# Illinois HB5135: ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS Illinois HB5135, ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS, is a 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-07-31 (Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0693); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5135-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Illinois HB5135 - State: Illinois - Session: 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) - Title: ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-05 - Last action: 2026-07-31, Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0693 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 10 - Subjects: higher education, assignments - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (138 yes, 49 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary Amends the Adult Education Act and the Public Community College Act. With respect to the annual report on adult education for the preceding school year by the Illinois Community College Board, removes the requirement to include a summary of State reimbursement for adult basic education, adult secondary education, English language acquisition, high school credit, integrated English literacy and civics education, and bridge and integrated education and training programs in coordination with vocational skills training. Provides that any public community college district maintaining adult educations classes for the instruction of those persons who, among other requirements, are 17 (rather than 16) years of age or older are entitled to claim an apportionment of State reimbursement. Allows classes in adult education to include digital literacy. Removes language providing that the maximum generation rate for reimbursement per credit hour or per unit of instruction shall be equal to the community college system reimbursement rate for adult education divided by one-third. Provides that State adult education funds, other than matching funds, are not subject to the authorizing federal law. Removes language providing that approved programs for adult education may assess students up to $6 per credit hour or unit of instruction per semester per student. Removes language requiring an education plan to be established for each adult learning participating in the instructional programs. Requires each adult learner participating in the instructional programs to complete an assessment of foundational skills to appropriately place the adult learner in an instructional program. Makes other and conforming changes. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More types of adult education classes: benefit, low. Approved adult education programs can receive funding for literacy instruction, including digital literacy. Integrated education and training no longer has to be coordinated with vocational skills training. This allows providers to offer more types of instruction. - New rules for adult education funding: benefit, low. The Illinois State Board of Education distributes appropriated funds to adult education providers for approved expenses. Its funding method must include an index of need for planning and local allocations. The Board can award competitive grants to eligible programs to improve or expand services. St… - Adult education eligibility starts at 17: cost, low. For this adult education category, learners must be at least 17 and basic-skills deficient. They must not be enrolled or required to attend secondary school under State law. This excludes 16-year-olds from the category. - Adult education fees up to $30: cost, low. An approved program may charge up to $30 per student each semester to cover program costs. Students receiving public aid under the Illinois Public Aid Code are exempt. The former $6-per-credit or unit limit is removed, but the $30 semester cap remains. - Skills assessment for adult learners: mixed, low. Adult learners in programs under this law must take an assessment of foundational skills for placement. The assessment helps place learners in an instructional program, and replaces the former requirement to create an education plan. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Aarón M. Ortíz (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dagmara Avelar (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Graciela Guzmán (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Janet Yang Rohr (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lilian Jiménez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Maura Hirschauer (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Norma Hernandez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Suzanne M. Ness (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Theresa Mah (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-21 | Senate | Third Reading - Passed; | pass | 48 | 7 | | | 2026-04-29 | Senate | Do Pass Higher Education; | pass | 11 | 1 | | | 2026-04-09 | House | Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed | pass | 72 | 37 | | | 2026-03-19 | House | Do Pass / Short Debate Higher Education Committee; | pass | 7 | 4 | | ## Actions (33) - 2026-07-31: Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0693 (House) - 2026-07-31: Effective Date January 1, 2027 (House) - 2026-07-31: Governor Approved (House) - 2026-06-18: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-21: Passed Both Houses (House) - 2026-05-21: Third Reading - Passed; 048-007-000 (Senate) - 2026-05-14: Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 18, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-05-14: Second Reading (Senate) - 2026-04-29: Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading April 30, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-04-29: Do Pass Higher Education; 011-001-000 (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Assigned to Higher Education (Senate) - 2026-04-16: Referred to Assignments (Senate) - 2026-04-16: First Reading (Senate) - 2026-04-16: Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Graciela Guzmán (Senate) - 2026-04-10: Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading April 14, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-04-10: Arrive in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Theresa Mah (House) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Suzanne M. Ness (House) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (House) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar (House) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Norma Hernandez (House) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Dagmara Avelar (House) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lilian Jiménez (House) - 2026-04-09: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Maura Hirschauer (House) - 2026-04-09: Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 072-037-000 (House) - 2026-04-07: Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-04-07: Second Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-03-20: Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-03-19: Do Pass / Short Debate Higher Education Committee; 007-004-000 (House) - 2026-03-04: Assigned to Higher Education Committee (House) - 2026-02-10: Referred to Rules Committee (House) - 2026-02-10: First Reading (House) - 2026-02-05: Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Aarón M. Ortíz (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5135eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5135enr.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5135.pdf) ## Related bills - HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS (passed house) - SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS (passed senate) - HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY (in committee) - HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT (in committee) - SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL (passed senate) - SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5135eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5135enr.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5135.pdf) ## Related - [HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5198-2025-2026) - [SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB1937-2025-2026) - [HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB2563-2025-2026) - [HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB4701-2025-2026) - [SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3008-2025-2026) - [SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3484-2025-2026) - [Illinois bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois/bills) - [Illinois state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5135-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).