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HB 3573

Relating to water resources; declaring an emergency.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ken Helm and 1 co-sponsor

Allows school boards to briefly hire a third-party for non-instructional services (up to 3 months) in emergencies, with IELRA compliance; repeated use requires union consent.

In committee upon adjournment.
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Bill Summary · HB 3573

Summary — HB 3573 (2025)

Relating to water resources; declaring an emergency. (Bill text amends School Code Section 10‑22.34c)

Note: Although the bill caption references water resources/emergency, the amendment in the text modifies the School Code provision on third‑party non‑instructional services.

Purpose / Intent

Permit school boards to rapidly and temporarily contract with third‑party providers for non‑instructional services (e.g., custodial, maintenance, food service, transportation support) in narrowly defined emergency situations that threaten student or staff health or safety, while preserving obligations to labor law and most existing procedural safeguards.

Key provisions and changes

  • Adds a new emergency exception (subsection (b)) to Section 10‑22.34c of the School Code:
    • Allows a school board to enter into a one‑time contract with a third party to perform non‑instructional services currently done by employees or bargaining‑unit members to augment the workforce in an emergency.
    • The one‑time contract is limited to no longer than 3 months in duration.
    • The school board must meet all obligations under the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act (IELRA) before entering the contract.
    • If a board attempts to use this emergency contracting authority more than once during a school year, it must obtain the mutual agreement of the affected collective bargaining unit(s).
  • Retains existing substantive requirements for non‑emergency third‑party contracting in subsection (a), including bid content (insurance, benefits, staffing, criminal background checks), cost comparisons, public hearings, requirements that contractors offer positions to displaced district employees, and nondiscrimination provisions.
  • Explicitly states the amendment does not apply to non‑instructional services already performed by a third party on the bill’s effective date.
  • Effective immediately upon becoming law.

Who is affected

  • School boards and superintendents — gain limited short‑term contracting flexibility in emergencies.
  • Educational support personnel and bargaining units — may be temporarily displaced or augmented; repeated use requires bargaining unit consent.
  • Third‑party vendors — potential short (≤3 month) contracting opportunities in emergencies.
  • Students and staff — intended benefit: protection of safety/health by allowing rapid workforce augmentation.

Procedural / status details

  • Introduced (filed) Feb–Mar 2025 by Rep. Nabeela Syed (primary); co‑sponsors Rep. Michael Crawford and Rep. Hoan Huynh.
  • Legislative actions: read first time 2025‑03‑25; referred to State Affairs; earlier referrals to Rules, Labor & Commerce, and other committees. Status as of 2025‑06‑28: In committee upon adjournment.
  • The bill declares immediate effectiveness upon enactment.

Considerations / potential impacts

  • Enables quicker responses to acute staffing crises that threaten safety/health (e.g., disease outbreaks, facility emergencies).
  • Balances rapid action with IELRA compliance and limits on duration and frequency to protect collective bargaining rights.
  • Labor stakeholders may raise concerns about short‑term use and operational impacts; school boards must still satisfy procedural requirements for transparency and cost comparison.

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

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