Bill Text: IL HB4304 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Creates the Higher Education Student Support and Academic Freedom Act. Provides that public institutions of higher education shall strive to foster an environment that is free from unlawful discrimination or harassment based on any protected characteristic under applicable law, to maintain clear, content-neutral conduct standards and reporting channels designed to address unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and retaliation, and to have clear policies describing how students with disabilities can request and receive reasonable accommodations to enable equal academic and campus participation. Prohibits public institutions of higher education from unlawfully infringing on students' constitutional rights to free speech, press, assembly, and petition. Provides that public institutions of higher education shall have the ability to allow students to form and join associations and to allow students to engage in lawful, peaceful protest. Provides that public institutions of higher education shall strive to publish clear, accurate, and timely information regarding courses, degree pathways, credit evaluation and transferability, and graduation criteria and to assess academic performance based on demonstrated learning and achievement and pursuant to published standards. Provides that students have the right to inspect, review, and request corrections to higher educational records. Provides that public institutions of higher education shall have the ability to ensure academic programs are guided by professional and disciplinary standards and academic integrity. Provides that public institutions of higher education shall strive to provide students with information and opportunities in pertinent academic programs that promote workforce-relevant skills, career exploration, and stackable or recognized credentials of value, to provide independently accredited education that integrates broad learning, cultivates transferable skills, and prepares students for engaged citizenship, to provide students with a fair disciplinary process appropriate to the nature of the applicable disciplinary charge, to follow published policies and provide internal appeal routes for adverse educational actions as appropriate or required by applicable law, and to clearly disclose tuition, fees, and applicable, material financial obligations prior to and during enrollment. Provides that public institutions of higher education shall have the ability to publish transparent policies on tuition refunds, withdrawals, and cancellations and shall strive to provide a timely, transparent, and consistent evaluation of transfer credits using published criteria. Sets forth provisions concerning construction of the Act.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4)

Status: (Enrolled) 2026-05-31 - Passed Both Houses [HB4304 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4304-Engrossed.html

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HB4304 Engrossed LRB104 16443 LNS 29835 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Higher
Education Student Support and Academic Freedom Act.
Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
finds that:
(1) this State has a compelling interest in preserving
the integrity, independence, and academic freedom of its
public institutions of higher education and in supporting
students' pursuit of learning, inquiry, and career
readiness;
(2) students benefit when this State affirms core
principles, including free inquiry, viewpoint-neutral
access to programs and activities, safety,
nondiscrimination, and academic excellence, while
providing public institutions of higher education with
clear, workable standards; and
(3) this State likewise has an interest in ensuring
that public institutions of higher education are not
subjected to expansive or uncertain liabilities due to the
institutions' good-faith efforts at substantial
compliance.

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Section 10. Student support and academic access charter.
(a) Inclusive and safe learning environment. Public
institutions of higher education shall strive to foster an
environment that is free from unlawful discrimination or
harassment based on any protected characteristic under
applicable law.
(b) Safety and respect. Public institutions of higher
education shall strive to maintain clear, content-neutral
conduct standards and reporting channels designed to address
unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and
retaliation, in accordance with applicable law.
(c) Accessibility. Public institutions of higher education
shall strive to have clear policies describing how students
with disabilities can request and receive reasonable
accommodations to enable equal academic and campus
participation, in accordance with applicable law and
educational standards.
(d) Free expression and academic access. Public
institutions of higher education may not unlawfully infringe
on students' constitutional rights to free speech, press,
assembly, and petition. Public institutions of higher
education shall have the ability to adopt viewpoint-neutral
time, place, and manner restrictions and safeguard academic
freedom within pedagogically relevant contexts, in accordance
with applicable law.

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(e) Freedom of association and freedom to organize. Public
institutions of higher education shall have the ability to
allow students to form and join associations, subject to
reasonable, viewpoint-neutral requirements for recognition and
funding that are consistently enforced and in accordance with
applicable law.
(f) Peaceful protest. Public institutions of higher
education shall have the ability to allow students to engage
in lawful, peaceful protest, subject to reasonable,
viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions,
including restrictions that protect campus safety and the
continuity of educational operations.
(g) Academic transparency. Public institutions of higher
education shall strive to publish clear, accurate, and timely
information regarding courses, degree pathways, credit
evaluation and transferability, and graduation criteria.
(h) Fair evaluation. Public institutions of higher
education shall strive to assess academic performance based on
demonstrated learning and achievement and pursuant to
published standards, with due regard for the professional
judgment of faculty.
(i) Educational records. Students have the right to
inspect, review, and request corrections to higher educational
records, in accordance with applicable law.
(j) Insulation of academic programs from undue political
interference. Public institutions of higher education shall

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have the ability to ensure academic programs are guided by
professional and disciplinary standards and academic
integrity.
(k) Career preparation. Public institutions of higher
education shall strive to provide students with information
and opportunities in pertinent academic programs that promote
workforce-relevant skills, career exploration, and stackable
or recognized credentials of value.
(l) Educational quality. Public institutions of higher
education shall strive to provide independently accredited
education that integrates broad learning, cultivates
transferable skills, and prepares students for engaged
citizenship.
(m) Due process. Public institutions of higher education
shall strive to provide students with a fair disciplinary
process appropriate to the nature of the applicable
disciplinary charge, including notice of the charge, access to
relevant evidence if feasible, and an opportunity to be heard,
in accordance with applicable law.
(n) Institutional accountability. Public institutions of
higher education shall strive to follow published policies and
provide internal appeal routes for adverse educational actions
as appropriate or required by applicable law.
(o) Financial transparency. Public institutions of higher
education shall strive to clearly disclose tuition, fees, and
applicable, material financial obligations prior to and during

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enrollment.
(p) Refunds and withdrawals. Public institutions of higher
education shall have the ability to publish transparent
policies on tuition refunds, withdrawals, and cancellations.
(q) Transfer practices. Public institutions of higher
education shall strive to provide a timely, transparent, and
consistent evaluation of transfer credits using published
criteria. Nothing in this Act requires an acceptance of
credits inconsistent with any legitimate academic standards
the public institution of higher education deems appropriate.
Section 15. Construction of Act.
(a) This Act shall be construed in accordance with, and
not in conflict with, applicable federal and State law,
including, but not limited to, Title VI of the federal Civil
Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the federal Education
Amendments of 1972, the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of
Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the
federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the
federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504
of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Illinois
Human Rights Act.
(b) Nothing in this Act imposes obligations that would
cause a public institution of higher education to violate
applicable law, including any federal requirements, or risk
the loss of federal or other funds.

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(c) Nothing in this Act may be construed to create
contractual rights or to convert institutional policies into
express or implied contracts.
(d) Nothing in this Act may be construed to grant a private
right of action to enforce the provisions of this Act.