IL
Illinois House Bill HB1237

Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB1237 Compare Versions

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1+104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1237 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board shall prohibit a school from using a native name, logo, or mascot; defines "native name, logo, or mascot". However, provides 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. LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1237 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new 105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new 105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board shall prohibit a school from using a native name, logo, or mascot; defines "native name, logo, or mascot". However, provides 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. LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b LRB104 06188 LNS 16223 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY A BILL FOR
2+104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1237 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3+105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new 105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new 105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new
4+105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new
5+105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new
6+Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board shall prohibit a school from using a native name, logo, or mascot; defines "native name, logo, or mascot". However, provides 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.
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9+STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY
10+ STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY
11+A BILL FOR
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314 1 AN ACT concerning education.
415 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
516 3 represented in the General Assembly:
617 4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
718 5 10-20.88 and 34-18.88 as follows:
819 6 (105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new)
920 7 Sec. 10-20.88. Native name, logo, or mascot.
1021 8 (a) As used in this Section, "native name, logo, or
11-9 mascot" means the following:
12-10 (1) a team name, including:
13-11 (A) the name of a federally recognized tribe;
14-12 (B) a historical Native American person or tribal
15-13 group; or
16-14 (C) Redskins, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Tribe,
17-15 Indians, or any synonymous term; or
18-16 (2) a logo or mascot depicting the following:
19-17 (A) Native Americans;
20-18 (B) a feathered headdress;
21-19 (C) a tomahawk;
22-20 (D) an arrowhead; or
23-21 (E) a spear, arrow, or other weapon if in
24-22 combination with a feather or feathers.
25-23 (b) A school board shall prohibit a school from using a
22+9 mascot" means any person, animal, or object used to represent
23+10 a school that names, refers to, represents, or is associated
24+11 with Native Americans, including aspects of Native American
25+12 cultures and specific Native American tribes.
26+13 (b) A school board shall prohibit a school from using a
27+14 native name, logo, or mascot, except as provided in subsection
28+15 (c).
29+16 (c) A school may continue to use uniforms or other
30+17 materials bearing a native name, logo, or mascot that were
31+18 purchased on or before the effective date of this amendatory
32+19 Act of the 104th General Assembly until September 1, 2028 if
33+20 all the following requirements are met:
34+21 (1) The school selects a new school or athletic team
35+22 name, logo, or mascot that does not violate the
36+23 prohibition under subsection (b).
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34-1 native name, logo, or mascot, except as provided in
35-2 subsections (c) and (e).
36-3 (c) A school may continue to use uniforms or other
37-4 materials bearing a native name, logo, or mascot that were
38-5 purchased on or before the effective date of this amendatory
39-6 Act of the 104th General Assembly until September 1, 2030 if
40-7 the school selects or sets forth a reasonable timeline for the
41-8 selection of a new school or athletic team name, logo, or
42-9 mascot that does not violate the prohibition under subsection
43-10 (b) through formal school board action no later than July 1,
44-11 2026. Except as provided in subsection (e), the school may not
45-12 purchase, acquire, or use resources for uniforms or other
46-13 materials that include or bear the prohibited school or
47-14 athletic team name, logo, or mascot after the effective date
48-15 of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
49-16 (d) Except as provided in subsection (e), if a school
50-17 facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
51-18 bears the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo, or
52-19 mascot, the school shall remove the prohibited name, logo, or
53-20 mascot no later than the next time that part of the school
54-21 facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
55-22 where the name, logo, or mascot is located is remodeled or
56-23 replaced in the normal course of maintenance. The school may
57-24 not purchase or construct a school facility, marquee, sign,
58-25 permanent school structure or other new or replacement fixture
59-26 that includes or bears the prohibited school or athletic team
40+104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1237 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
41+105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new 105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new 105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new
42+105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new
43+105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new
44+Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board shall prohibit a school from using a native name, logo, or mascot; defines "native name, logo, or mascot". However, provides 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.
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47+STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY
48+ STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY
49+A BILL FOR
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70-1 name, logo, or mascot after the effective date of this
71-2 amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
72-3 (e) For any school whose team name is the name of a
73-4 federally recognized tribe or historical Native American
74-5 person, the school may continue to use its current team name
75-6 and an agreed upon logo and mascot on and after the effective
76-7 date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly if
77-8 all of the following conditions are met:
78-9 (1) Written consent must be obtained from the elected
79-10 legislative body of the same federally recognized tribe as
80-11 the team name or the federally recognized tribe from which
81-12 the historical Native American person was a member,
82-13 indicating support for the name, logo, and mascot.
83-14 (2) The written consent shall include a description of
84-15 the partnership with the federally recognized tribe to
85-16 provide deep, meaningful, and substantive learning
86-17 opportunities, as well as school policies that ensure
87-18 blatant, stereotypical, Native American names, slurs,
88-19 imagery, or caricatures or fake Native American behaviors
89-20 are not allowed in learning environments.
90-21 (3) The school may not offer or accept any money,
91-22 consideration, or thing of value in exchange for the
92-23 written consent. Nothing in this paragraph (3) prohibits a
93-24 school district from reimbursing a member of a federally
94-25 recognized tribe for the reasonable costs of travel
95-26 expenses incurred for the purpose of providing meaningful
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106-1 educational programming or learning opportunities for the
107-2 school district.
108-3 (4) The written consent must be renewed every 5 years.
109-4 The federally recognized tribe shall have the right and
110-5 ability to revoke the written consent at any time at its
111-6 discretion. If either party wishes to terminate the
112-7 consent, the school shall select a new school or athletic
113-8 team name, logo, or mascot that does not violate the
114-9 prohibition under subsection (b) through formal school
115-10 board action no later than one year from the date of
116-11 termination and shall discontinue its use of the native
117-12 name, logo, or mascot no later than 3 years from the date
118-13 of termination. If a school facility, marquee, sign, or
119-14 other permanent school structure bears the prohibited
120-15 school or athletic team name, logo, or mascot, the school
121-16 shall remove the prohibited name, logo, or mascot no later
122-17 than the next time that part of the school facility,
123-18 marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure where
124-19 the name, logo, or mascot is located is remodeled or
125-20 replaced in the normal course of maintenance. The school
126-21 may not purchase or construct a school facility, marquee,
127-22 sign, permanent school structure, or other new or
128-23 replacement fixture that includes or bears the prohibited
129-24 school or athletic team name, logo, or mascot after the
130-25 date of termination.
131-26 (f) Nothing in this Section may be interpreted to prohibit
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142-1 the use of native names as the name of a county, municipality,
143-2 school district, or school.
144-3 (105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)
145-4 Sec. 34-18.88. Native name, logo, or mascot.
146-5 (a) As used in this Section, "native name, logo, or
147-6 mascot" means the following:
148-7 (1) a team name, including:
149-8 (A) the name of a federally recognized tribe;
150-9 (B) a historical Native American person or tribal
151-10 group; or
152-11 (C) Redskins, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Tribe,
153-12 Indians, or any synonymous term; or
154-13 (2) a logo or mascot depicting the following:
155-14 (A) Native Americans;
156-15 (B) a feathered headdress;
157-16 (C) a tomahawk;
158-17 (D) an arrowhead; or
159-18 (E) a spear, arrow, or other weapon if in
160-19 combination with a feather or feathers.
161-20 (b) A board shall prohibit a school from using a native
162-21 name, logo, or mascot, except as provided in subsections (c)
163-22 and (e).
164-23 (c) A school may continue to use uniforms or other
165-24 materials bearing a native name, logo, or mascot that were
166-25 purchased on or before the effective date of this amendatory
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79+1 (2) The school refrains from purchasing, acquiring, or
80+2 using resources for the purpose of distribution or sale to
81+3 pupils or school employees any uniform that includes or
82+4 bears the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo,
83+5 or mascot.
84+6 (3) The school refrains from purchasing, acquiring, or
85+7 using resources for the purpose of distribution or sale to
86+8 pupils or school employees any yearbook, newspaper,
87+9 program, or other tangible material that includes or bears
88+10 the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo, or
89+11 mascot in the logo or title of the yearbook, newspaper,
90+12 program, or other tangible material.
91+13 (4) If a school facility bears the prohibited school
92+14 or athletic team name, logo, or mascot, the school removes
93+15 the prohibited name, logo, or mascot no later than the
94+16 next time that part of the facility where the name, logo,
95+17 or mascot is located is remodeled or replaced in the
96+18 normal course of maintenance and the school refrains from
97+19 purchasing or constructing a marquee, sign, or other new
98+20 or replacement fixture that includes or bears the
99+21 prohibited school or athletic team name, logo, or mascot.
100+22 (105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)
101+23 Sec. 34-18.88. Native name, logo, or mascot.
102+24 (a) As used in this Section, "native name, logo, or
103+25 mascot" means any person, animal, or object used to represent
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177-1 Act of the 104th General Assembly until September 1, 2030 if
178-2 the school selects or sets forth a reasonable timeline for the
179-3 selection of a new school or athletic team name, logo, or
180-4 mascot that does not violate the prohibition under subsection
181-5 (b) through formal board action no later than July 1, 2026.
182-6 Except as provided in subsection (e), the school may not
183-7 purchase, acquire, or use resources for uniforms or other
184-8 materials that include or bear the prohibited school or
185-9 athletic team name, logo, or mascot after the effective date
186-10 of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
187-11 (d) Except as provided in subsection (e), if a school
188-12 facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
189-13 bears the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo, or
190-14 mascot, the school shall remove the prohibited name, logo, or
191-15 mascot no later than the next time that part of the school
192-16 facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent school structure
193-17 where the name, logo, or mascot is located is remodeled or
194-18 replaced in the normal course of maintenance. The school may
195-19 not purchase or construct a school facility, marquee, sign,
196-20 permanent school structure or other new or replacement fixture
197-21 that includes or bears the prohibited school or athletic team
198-22 name, logo, or mascot after the effective date of this
199-23 amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
200-24 (e) For any school whose team name is the name of a
201-25 federally recognized tribe or historical Native American
202-26 person, the school may continue to use its current team name
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114+1 a school that names, refers to, represents, or is associated
115+2 with Native Americans, including aspects of Native American
116+3 cultures and specific Native American tribes.
117+4 (b) The board shall prohibit a school from using a native
118+5 name, logo, or mascot, except as provided in subsection (c).
119+6 (c) A school may continue to use uniforms or other
120+7 materials bearing a native name, logo, or mascot that were
121+8 purchased on or before the effective date of this amendatory
122+9 Act of the 104th General Assembly until September 1, 2028 if
123+10 all the following requirements are met:
124+11 (1) The school selects a new school or athletic team
125+12 name, logo, or mascot that does not violate the
126+13 prohibition under subsection (b).
127+14 (2) The school refrains from purchasing, acquiring, or
128+15 using resources for the purpose of distribution or sale to
129+16 pupils or school employees any uniform that includes or
130+17 bears the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo,
131+18 or mascot.
132+19 (3) The school refrains from purchasing, acquiring, or
133+20 using resources for the purpose of distribution or sale to
134+21 pupils or school employees any yearbook, newspaper,
135+22 program, or other tangible material that includes or bears
136+23 the prohibited school or athletic team name, logo, or
137+24 mascot in the logo or title of the yearbook, newspaper,
138+25 program, or other tangible material.
139+26 (4) If a school facility bears the prohibited school
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213-1 and an agreed upon logo and mascot on and after the effective
214-2 date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly if
215-3 all of the following conditions are met:
216-4 (1) Written consent must be obtained from the elected
217-5 legislative body of the same federally recognized tribe as
218-6 the team name or the federally recognized tribe from which
219-7 the historical Native American person was a member,
220-8 indicating support for the name, logo, and mascot.
221-9 (2) The written consent shall include a description of
222-10 the partnership with the federally recognized tribe to
223-11 provide deep, meaningful, and substantive learning
224-12 opportunities, as well as school policies that ensure
225-13 blatant, stereotypical, Native American names, slurs,
226-14 imagery, or caricatures or fake Native American behaviors
227-15 are not allowed in learning environments.
228-16 (3) The school may not offer or accept any money,
229-17 consideration, or thing of value in exchange for the
230-18 written consent. Nothing in this paragraph (3) prohibits a
231-19 school district from reimbursing a member of a federally
232-20 recognized tribe for the reasonable costs of travel
233-21 expenses incurred for the purpose of providing meaningful
234-22 educational programming or learning opportunities for the
235-23 school district.
236-24 (4) The written consent must be renewed every 5 years.
237-25 The federally recognized tribe shall have the right and
238-26 ability to revoke the written consent at any time at its
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249-1 discretion. If either party wishes to terminate the
250-2 consent, the school shall select a new school or athletic
251-3 team name, logo, or mascot that does not violate the
252-4 prohibition under subsection (b) through formal board
253-5 action no later than one year from the date of termination
254-6 and shall discontinue its use of the native name, logo, or
255-7 mascot no later than 3 years from the date of termination.
256-8 If a school facility, marquee, sign, or other permanent
257-9 school structure bears the prohibited school or athletic
258-10 team name, logo, or mascot, the school shall remove the
259-11 prohibited name, logo, or mascot no later than the next
260-12 time that part of the school facility, marquee, sign, or
261-13 other permanent school structure where the name, logo, or
262-14 mascot is located is remodeled or replaced in the normal
263-15 course of maintenance. The school may not purchase or
264-16 construct a school facility, marquee, sign, permanent
265-17 school structure, or other new or replacement fixture that
266-18 includes or bears the prohibited school or athletic team
267-19 name, logo, or mascot after the date of termination.
268-20 (f) Nothing in this Section may be interpreted to prohibit
269-21 the use of native names as the name of a county, municipality,
270-22 school district, or school.
271-23 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
272-24 2026.
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