# Illinois SB3224: ILLINOIS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND Illinois SB3224, ILLINOIS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, is a 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) Senate bill sponsored by Doris Turner (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-07-31 (Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0716) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3224-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Illinois SB3224 - State: Illinois - Session: 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) - Title: ILLINOIS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-02 - Last action: 2026-07-31, Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0716 - Sponsor: Doris Turner (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 18 - Subjects: assignments, education, human services - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (180 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 11 ## Summary Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Changes the name of the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired to the Illinois School for the Blind. Makes conforming changes to the Personnel Code, the School Code, the School Safety Drill Act, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and the MRSA Prevention, Control, and Reporting Act. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Free care in State disability institutions: benefit, high. If you are an Illinois resident placed in a Department institution, you get supervision, housing, board, tuition, and treatment free of charge. Residents of other states pay costs the Department sets. Out‑of‑state residents cannot displace Illinois residents. The Department may accept donations to… - Access and notice for deaf and blind schools: benefit, medium. The Department of Human Services runs residential schools for children with visual or hearing disabilities who cannot use local schools. Admission requires a diagnosis and evaluation under Department rules. The Department sets a yearly deadline to enroll students who meet primary eligibility. After… - Braille instruction for functionally blind students: benefit, medium. Students found functionally blind under State Board criteria are presumed to need Braille to make progress. Each such student is entitled to Braille instruction if physically and cognitively able to use it. Assessments must document Braille strengths and weaknesses, and the IEP must name the right… - Faster special education evaluations and parent rights: benefit, medium. When you ask in writing for an independent educational evaluation, the school finishes it within 60 school days, unless it starts a due process hearing or there are reasonable grounds for more time. You get a copy of the team summary and are told about your right to an independent evaluation; if a… - Grants for digital school crisis maps: benefit, medium. The State Board of Education may give grants, subject to funding, so public school entities get digital crisis response maps and share them with first responders. Maps must meet technical standards: work with the school’s security software without extra purchases, be printable, be checked by an on‑… - Security and MRSA rules at State schools: benefit, low. The Department may appoint a police and security force. Members are peace officers with arrest powers but can use those powers only in counties with more than 500,000 people to protect Department property or when asked by law enforcement; they cannot serve civil process. Residential schools for the… - Targeted civil-service exemptions for some jobs: benefit, low. Select State jobs are removed from certain civil‑service rules. Exemptions cover private secretaries and one confidential assistant per agency; heads and chaplains of State institutions and member/inmate workers; some high‑level policy jobs; workers paid under prevailing wage; beauticians and trade… - Who leads and hires at State schools: benefit, low. The Governor appoints, with Senate approval, the Superintendents of the Illinois School for the Deaf and the Illinois School for the Blind Visually Impaired; they serve four‑year, full‑time terms. The Deaf School Superintendent must be fluent in American Sign Language and meet degree, license, and… - Restitution rules for damage in institutions: cost, low. If a resident causes loss or damage, the Department uses set rules to decide if the resident must pay restitution. The rules also consider whether the resident or the resident’s parents can afford to pay. - Background checks for school hires, with privacy: mixed, low. Applicants for jobs at the Illinois School for the Blind Visually Impaired, the Illinois School for the Deaf, and the listed rehabilitation centers must sign a Department of Children and Family Services form that allows a Central Register check for child abuse findings before hiring. The Department… - Student fees and funds at State schools: mixed, low. Parents of students at the State deaf and blind schools can be asked to pay specific fees, like registration, books, up to two activity fees, driver’s education, graduation, yearbook, and trips; exceptions are available if a parent cannot pay. The Department can charge districts for student transpo… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Doris Turner (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Amy Briel (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ann M. Williams (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Anna Moeller (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Christopher "C.D." Davidsmeyer (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Diane Blair-Sherlock (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jason R. Bunting (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Javier L. Cervantes (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Jil Tracy (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Stuart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kelly M. Cassidy (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kyle Moore (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Lindsey LaPointe (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Maurice A. West, II (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Michelle Mussman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nicole La Ha (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Nicolle Grasse (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Norine K. Hammond (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-21 | House | Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed | pass | 108 | 0 | | | 2026-05-06 | House | Do Pass / Short Debate Human Services Committee; | pass | 12 | 0 | | | 2026-03-26 | Senate | Third Reading - Passed; | pass | 47 | 0 | | | 2026-02-18 | Senate | Do Pass Education; | pass | 13 | 0 | | ## Actions (41) - 2026-07-31: Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0716 (Senate) - 2026-07-31: Effective Date January 1, 2027 (Senate) - 2026-07-31: Governor Approved (Senate) - 2026-06-18: Sent to the Governor (Senate) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jason R. Bunting (House) - 2026-05-21: Passed Both Houses (Senate) - 2026-05-21: Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 108-000-000 (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Maurice A. West, II (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicole La Ha (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Ann M. Williams (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Katie Stuart (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Anna Moeller (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicolle Grasse (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Kyle Moore (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Amy Briel (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Norine K. Hammond (House) - 2026-05-21: Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Christopher "C.D." Davidsmeyer (House) - 2026-05-19: Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-05-19: Second Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-05-06: Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-05-06: Do Pass / Short Debate Human Services Committee; 012-000-000 (House) - 2026-04-27: Assigned to Human Services Committee (House) - 2026-03-27: Referred to Rules Committee (House) - 2026-03-27: First Reading (House) - 2026-03-26: Chief House Sponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman (House) - 2026-03-26: Arrived in House (House) - 2026-03-26: Third Reading - Passed; 047-000-000 (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading February 26, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Second Reading (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Jil Tracy (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading February 19, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Do Pass Education; 013-000-000 (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Assigned to Education (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Referred to Assignments (Senate) - 2026-02-02: First Reading (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Filed with Secretary by Sen. Doris Turner (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3224eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3224enr.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3224.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/SB/PDF/10400SB3224eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3224enr.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3224.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-SB3224-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).