task Force is dissolved.
(g) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2027.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.