Bill Text: IL HB1623 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to adopt a policy to (i) allow the parent or legal guardian of a child to notify the school principal or a designee in writing that the parent or legal guardian objects to the use of specific course material and (ii) allow the child to use alternative course material. Requires the alternative course material to be provided at the expense of the parent or legal guardian. Requires the content of the alternative course material to be sufficiently equivalent to the specific course material to enable the child to meet State standards in a particular subject area. Effective July 1, 2023.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-02-01 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB1623 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB1623-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB1623 Introduced , by Rep. Ryan Spain SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/10-31 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.82 new
Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to adopt a policy to (i) allow the parent or legal guardian of a child to notify the school principal or a designee in writing that the parent or legal guardian objects to the use of specific course material and (ii) allow the child to use alternative course material. Requires the alternative course material to be provided at the expense of the parent or legal guardian. Requires the content of the alternative course material to be sufficiently equivalent to the specific course material to enable the child to meet State standards in a particular subject area. Effective July 1, 2023.
LRB103 05080 RJT 50094 b
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
HB1623 LRB103 05080 RJT 50094 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
10-31 and 34-18.82 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/10-31 new)
Sec. 10-31. Parental objection to specific course
material.
(a) In this Section, "specific course material" includes,
but is not limited to, a book or books, workbooks,
supplementary materials, computer software, magnetic media,
DVDs, CD-ROMs, computer courseware, online services, an
electronic medium, or other means of conveying information to
a student or otherwise contributing to the learning process
through electronic means.
(b) Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, each school
board shall adopt a policy allowing the parent or legal
guardian of a child to request that the child be excluded from
using specific course material based on the parent's or legal
guardian's finding that the specific course material is
objectionable. The policy shall include provisions that
require:
(1) the parent or legal guardian to notify the school

HB1623 - 2 - LRB103 05080 RJT 50094 b
principal or a designee in writing of the specific course
material to which the parent or legal guardian objects;
and
(2) the use of alternative course material that is
agreed upon by both the school district and the parent or
legal guardian.
(c) The alternative course material under paragraph (2) of
subsection (b) shall be provided for use by the child at the
parent's or legal guardian's expense. The content of the
alternative course material must be sufficiently equivalent to
the specific course material found objectionable by the parent
or legal guardian to enable the child to meet State standards
for education in the particular subject area covered by the
specific course material.
(d) The name of the parent or legal guardian and any of the
specific reasons for the parent's or legal guardian's
objection to the specific course material under this Section
must remain confidential and may not be publicly disclosed.
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.82 new)
Sec. 34-18.82. Parental objection to specific course
material.
(a) In this Section, "specific course material" includes,
but is not limited to, a book or books, workbooks,
supplementary materials, computer software, magnetic media,
DVDs, CD-ROMs, computer courseware, online services, an

HB1623 - 3 - LRB103 05080 RJT 50094 b
electronic medium, or other means of conveying information to
a student or otherwise contributing to the learning process
through electronic means.
(b) Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, the board
shall adopt a policy allowing the parent or legal guardian of a
child to request that the child be excluded from using
specific course material based on the parent's or legal
guardian's finding that the specific course material is
objectionable. The policy shall include provisions that
require:
(1) the parent or legal guardian to notify the school
principal or a designee in writing of the specific course
material to which the parent or legal guardian objects;
and
(2) the use of alternative course material that is
agreed upon by both the school district and the parent or
legal guardian.
(c) The alternative course material under paragraph (2) of
subsection (b) shall be provided for use by the child at the
parent's or legal guardian's expense. The content of the
alternative course material must be sufficiently equivalent to
the specific course material found objectionable by the parent
or legal guardian to enable the child to meet State standards
for education in the particular subject area covered by the
specific course material.
(d) The name of the parent or legal guardian and any of the

HB1623 - 4 - LRB103 05080 RJT 50094 b
specific reasons for the parent's or legal guardian's
objection to the specific course material under this Section
must remain confidential and may not be publicly disclosed.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2023.