104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1616 Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to identify days during the year when there may be a portion of the student body absent or unable to participate in a major school event due to cultural, religious, or other observances and, by February 1 of each year, to prominently post on its website and distribute to school districts a nonexhaustive list of the corresponding days and dates of potential cultural, religious, or other observances in the upcoming school year. Allows a school district to include additional days and dates based on community feedback or demographics. Requires the State Board to distribute the list by February 1 each year to regional offices of education, the Department of Early Childhood, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois High School Association, and other relevant associations or entities as determined by the State Board. Effective immediately. LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1616 Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to identify days during the year when there may be a portion of the student body absent or unable to participate in a major school event due to cultural, religious, or other observances and, by February 1 of each year, to prominently post on its website and distribute to school districts a nonexhaustive list of the corresponding days and dates of potential cultural, religious, or other observances in the upcoming school year. Allows a school district to include additional days and dates based on community feedback or demographics. Requires the State Board to distribute the list by February 1 each year to regional offices of education, the Department of Early Childhood, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois High School Association, and other relevant associations or entities as determined by the State Board. Effective immediately. LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1616 Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to identify days during the year when there may be a portion of the student body absent or unable to participate in a major school event due to cultural, religious, or other observances and, by February 1 of each year, to prominently post on its website and distribute to school districts a nonexhaustive list of the corresponding days and dates of potential cultural, religious, or other observances in the upcoming school year. Allows a school district to include additional days and dates based on community feedback or demographics. Requires the State Board to distribute the list by February 1 each year to regional offices of education, the Department of Early Childhood, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois High School Association, and other relevant associations or entities as determined by the State Board. Effective immediately.
LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
A BILL FOR
SB1616LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b SB1616 LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
SB1616 LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 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 2-3.206 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new)
7 Sec. 2-3.206. Major school-event-scheduling guidance. As
8 used in this Section, "major school event" includes, but is
9 not limited to, tests, special projects, special events,
10 special activities, schoolwide events, or extracurricular
11 activities that would be difficult to make up.
12 The State Board of Education, through consultation with
13 stakeholders, shall identify days during the year when there
14 may be a portion of the student body absent or unable to
15 participate in a major school event due to cultural,
16 religious, or other observances.
17 By February 1 of each year, the State Board of Education
18 shall prominently post on its website and distribute to each
19 school district a nonexhaustive list of the corresponding days
20 and dates of potential cultural, religious, or other
21 observances for at a minimum the upcoming school year, as a
22 resource for making major school-event-scheduling decisions,
23 encouraging school districts not to schedule a major school
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1616 Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to identify days during the year when there may be a portion of the student body absent or unable to participate in a major school event due to cultural, religious, or other observances and, by February 1 of each year, to prominently post on its website and distribute to school districts a nonexhaustive list of the corresponding days and dates of potential cultural, religious, or other observances in the upcoming school year. Allows a school district to include additional days and dates based on community feedback or demographics. Requires the State Board to distribute the list by February 1 each year to regional offices of education, the Department of Early Childhood, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois High School Association, and other relevant associations or entities as determined by the State Board. Effective immediately.
LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
A BILL FOR
105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
SB1616 LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
SB1616- 2 -LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b SB1616 - 2 - LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
SB1616 - 2 - LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b
1 event on those days.
2 The list shall include a statement indicating that the
3 list is only for scheduling purposes and does not affect a
4 student's right to be excused from attendance because of the
5 observance of a religious holiday pursuant to Section 26-2b of
6 this Code, regardless of whether the religious holiday appears
7 on the list.
8 Upon the distribution of the list, the State Board of
9 Education shall also inform school districts that a school
10 district may include additional days and dates based on
11 community feedback or demographics.
12 The State Board of Education shall additionally distribute
13 the list by February 1 each year to regional offices of
14 education, the Department of Early Childhood, the Board of
15 Higher Education, the Illinois High School Association, and
16 other relevant associations or entities as determined by the
17 State Board of Education.
SB1616 - 2 - LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b