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HB 3208

Relating to school attendance; declaring an emergency.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Lew Frederick and 3 co-sponsors

Schools must invite official military and state college recruiters to at least one on-campus event per high school year, with opt-out and FERPA-compliant access.

In committee upon adjournment.
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Bill Summary · HB 3208

Summary — HB 3208 (SCH CD‑MILITARY RECRUIT EVENT)

Bill: HB 3208
Introduced: Feb 21, 2025 (Rep. Michael J. Coffey, Jr.)
Statutory changes: Amends the School Code, 105 ILCS 5/10‑20.5a and 105 ILCS 5/34‑18
Companion: SB 2316
Current status (selected actions): Referred to Transportation 3/20/2025; public hearing and committee substitute considered 5/1/2025; reported favorably as substituted 5/1/2025; committee report to Calendars 5/14/2025. Multiple co‑sponsors added through Oct 29, 2025.

Purpose / Intent

To ensure that official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States (and State public institutions of higher education) have regular, on‑campus opportunity to recruit and provide information about educational and career opportunities to high school students.

Key provisions

  • Requires school boards for districts maintaining grades 10–12 to invite official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States to hold a recruitment event on the high school campus at least once per school year.
  • Retains language that access must be provided "on an equal basis" and consistent with federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) rules, and applies when boards already provide similar access to other persons/groups.
  • Clarifies "directory information" for this purpose as a high school student's name, address, and telephone number.
  • Maintains an opt‑out mechanism: a student or parent/guardian may submit a signed, written request before the end of the student's sophomore year (or upon transfer) to withhold directory information from military recruiting representatives; schools must notify students/parents of this.
  • Allows schools to charge recruiting representatives only actual copying/mailing costs (if applicable).
  • Specifies that information received by recruiting representatives may be used only to provide educational and career opportunity information and not released to unrelated parties.
  • References a requirement that student directory information be made electronically accessible through a secure centralized data system to official recruiting representatives (text cites a Jan 1, 2024 date consistent with prior enactments).

Who is affected

  • Public high schools (grades 10–12) and local school boards in Illinois (scheduling, notification, potential administrative tasks).
  • High school students and their parents/guardians (notice rights; opt‑out deadlines).
  • Official recruiting representatives of the Illinois and U.S. armed forces and State public institutions of higher education (annual campus access and potential access to directory data subject to opt‑outs).
  • School administrative staff (maintaining directory data, complying with fee limits and FERPA).

Potential operational impacts

  • Schools must schedule at least one military recruitment event per year and provide required notices to families.
  • Administrative work to maintain directory data, honor opt‑outs, and possibly implement/maintain centralized electronic access as described.
  • Limited, recoverable costs for copying/mailing may be charged to recruiters (actual cost only).

Procedural notes

  • Introduced Feb 21, 2025; committee substitute considered and reported favorably May 1, 2025; committee report sent to Calendars May 14, 2025.
  • Multiple co‑sponsors were added during 2025 (most recently Rep. Brandun Schweizer on Oct 29, 2025). The bill remains in the legislative process pending further floor action.

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

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