Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB1113

LRB104 03913 LNS 13937 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB1113

Introduced 1/9/2025, by Rep. Jed Davis

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-22.34d new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new

Amends the School Code. Allows each school board to employ or accept as a volunteer a certified chaplain to provide to a school support, services, and programs for students, staff, and parents as assigned by the school board. Sets forth the selection process, certification requirements, and amount of chaplains a school may employ or accept as a volunteer. Requires a chaplain to submit to a fingerprint-based criminal history records check and check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database before the chaplain begins employment or volunteering at a school. Prohibits a chaplain from being employed or accepted as a volunteer if the chaplain is registered or is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act or the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act. Provides that no person shall have a cause of action against a chaplain for any action taken or statement made in adherence with the provision of support, services, or programs for students, staff, or parents. Establishes exceptions to a chaplain's liability immunity.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 10-22.34d and 34-18.88 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-22.34d new)

Sec. 10-22.34d. School chaplains.

(a) Each school board may employ or accept as a volunteer a certified chaplain to provide to a school support, services, and programs for students, staff, and parents as assigned by the school board. The chaplain shall be selected by and be responsible to the school board.

(b) Any chaplain employed or accepted as a volunteer under this Section is not required to be certified by the State Board of Education.

(c) Nothing in this Section prohibits any school board from employing or accepting as a volunteer more than one chaplain for any school.

(d) A school board that employs or accepts as a volunteer a chaplain under this Section shall ensure that the chaplain submits to a fingerprint-based criminal history records check and check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database as provided in Section 10-21.9 of this Code before the chaplain begins employment or volunteering at a school.

(e) A school board may not employ or accept as a volunteer a chaplain who has registered or is required to register under the Statewide Sex Offender Registration Act or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act.

(f) No person shall have a cause of action against a chaplain employed or accepted as a volunteer under this Section for any action taken or statement made by the chaplain in adherence with the provision of support, services, or programs for students, staff, or parents. However, this immunity does not apply to any action or statement by a chaplain that was maliciously, willfully, and deliberately intended to cause harm or harass or to intimidate those seeking support, services, or programs.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)

Sec. 34-18.88. School chaplains.

(a) The board may employ or accept as a volunteer a certified chaplain to provide to a school support, services, and programs for students, staff, and parents as assigned by the board. The chaplain shall be selected by and be responsible to the board.

(b) Any chaplain employed or accepted as a volunteer under this Section is not required to be certified by the State Board of Education.

(c) Nothing in this Section prohibits the board from employing or accepting as a volunteer more than one chaplain for any school.

(d) If the board employs or accepts as a volunteer a chaplain under this Section, the board shall ensure that the chaplain submits to a fingerprint-based criminal history records check and check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database as provided in Section 34-18.5 of this Code before the chaplain begins employment or volunteering at a school.

(e) The board may not employ or accept as a volunteer a chaplain who has registered or is required to register under the Statewide Sex Offender Registration Act or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act.

(f) No person shall have a cause of action against a chaplain employed or accepted as a volunteer under this Section for any action taken or statement made by the chaplain in adherence with the provision of support, services, or programs for students, staff, or parents. However, this immunity does not apply to any action or statement by a chaplain that was maliciously, willfully, and deliberately intended to cause harm or harass or to intimidate those seeking support, services, or programs.