(The Center Square) – Homeschool parents worried about the state of Illinois imposing regulations on the practice have a reprieve after the measure failed to advance.
House Bill 2827 accumulated tens of thousands of opponent witness slips filed against it since the measure was filed earlier this year. Sponsor, state Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, rose Friday to announce the bill isn’t ready, but said it is necessary to ensure homeschool children are protected.
“To the victims who are out there: We see you, we hear you and we will keep fighting for you,” she said.
Costa Howard said she was keeping the measure held on third leading into the Friday deadline to pass House bills to the Senate. She defended the measure, saying it does not mandate curriculum, but does require homeschool families to report to government officials that they homeschool, or they could face truancy charges.
“It truly is a simple form that can protect families from those nosey neighbors,” she said.
Tens of thousands of opponents filed witness slips against the measure since it was introduced earlier this year. Some Democrats spoke out against the measure, saying it could criminalize homeschool parents raising and teaching their children how they see fit.
Republican state Rep. Amy Elik said the bill was “doomed from the beginning.”
“A simple form was not so simple was it? It created burdens on families across Illinois, our entire school system,” Elik said, “and nobody seems to care that that was going to cost our schools and our families valuable resources that could be spent instead of fixing our public school system that often fails children.”
Elik said she’s glad the measure is being held, but she said the fight isn’t over for opponents.
“I can tell you our families still feel like they are under attack and walking on eggshells in Illinois,” she said. “That happens all the time in this chamber.”
The measure will be held, but could come back up in some fashion before the scheduled end of session May 31.
Legislators are off next week. The House returns April 22. The Senate returns April 29.
