Bill
HB 2575
Amendment replaces Arizona funding with Illinois policy: up to 10 days paid release per term for public school employees serving on state boards/committees; no wage deductions.
Status snapshot
- Bill number: HB 2575
- Introduced: February 7, 2025
- Current status: House Committee Amendment No. 1 filed (Mar 5, 2025); amendment re‑referred to Rules Committee (Mar 21, 2025). Public hearing held Apr 28, 2025; left pending in committee.
- Note on content: The original introduced text and the committee amendment contain entirely different subject matter and appear to reflect different jurisdictions (Arizona original text; amendment replaces text with provisions applicable to Illinois). The amendment would replace the bill’s original language if adopted.
1) Original (Introduced) text — Arizona appropriation
- Purpose: A one‑time appropriation to fund the Arizona Geological Survey.
- Key provision: Appropriates $500,000 from the State General Fund in fiscal year 2025–2026 to the University of Arizona for the Arizona Geological Survey (established by A.R.S. §27‑102).
- Who is affected: University of Arizona / Arizona Geological Survey; impacts the FY2025–26 state budget (a $500,000 general fund expenditure).
- Effective/timing: The appropriation is for FY 2025–2026.
2) House Committee Amendment No. 1 — Replacement text (Illinois School Code changes)
- Purpose: Adds and modifies provisions in the Illinois School Code governing (a) the composition and operation of advisory groups formed by the State Board of Education and (b) paid release time for public school employees appointed to represent a statewide association on State boards, committees, or task forces.
- Key provisions:
- Advisory groups (amendment to 105 ILCS 5/2‑3.7a):
- Any task force, study committee, commission, or similar body created or appointed by the State Board or State Superintendent after the act takes effect must include parents/guardians of students directly affected by the subject under study.
- Parents/guardians appointed to satisfy this requirement must not be connected with any school collective bargaining unit or employed by certain educational entities (specific exclusions listed in the amendment).
- Meetings of advisory groups must be accessible, include remote attendance options that allow full participation, be scheduled after consulting members’ availability, and avoid conflicts with school hours for members who work in schools.
- The State Board must solicit input from councils, committees, and group members (text partially redacted/fragmented in the amendment).
- New section (105 ILCS 5/24‑3.10) — Attendance for appointed State work:
- Any public school employee who is a member of a statewide association and is appointed to a State board, advisory council, committee, commission, or task force to represent that association may spend up to 10 days during a school term on such State work.
- No deduction of wages may be made for those absences (i.e., paid release time).
- Effective immediately upon becoming law.
- Who is affected:
- Illinois State Board of Education advisory groups and any new boards/commissions created by the Board or Superintendent.
- Parents/guardians who would be appointed to advisory groups (with eligibility restrictions).
- Illinois public school employees who are members of statewide associations — they would be eligible for up to 10 days of paid release to perform State‑appointed duties.
- School districts/employers — required to provide paid leave for up to 10 days per school term for qualifying employees; potential fiscal or administrative impacts (the bill includes a State Mandates Act note indicating the measure may create reimbursable mandates).
- Timing: The amendment text states the new attendance provision takes effect upon becoming law.
Implications and considerations
- If the amendment is adopted, the original Arizona appropriation language would be replaced by Illinois School Code changes; the bill as amended would no longer be an Arizona appropriation but a substantive Illinois education policy bill.
- Fiscal effects:
- Original text: $500,000 appropriation from Arizona general fund (FY 2025–26).
- Amendment: Potential cost to Illinois school districts or the State if districts must provide paid release time; the bill flags potential State Mandates Act reimbursement issues but does not quantify costs.
- Legislative posture: The presence of a full “strike‑everything” committee amendment and conflicting jurisdictional text suggests the bill’s final scope depends on adoption of the amendment and subsequent committee and floor action.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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