Kankakee Times

Jackie Haas introduced HB2918 in the Illinois House on Feb. 5, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to provide technical assistance for specific learning disabilities to school districts. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if the student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting. Effective July 1, 2025."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill mandates that, starting with the 2025-26 academic year, all Illinois school districts are required to screen students from kindergarten through second grade for dyslexia risk factors using a universal screener. If a student is identified as at risk or at some risk, the district must administer a Level I dyslexia screening to gather more information, potentially including progress monitoring data and family history. The screening should check for phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and other reading skills. If dyslexia is indicated, schools must use a multi-tiered support system, and parents must be informed and provided with resources. School districts must report annually on screening outcomes, and the results will be published by the State Board of Education. The State Board will provide technical assistance for implementing these measures, and the act takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Jackie Haas has proposed another 18 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Haas graduated from Valparasio University in 1988 with a BA.

Jackie Haas is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 79th House District. She replaced previous state representative Lindsay Parkhurst in 2020.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB2918	02/05/2025	Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to provide technical assistance for specific learning disabilities to school districts. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if the student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting. Effective July 1, 2025.
HB2765	02/05/2025	Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Creates the Deferred Retirement Option Article. Provides a deferred retirement option plan (DROP) for certain participants under the Downstate Teacher Article who are eligible to retire and meet other criteria. Provides that a participant in the DROP may elect to participate for up to 5 years. Provides that on the effective date of the member's election, the System shall credit the member's account on a monthly basis, for as long as the member participates in the DROP, an amount equal to the monthly amount of retirement annuity the member would otherwise be eligible to receive had the member retired on the date of the election. Provides that the DROP member shall be considered in active service for purposes of participation in a collective bargaining agreement, for health care benefits, and for other purposes. Establishes a DROP administered by the State Treasurer for pension funds or retirement systems that are required to establish a DROP and elect to transfer administrative responsibility for the DROP to the State Treasurer. Sets forth provisions concerning interest on the account; termination of the DROP; contributions; administrative costs; and a DROP advisory board. Effective immediately.
HB2768	02/05/2025	Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or municipality may not adopt any regulation that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the use of natural gas in new construction without a referendum. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.
HB2917	02/05/2025	Amends the Good Samaritan Act. Provides civil immunity for a not-for-profit corporation organized to assist veterans that requests, sponsors, or participates in providing a suicide prevention intervention at the scene of a threatened suicide by a veteran; or a person, who without compensation, provides such an intervention at the request of a veteran no-for-profit corporation. Exempts an act or omission that was not in good faith or was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
HB2919	02/05/2025	Amends the Small Estates Article of the Probate Act of 1975. Allows a small estate affidavit to be used to transfer personal property in a decedent's estate if: (1) no letters of office are outstanding on the decedent's estate and no petition for letters is contemplated or pending in the State or in any other jurisdiction; and (2) the decedent's personal estate passing to any party by intestacy or under a will is limited to tangible and intangible personal property not exceeding $150,000 and motor vehicles, trailers, and mobile homes registered with the Secretary of State. Makes a corresponding change in the form for a small estate affidavit. Provides that the changes made to the Act apply to a decedent whose date of death is on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
HB2472	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no insurer shall specify the use of repair procedures that are not in compliance with original equipment manufacturer directives for those parts in the repair of an insured's motor vehicle, nor shall any repair facility or installer use repair procedures that are not in compliance with original equipment manufacturer directives for those parts to repair a vehicle. Provides that the use of original equipment manufacturer repair parts or original equipment manufacturer advanced driver assistance system calibration tools that may be recommended in an original equipment manufacturer directive are not required if the repair parts or tools used are at least equal in like kind and quality and otherwise conform to original equipment manufacturer directives. Amends the Automotive Collision Repair Act. Provides that an estimate given to a consumer by a motor vehicle collision repair facility shall include the use of repair procedures and replacement parts that are in compliance with original equipment manufacturer directives for those parts. Provides that the use of original equipment manufacturer repair parts or original equipment manufacturer advanced driver assistance system calibration tools that may be recommended in an original equipment manufacturer directive are not required if the repair parts or tools used are at least equal in quality and otherwise conform to original equipment manufacturer directives.
HB2473	02/03/2025	Creates the Social Work Licensure Compact Act. Provides that the State of Illinois ratifies and approves the Compact. Provides that the purpose of the Compact is to facilitate interstate practice of regulated social workers by improving public access to competent social work services and that the Compact preserves the regulatory authority of States to protect public health and safety through the current system of State licensure. Includes provisions about state participation in the compact, social worker participation in the compact, issuance of a multistate license, creation of the Social Work Licensure Compact Commission, the authority of the Commission and state licensing authorities, reissuance of a multistate license by a new home state, licensing of active military members, adverse actions against a multistate licensee, development of a multistate data system, rulemaking authority of the Commission, effect and conflict with state laws, oversight, dispute resolution, enforcement, the effective date of the Compact, withdrawal from the Compact, amendments to the Compact, and construction and severability of provisions of the Compact.
HB2361	01/30/2025	Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Designates the month of March of each year as French Heritage Month to be observed throughout the State as a month set apart to promote the study of French language and the culture of French-speaking people.
HB1915	01/29/2025	Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that the Business Enterprise Council shall develop a procedure to recognize, without additional evidence of Business Enterprise Program eligibility, the certification of businesses owned by minorities, women, or persons with disabilities certified by the Secretary of State. Provides that the Business Enterprise Council shall accept certification from a Small Business Development Center as part of its automatic certification process.
HB1916	01/29/2025	Amends the Fire Protection District Act and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that municipalities and fire protection districts may fix, charge, and collect reasonable fees from independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, nursing home facilities, or other similar congregate care facilities for all lift-assist services rendered by a fire department, firefighter, emergency response unit, public safety employee of a municipal department, or fire protection district in connection with providing lift-assist services to a patient or other individual. Provides that the fees may not exceed the actual personnel and equipment costs for all services rendered by the municipality or fire protection district in connection with providing lift-assist services to a patient or other individual. Provides that the municipality or fire protection district may require a facility to enter into a written agreement to reimburse the municipality or fire protection district for the costs of injuries suffered at the facility by municipal or district personnel when providing lift-assist services, including, but not limited to, costs of medical treatment, payments required under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act, disability payments, and pension payments for injured personnel, but provides that any such agreement does not relieve the municipality or fire protection district of a statutory or contractual obligation it may have to its employees for an injury suffered relating to lift-assist services rendered. Contains provisions relating to third-party claims and intervention in a suit relating to claims made by a municipal or fire protection district employee for an injury suffered relating to lift-assist services rendered.
HB1917	01/29/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities and veterans of World War II, provides that the term "veteran" also includes veterans who were killed in the line of duty but were not Illinois residents at the time of their death. Provides that a requirement that a surviving spouse must be a resident of Illinois from the time of the veteran's death through the taxable year for which the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities is sought does not apply if the veteran was killed in the line of duty.
HB1419	01/16/2025	Amends the Department of Early Childhood Act. Provides that beginning on July 1, 2026, a preschool educational program funded by the Department of Early Childhood may admit children ages 3 to 5 who do not otherwise qualify for program services under the low income or at-risk criteria described under the Act if and only if open enrollment slots are available in the program after all reasonable efforts have been made to fill those slots with qualifying children. Provides that a preschool educational program that admits non-qualifying children must demonstrate, as prescribed by the Department, that it made all reasonable efforts to fill all enrollment slots with qualifying children. Provides that failure to demonstrate such efforts may result in a reduction in the grant amount awarded for the program. Effective July 1, 2026.
HB0071	01/09/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the penalty for aggravated domestic battery is a Class X felony for which the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory term of imprisonment of not less than 6 years and not more than 30 years when the person, in committing a domestic battery, strangles another individual.
HB0072	01/09/2025	Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that, if a person has 3 or more pending charges for misdemeanor domestic battery, battery, violation of an order of protection, or criminal damage to property when the property belongs to a family or household member as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, the defendant may be charged as a habitual misdemeanant offender. Provides that the 3 or more charges alleged do not have to be for the same offense. Provides that any offense that results from or is connected with the same transaction, or results from an offense committed at the same time, shall be counted for the purposes of this provision as one offense. Provides that: (1) the third offense must have occurred after the second offense; (2) the second offense must have occurred after the first offense; and (3) all of the charged offenses must be proved at trial in order for the person to be adjudged a habitual misdemeanant offender. Provides that, once a person has been adjudged a habitual misdemeanant offender, any of the following charges for domestic battery, battery, violation of an order of protection, or criminal damage to property in which the property belongs to a family or household member as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 shall be charged as a Class 4 felony. Provides that a habitual misdemeanant offender shall be sentenced as a Class 4 felony offender for which the person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than 3 years. Provides that the court may deny pretrial release to a person charged as a habitual misdemeanant offender. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes.
HB0073	01/09/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person, in addition to other elements of the offense, obstructs justice when, with intent to prevent the apprehension or obstruct the prosecution or defense of any person, he or she knowingly takes a body camera or any part of a body camera from a person known to be a peace officer. Provides that a violation, if the body camera or any part of the body camera is taken from the peace officer during the commission of an offense that has caused great bodily harm to the officer or another person, is a Class 1 felony. Provides that any other violation of this provision is a Class 2 felony.
HB0074	01/09/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment, or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for a felony offense that requires registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act.
HB0075	01/09/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for enhanced penalties for hate crime. Provides that hate crime is: (1) a Class 1 felony if committed by a person 18 years of age or older while armed with a firearm or if the victim of the hate crime is under 18 years of age; (2) a Class X felony if a crime of violence as defined in the Crime Victims Compensation Act is committed against a person by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals; or (3) a Class X felony for which the person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years and not more than 60 years if a crime of violence that is a Class X felony is committed against a victim described in (2). Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person who commits any of these offenses is ineligible for a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment or conditional discharge. Provides that a prisoner serving sentence for the offenses described in (2) or (3) shall receive no more than 4.5 days of sentence credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment. Provides if the underlying offense was first degree murder committed against a person by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of the victim or victims, the court may impose a term of natural life imprisonment upon the offender.
HB0076	01/09/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that if the county jail located in the county where the committed person was residing immediately before his or her conviction for the offense for which he or she is serving sentence in the Department of Corrections has a reentry program for committed persons, the Department of Corrections shall reimburse the county for any expenses incurred in the transfer of the committed person to the sheriff of the county where the reentry program is located, including the housing of the committed person transferred to the reentry program.
HB0077	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Schedules xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance. Provides that notwithstanding the scheduling of xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance, xylazine shall not be considered a controlled substance when: (1) used by licensed Illinois veterinarians dispensing or prescribing for, or administering to, a nonhuman species of a drug containing xylazine that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; (2) used by licensed Illinois veterinarians dispensing or prescribing for, or administering to, a nonhuman species that is permissible under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; (3) manufactured, distributed, or used as an active pharmaceutical ingredient for manufacturing an animal drug approved under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; (4) used by a licensed certified euthanasia technician employed by a certified euthanasia agency; or (5) used by a wildlife biologist engaged in legal or authorized fieldwork under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian.
HB0078	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Increases the penalties for aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer from a Class 4 felony for a first violation to a Class 2 felony and from a Class 3 violation for a second or subsequent offense to a Class 1 felony. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Defines "forcible felony" for the purposes of detainable offenses to include aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer.
HB0079	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision concerning suspensions of retirement annuities during employment with a participating employer, provides that an annuitant receiving a sheriff's law enforcement employee annuity shall be considered a participating employee if the annuitant returns to work as a school security guard employed by a participating employer and works more than 999 hours annually. Effective immediately.