HB4241 Summary

• Amends the School Code Section 21B-80 to expand the list of offenses that disqualify school personnel from licensure, changing the reference from Section 11-9.5 to 11-9.6 of the Criminal Code.

• Creates a new crime of "abuse by an educator or authority figure" under Criminal Code Section 11-9.6 targeting sexual conduct between school employees or volunteers and students aged 18-22.

• Applies to educators (teachers, administrators, support staff, coaches) and authority figures (non-student employees) at public or nonpublic secondary schools who are at least 4 years older than the student and held a position of trust or supervision within the previous year.

• Prohibits sexual conduct or sexual penetration between qualifying educators/authority figures and students aged 18 to under 23 years old.

• Requires the State Superintendent of Education to immediately suspend licenses or deny applications for those charged with the offense, with reinstatement if acquitted; licenses are permanently revoked upon conviction.