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HB 2958

IBHE-CAREER GUIDE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Mike Crawford

Illinois IBHE must create and publish a centralized, accessible career-and-education guide for postsecondary students with disabilities, detailing services, accommodations, and pla

Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 2958

Summary — HB 2958 (IBHE — Career Guide for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities)

Note: The document provided contained text from two different HB 2958 bills (one Arizona bill about state building rental rates and one Illinois bill establishing an IBHE career guide). This summary covers the Illinois bill titled “IBHE — Career Guide” (introduced by Rep. Michael Crawford).

Purpose and intent

To require the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), in consultation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Department of Employment Security (IDES), to develop and publish a career-and-education guide specifically for postsecondary students with disabilities. The guide is intended to centralize, standardize, and publicize information that helps students with disabilities transition from college into employment and further education.

Key provisions

  • Agency responsibility: IBHE must develop the guide in consultation with DCEO and IDES.
  • Content requirements: The guide must include all of the following:
    • For each Illinois institution of higher education, identification of:
    • Disability career centers, career counseling, and placement services.
    • Work-based learning options for students with disabilities (e.g., internships, cooperative education, independent-study opportunities).
    • Available accommodations and supports (e.g., note-takers, exam accommodations, accessible seating, textbooks and equipment accessibility, accessible parking, housing/dining accommodations, and student groups).
    • Broad-based career-planning guidance for undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities, including:
    • When, if, and how to disclose a disability to a prospective employer.
    • How to request and negotiate reasonable accommodations on the job.
    • Employees’ rights for workers with disabilities.
    • Assistive technologies and other workplace supports.
    • A list of national and regional organizations tailored to job seekers with disabilities (with contact information and websites).
  • Accessibility and distribution:
    • The guide must be publicly available on the IBHE, DCEO, and IDES websites.
    • IBHE may publish printed copies and may charge a reasonable fee for printed copies.
  • Timing:
    • Effective date of the Act: January 1, 2026.
    • First guide must be published by August 1, 2026; thereafter it must be published annually each August 1.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Postsecondary students with disabilities in Illinois (undergraduate and graduate).
  • Entities with duties or responsibilities: IBHE (lead), DCEO, IDES, and institutions of higher education (which will likely need to provide or verify program/service information).
  • Secondary stakeholders: Employers, disability services offices, career centers, advocacy and service organizations, and students/families seeking printed copies.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Benefits: Easier navigation of career services and workplace accommodation information; improved transition supports; a centralized resource to reduce information gaps across campuses.
  • Administrative implications: IBHE and partner agencies will incur responsibility for assembling, maintaining, and updating the guide annually; institutions must supply current data about their services and options.
  • Costs: Development and maintenance costs borne by state agencies; IBHE may recoup some expense via fees for printed copies.
  • Implementation timeline: Agencies must complete the initial guide within ~7 months after the Act becomes effective (Jan 1 to Aug 1, 2026).

Legislative status (from provided materials)

  • Introduced in the Illinois House: February 6, 2025 (Rep. Michael Crawford).
  • Initial referral: Referred to Rules Committee (first reading noted Feb 6, 2025).
  • Effective date if enacted: January 1, 2026; first publication by August 1, 2026.

If you want, I can:
- Produce a one-page fact sheet for campus disability offices explaining their likely responsibilities, or
- Draft suggested timelines and a checklist IBHE could use to produce the first guide by Aug 1, 2026.

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

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