(SPRINGFIELD) Before the Illinois state budget was passed early yesterday morning, a bill offering career technical education classes as an alternative to Illinois’ foreign language mandate was approved by lawmakers in Springfield on Sunday and is now heading to the Governor’s desk for his consideration. The measure provides that high school students can still take two years of foreign language but will now have the option to take CTE classes starting in 2028.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois General Assembly also passed legislation allowing the State Treasurer’s Office to set up an investment pool for nonprofit organizations. Senate Bill 2968 is intended to help nonprofits strengthen their financial stability and maximize resources that help communities. The plan mostly received bipartisan support from both sides of the aisle.
(SPRINGFIELD) And legislation to ban the use of cell phones by students from bell-to-bell passed through both chambers in the Illinois Capitol on Sunday. After months of disagreements and negotiations between lawmakers and stakeholders, the implementation date was moved from next school year to the 2027-2028 school year and also now allows school districts the option of partially excluding high school students from the ban, at least during lunch and passing periods, among other specifics. The Illinois plan does not include funding for the law’s implementation.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois spring legislative session ended with no stadium deal for the Chicago Bears. House Bill 958 Senate Amendment 2 passed in the State Senate early yesterday morning in Springfield, but was not called for a vote in the State House. The proposal would have established a municipal stadium authority to own a facility the Bears could build in the Windy City or in Arlington Heights or one of several other large suburban sites. The new bill with the Senate amendment did not go through committee before arriving on the Senate floor.