104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1358 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new Amends the School Code. Creates the Waiver Process Task Force. Sets forth provisions concerning membership, meetings, and support services. Provides that the purposes of the Task Force are to examine the current waiver response process and make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver response at the elementary and secondary school levels in this State; develop and use metrics to access the viability of waiver requests and the impact of such requests on students in kindergarten through grade 12; promote training and professional development on creating waiver requests that include accountability measures for teachers and other community stakeholders across this State; identify and seek local, State, and national resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process; and complete such other strategies as may be identified by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability measures proposed in requested waivers. Requires the Task Force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2025. Effective immediately. LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1358 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new Amends the School Code. Creates the Waiver Process Task Force. Sets forth provisions concerning membership, meetings, and support services. Provides that the purposes of the Task Force are to examine the current waiver response process and make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver response at the elementary and secondary school levels in this State; develop and use metrics to access the viability of waiver requests and the impact of such requests on students in kindergarten through grade 12; promote training and professional development on creating waiver requests that include accountability measures for teachers and other community stakeholders across this State; identify and seek local, State, and national resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process; and complete such other strategies as may be identified by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability measures proposed in requested waivers. Requires the Task Force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2025. Effective immediately. LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1358 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new Amends the School Code. Creates the Waiver Process Task Force. Sets forth provisions concerning membership, meetings, and support services. Provides that the purposes of the Task Force are to examine the current waiver response process and make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver response at the elementary and secondary school levels in this State; develop and use metrics to access the viability of waiver requests and the impact of such requests on students in kindergarten through grade 12; promote training and professional development on creating waiver requests that include accountability measures for teachers and other community stakeholders across this State; identify and seek local, State, and national resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process; and complete such other strategies as may be identified by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability measures proposed in requested waivers. Requires the Task Force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2025. Effective immediately. LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b A BILL FOR HB1358LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b 1 AN ACT concerning education. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 5 2-3.25g-5 as follows: 6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new) 7 Sec. 2-3.25g-5. Waiver Process Task Force. 8 (a) The Waiver Process Task Force is created. The Task 9 Force shall consist of the following voting members: 10 (1) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the 11 Speaker of the House of Representatives; 12 (2) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the 13 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; 14 (3) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the 15 President of the Senate; 16 (4) a member of the General Assembly, appointed by the 17 Minority Leader of the Senate; 18 (5) the Lieutenant Governor or his or her designee; 19 (6) the State Superintendent of Education or his or 20 her designee, who shall serve as a co-chairperson of the 21 Task Force; 22 (7) the Director of Public Health or his or her 23 designee, who shall serve as a co-chairperson of the Task 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1358 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new Amends the School Code. Creates the Waiver Process Task Force. Sets forth provisions concerning membership, meetings, and support services. Provides that the purposes of the Task Force are to examine the current waiver response process and make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver response at the elementary and secondary school levels in this State; develop and use metrics to access the viability of waiver requests and the impact of such requests on students in kindergarten through grade 12; promote training and professional development on creating waiver requests that include accountability measures for teachers and other community stakeholders across this State; identify and seek local, State, and national resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process; and complete such other strategies as may be identified by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability measures proposed in requested waivers. Requires the Task Force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2025. Effective immediately. LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b A BILL FOR 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g-5 new LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358- 2 -LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 2 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 2 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b 1 Force; 2 (8) the Chief Executive Officer of City of Chicago 3 School District 299, appointed by the Chicago Board of 4 Education; 5 (9) 2 representatives from a statewide organization 6 representing health, physical education, recreation, and 7 dance, appointed by the head of that organization, of 8 which one representative is a current teacher and one is a 9 retired teacher; 10 (10) a representative of City of Chicago School 11 District 299, appointed by the Chicago Board of Education; 12 (11) 2 representatives of a statewide professional 13 teachers' organization, appointed by the head of that 14 organization; 15 (12) 2 representatives of a statewide professional 16 teachers' organization other than the statewide 17 professional teachers' organization in paragraph (11), 18 appointed by the head of that organization; 19 (13) a representative of an organization representing 20 professional teachers in a city having a population of 21 more than 500,000, appointed by the head of that 22 organization; 23 (14) a representative of a statewide organization 24 representing principals, appointed by the head of that 25 organization; 26 (15) a representative of a statewide organization HB1358 - 2 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358- 3 -LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 3 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 3 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b 1 representing school administrators, appointed by the head 2 of that organization; 3 (16) a representative of a statewide organization 4 representing school boards, appointed by the head of that 5 organization; 6 (17) a representative of a statewide organization 7 representing school business officials, appointed by the 8 head of that organization; 9 (18) a representative of a statewide organization 10 representing parents, appointed by the head of that 11 organization; 12 (19) a representative of a national research and 13 advocacy organization focused on cardiovascular health and 14 wellness, appointed by the head of that organization; 15 (20) a representative of an organization that 16 advocates for healthy school environments, appointed by 17 the head of that organization; 18 (21) a representative of a not-for-profit organization 19 serving children and youth, appointed by the head of that 20 organization; 21 (22) a representative of a not-for-profit organization 22 that partners to promote prevention and improve public 23 health systems that maximize the health and quality of 24 life of the people of this State, appointed by the head of 25 that organization; 26 (23) a representative of a statewide organization HB1358 - 3 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358- 4 -LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 4 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 4 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b 1 representing driver education and safety, appointed by the 2 head of that organization; 3 (24) a representative of a statewide organization 4 representing adapted physical education, appointed by the 5 head of that organization; 6 (25) a representative of a statewide organization 7 representing health education, appointed by the head of 8 that organization; and 9 (26) a representative from a regional office of 10 education, appointed by the State Superintendent of 11 Education. 12 Additional members may be appointed to the Task Force with 13 the approval of the co-chairpersons. All members of the Task 14 Force shall serve without compensation. 15 (b) The Task Force shall meet at the call of the 16 co-chairpersons, with the initial meeting of the Task Force 17 being held as soon as possible after the effective date of this 18 amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly. 19 (c) The State Board of Education and the Department of 20 Public Health shall provide assistance and necessary staff 21 support services to the Task Force. 22 (d) The purposes of the Task Force are to: 23 (1) examine the current waiver response process and 24 make recommendations on a more equitable and fair waiver 25 response at the elementary and secondary school levels in 26 this State, including educating and promoting leadership HB1358 - 4 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358- 5 -LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 5 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 5 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b 1 on the waiver response process among school districts and 2 school officials; 3 (2) develop and use metrics to access the viability of 4 waiver requests and the impact of such requests on 5 students in kindergarten through grade 12; 6 (3) promote training and professional development on 7 creating waiver requests that include accountability 8 measures for teachers and other community stakeholders 9 across this State; 10 (4) identify and seek local, State, and national 11 resources to support an equitable and fair waiver process; 12 and 13 (5) complete such other strategies as may be 14 identified by the Task Force. 15 (e) The Task Force shall make recommendations to the 16 Governor and the General Assembly on how waivers should be 17 requested, how waivers should be reviewed for approval, and 18 how to demonstrate the ability to fulfill accountability 19 measures proposed in requested waivers. The Task Force shall 20 focus on updating the waiver request process, the waiver 21 acceptance or denial process, and ways to hold waiver 22 applicants accountable for meeting the stated goals of 23 waivers. 24 (f) On or before December 31, 2025, the Task Force must 25 report its recommendations by filing copies of its report with 26 the Governor and the General Assembly. Upon filing its report, HB1358 - 5 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358- 6 -LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 6 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b HB1358 - 6 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b 1 the Task Force is dissolved. 2 (g) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2027. HB1358 - 6 - LRB104 06331 LNS 16366 b