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HB 2685

EDUC-SCHOOL LIBRARY TASK FORCE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Camille Lilly and 3 co-sponsors

Establishes a temporary Illinois Licensed School Librarian Task Force to study staffing, budgeting, and alternatives for school libraries, with a final report due within 12 months.

Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · HB 2685

Summary — HB 2685 (Licensed School Librarian Task Force)

Status: Introduced Feb 11, 2025; current status shown as Rule 3‑9(a) / Re‑referred to Assignments (6/2/2025).
Scope: Adds Section 2‑3.206 to the Illinois School Code.

Purpose

Create a short‑term, statewide Task Force to study and produce recommendations on how Illinois public elementary and secondary schools can consider, budget for, and employ licensed school librarians (defined as holders of a Professional Educator License with a library/information specialist endorsement), and to recommend alternative library resources when licensed librarians cannot be employed.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new statutory section (105 ILCS 5/2‑3.206) establishing the Licensed School Librarian Task Force.
  • The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) must convene the Task Force within 120 days after the law’s effective date.
  • ISBE will provide administrative and technical support.
  • The Task Force must meet at least 4 times and must submit a final report to the Governor and General Assembly no later than 12 months after its first meeting. The Task Force is dissolved upon submission of the report.
  • The statutory section is set to be repealed on July 1, 2027 (temporary, sunset provision).
  • Effective immediately upon becoming law.

Membership and operations

  • “Licensed school librarian” is defined in statute.
  • Membership includes a mixture of appointments by the State Board, Secretary of State, Governor, legislative leaders, and others: two State Board appointees; representatives from statewide librarian organizations and educational groups; one member from each Illinois regional library system; a university representative; and legislative appointees (Speaker, Minority Leaders, etc.). The Chairperson of the State Board (or designee) serves as non‑voting Chair.
  • Members serve without compensation; vacancies are filled in the same manner as original appointments.
  • Notably, the bill states a quorum is not required for the Task Force to convene or meet.

Who is affected / likely impact

  • Primary subjects: ISBE (administration), Secretary of State (appointments), universities and regional library systems, licensed school librarians, and public school districts.
  • The Task Force’s recommendations could shape future state and local budgeting, staffing expectations, and policies regarding school library staffing and resources, but the bill does not itself appropriate funds or mandate hiring.

Timeline & procedural notes

  • ISBE must convene the Task Force within 120 days of the act taking effect.
  • The final report is due within 12 months of the Task Force’s first meeting.
  • The statutory authority expires July 1, 2027.
  • As provided in the materials, the bill was introduced in February 2025 and had subsequent House action; current listed status is re‑referred to Assignments (June 2, 2025).

Note: The provided document also includes text from an unrelated Arizona HB 2685 (earned income tax credit). This summary focuses only on the Illinois School Library Task Force provisions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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