Bill Text: IL HB1237 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Engrossed

---

Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board shall prohibit a school from using a native name, logo, or mascot. Provides, however, that a school may continue to use uniforms or other materials bearing a native name, logo, or mascot that were purchased on or before the effective date of the amendatory Act until September 1, 2028 if specified requirements are met. Provides that for any school whose team name is the name of a federally recognized tribe or historical Native American person, the school may continue to use its current team name and an agreed upon logo and mascot on and after the effective date of the amendatory Act if certain conditions are met. Provides that nothing in the provisions may be interpreted to prohibit county, municipality, or school district names.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 36)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2025-07-10 - Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Ram Villivalam [HB1237 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB1237-Engrossed.html

---

HB1237 Engrossed LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
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 Sections
10-20.88 and 34-18.88 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new)
Sec. 10-20.88. Native name, logo, or mascot.
(a) As used in this Section, "native name, logo, or
mascot" means the following:
(1) a team name, including:
(A) the name of a federally recognized tribe;
(B) a historical Native American person or tribal
group; or
(C) Redskins, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Tribe,
Indians, or any synonymous term; or
(2) a logo or mascot depicting the following:
(A) Native Americans;
(B) a feathered headdress;
(C) a tomahawk;
(D) an arrowhead; or
(E) a spear, arrow, or other weapon if in
combination with a feather or feathers.
(b) A school board shall prohibit a school from using a

HB1237 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
native name, logo, or mascot, except as provided in
subsections (c) and (e).
(c) A school may continue to use uniforms or other
materials bearing a native name, logo, or mascot that were
purchased on or before the effective date of this amendatory
Act of the 104th General Assembly until September 1, 2030 if
the school selects or sets forth a reasonable timeline for the
selection of a new school or athletic team name, logo, or
mascot that does not violate the prohibition under subsection
(b) through formal school board action no later than July 1,
2026. Except as provided in subsection (e), the school may not
purchase, acquire, or use resources for uniforms or other
materials that include or bear the prohibited school or
athletic team name, logo, or mascot after the effective date
of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (e), if a school
facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
bears the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo, or
mascot, the school shall remove the prohibited name, logo, or
mascot no later than the next time that part of the school
facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
where the name, logo, or mascot is located is remodeled or
replaced in the normal course of maintenance. The school may
not purchase or construct a school facility, marquee, sign,
permanent school structure or other new or replacement fixture
that includes or bears the prohibited school or athletic team

HB1237 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
name, logo, or mascot after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
(e) For any school whose team name is the name of a
federally recognized tribe or historical Native American
person, the school may continue to use its current team name
and an agreed upon logo and mascot on and after the effective
date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly if
all of the following conditions are met:
(1) Written consent must be obtained from the elected
legislative body of the same federally recognized tribe as
the team name or the federally recognized tribe from which
the historical Native American person was a member,
indicating support for the name, logo, and mascot.
(2) The written consent shall include a description of
the partnership with the federally recognized tribe to
provide deep, meaningful, and substantive learning
opportunities, as well as school policies that ensure
blatant, stereotypical, Native American names, slurs,
imagery, or caricatures or fake Native American behaviors
are not allowed in learning environments.
(3) The school may not offer or accept any money,
consideration, or thing of value in exchange for the
written consent. Nothing in this paragraph (3) prohibits a
school district from reimbursing a member of a federally
recognized tribe for the reasonable costs of travel
expenses incurred for the purpose of providing meaningful

HB1237 Engrossed - 4 - LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
educational programming or learning opportunities for the
school district.
(4) The written consent must be renewed every 5 years.
The federally recognized tribe shall have the right and
ability to revoke the written consent at any time at its
discretion. If either party wishes to terminate the
consent, the school shall select a new school or athletic
team name, logo, or mascot that does not violate the
prohibition under subsection (b) through formal school
board action no later than one year from the date of
termination and shall discontinue its use of the native
name, logo, or mascot no later than 3 years from the date
of termination. If a school facility, marquee, sign, or
other permanent school structure bears the prohibited
school or athletic team name, logo, or mascot, the school
shall remove the prohibited name, logo, or mascot no later
than the next time that part of the school facility,
marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure where
the name, logo, or mascot is located is remodeled or
replaced in the normal course of maintenance. The school
may not purchase or construct a school facility, marquee,
sign, permanent school structure, or other new or
replacement fixture that includes or bears the prohibited
school or athletic team name, logo, or mascot after the
date of termination.
(f) Nothing in this Section may be interpreted to prohibit

HB1237 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
the use of native names as the name of a county, municipality,
school district, or school.
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)
Sec. 34-18.88. Native name, logo, or mascot.
(a) As used in this Section, "native name, logo, or
mascot" means the following:
(1) a team name, including:
(A) the name of a federally recognized tribe;
(B) a historical Native American person or tribal
group; or
(C) Redskins, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Tribe,
Indians, or any synonymous term; or
(2) a logo or mascot depicting the following:
(A) Native Americans;
(B) a feathered headdress;
(C) a tomahawk;
(D) an arrowhead; or
(E) a spear, arrow, or other weapon if in
combination with a feather or feathers.
(b) A board shall prohibit a school from using a native
name, logo, or mascot, except as provided in subsections (c)
and (e).
(c) A school may continue to use uniforms or other
materials bearing a native name, logo, or mascot that were
purchased on or before the effective date of this amendatory

HB1237 Engrossed - 6 - LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
Act of the 104th General Assembly until September 1, 2030 if
the school selects or sets forth a reasonable timeline for the
selection of a new school or athletic team name, logo, or
mascot that does not violate the prohibition under subsection
(b) through formal board action no later than July 1, 2026.
Except as provided in subsection (e), the school may not
purchase, acquire, or use resources for uniforms or other
materials that include or bear the prohibited school or
athletic team name, logo, or mascot after the effective date
of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (e), if a school
facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
bears the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo, or
mascot, the school shall remove the prohibited name, logo, or
mascot no later than the next time that part of the school
facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
where the name, logo, or mascot is located is remodeled or
replaced in the normal course of maintenance. The school may
not purchase or construct a school facility, marquee, sign,
permanent school structure or other new or replacement fixture
that includes or bears the prohibited school or athletic team
name, logo, or mascot after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
(e) For any school whose team name is the name of a
federally recognized tribe or historical Native American
person, the school may continue to use its current team name

HB1237 Engrossed - 7 - LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
and an agreed upon logo and mascot on and after the effective
date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly if
all of the following conditions are met:
(1) Written consent must be obtained from the elected
legislative body of the same federally recognized tribe as
the team name or the federally recognized tribe from which
the historical Native American person was a member,
indicating support for the name, logo, and mascot.
(2) The written consent shall include a description of
the partnership with the federally recognized tribe to
provide deep, meaningful, and substantive learning
opportunities, as well as school policies that ensure
blatant, stereotypical, Native American names, slurs,
imagery, or caricatures or fake Native American behaviors
are not allowed in learning environments.
(3) The school may not offer or accept any money,
consideration, or thing of value in exchange for the
written consent. Nothing in this paragraph (3) prohibits a
school district from reimbursing a member of a federally
recognized tribe for the reasonable costs of travel
expenses incurred for the purpose of providing meaningful
educational programming or learning opportunities for the
school district.
(4) The written consent must be renewed every 5 years.
The federally recognized tribe shall have the right and
ability to revoke the written consent at any time at its

HB1237 Engrossed - 8 - LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b
discretion. If either party wishes to terminate the
consent, the school shall select a new school or athletic
team name, logo, or mascot that does not violate the
prohibition under subsection (b) through formal board
action no later than one year from the date of termination
and shall discontinue its use of the native name, logo, or
mascot no later than 3 years from the date of termination.
If a school facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent
school structure bears the prohibited school or athletic
team name, logo, or mascot, the school shall remove the
prohibited name, logo, or mascot no later than the next
time that part of the school facility, marquee, sign, or
other permanent school structure where the name, logo, or
mascot is located is remodeled or replaced in the normal
course of maintenance. The school may not purchase or
construct a school facility, marquee, sign, permanent
school structure, or other new or replacement fixture that
includes or bears the prohibited school or athletic team
name, logo, or mascot after the date of termination.
(f) Nothing in this Section may be interpreted to prohibit
the use of native names as the name of a county, municipality,
school district, or school.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2026.