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SB 1741

SCH CD-LIBRARIAN TASK FORCE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Graciela Guzmán and 1 co-sponsor

Establishes a temporary Illinois task force to study and recommend budgeting for and hiring licensed school librarians in public schools, with a 12-month report and sunset in 2027.

Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · SB 1741

Summary — SB 1741: Licensed School Librarian Task Force (Illinois)

Status: Enacted (signed by Governor 6/27/2025)
Effective: Immediately; task force provisions repealed 12/31/2027

Purpose / Intent

Create a temporary, state-level task force to evaluate and make recommendations on how Illinois public elementary and secondary schools can ensure they consider, budget for, and employ licensed school librarians (and appropriate support/resources) in future school years. The effort is intended to strengthen school library programs, support literacy and information-literacy development, and identify scalable staffing/resource approaches where licensed librarians cannot be employed.

Key provisions

  • Adds Section 2‑3.206 to the School Code establishing the "Licensed School Librarian Task Force."
  • Definition: "Licensed school librarian" = holder of a Professional Educator License with a Library Information Specialist endorsement.
  • Convening timeline:
    • State Board of Education (SBE) must establish and convene the Task Force within 120 days after the Act’s effective date.
    • The Task Force must meet at least 4 times.
    • Must submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly no later than 12 months after its first convening.
  • Report content: recommendations on how public K–12 schools should consider, budget for, and employ licensed school librarians from available state and local resources; recommendations for alternative library resources where licensed librarians cannot be staffed.
  • Membership and governance:
    • Initial membership includes appointees from the SBE, Secretary of State, statewide librarian organizations, Illinois regional library systems, an Illinois university offering relevant programs, legislative leaders (President of the Senate, Speaker, minority leaders), and others.
    • A Senate amendment expanded membership to add appointees from statewide superintendent, principal, and school board associations; a large-city school district; a parent advocacy group; and an education policy organization.
    • The SBE Chair (or designee) serves as nonvoting Chair of the Task Force.
    • Members serve without compensation; vacancies are filled by the same appointing authority; quorum is not required to convene.
  • Administrative support: SBE must provide administrative and technical support.
  • Sunset: Task Force dissolved upon submission of its report; statutory section repealed 12/31/2027.

Who is affected

  • State Board of Education (administration and convening duties)
  • Secretary of State, Governor, legislative leaders (appointing authorities)
  • Licensed school librarians, library education programs, regional library systems
  • School districts (budgeting and potential staffing considerations)
  • Students and school communities (potential long‑term impacts on literacy and information literacy)

Fiscal/Procedural notes

  • The law mandates study and recommendations but does not appropriate specific funding for staffing or implementation.
  • Recommendations could lead to future legislative or budgetary proposals to expand licensed librarian positions or resources.

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

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