South Central Reporter

Steve McClure introduced SB0098 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 17, 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. In provisions concerning a school board's suspension or expulsion of pupils, provides that a student who is determined to have committed sexual violence, sexual assault, or sexual activity with an individual without the individual's consent at a school, a school-sponsored activity or event, or any activity or event that bears a reasonable relationship to school shall be expelled for a period of not less than one year. Effective immediately."

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

In essence, this bill amends the Illinois School Code to mandate a minimum one-year expulsion for students who commit sexual violence, sexual assault, or engage in non-consensual sexual activity on school grounds or at school-related events. The bill further outlines protocols for the suspension and expulsion process, including the requirement for a hearing and providing written justification for disciplinary actions. It also states that expelled students may be transferred to alternative education programs and emphasizes efforts to minimize exclusions through non-exclusionary discipline and re-engagement strategies. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Steve McClure has proposed one other bill since the beginning of the 104th session.

McClure graduated from Arizona State University in 2006 with a BA and again in 2011 from Valparaiso University School of Law with a JD.

Steve McClure is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 54th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Sam McCann in 2023.

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
SB0098	01/17/2025	Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning a school board's suspension or expulsion of pupils, provides that a student who is determined to have committed sexual violence, sexual assault, or sexual activity with an individual without the individual's consent at a school, a school-sponsored activity or event, or any activity or event that bears a reasonable relationship to school shall be expelled for a period of not less than one year. Effective immediately.
SB0109	01/17/2025	Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the expiration date of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card issued on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act must be boldly and conspicuously displayed on the face of the card. Provides that the expiration date of a combined Firearm Owner's Identification Card and concealed carry license issued on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act must be boldly and conspicuously displayed on the face of the card and must clearly identify the expiration date of the person's Firearm Owner's Identification Card and the expiration date of the person's concealed carry license.
SB0059	01/13/2025	Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that, by January 1, 2026, the Secretary of State shall establish and maintain a secure database that is accessible to local election officials and that indicates whether the particular person to whom a driver's license or State identification card has been issued is a United States citizen. Amends the Election Code. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2026, before an applicant is registered to vote, the registration officer shall verify the applicant's citizenship status using the secure database maintained by the Secretary of State. Provides that, if the information in the database indicates that the applicant is not a United States citizen, then the applicant's card shall be marked with the word "incomplete", and the registration officer shall notify the applicant in writing that (i) the application is incomplete and (ii) the applicant may not vote unless the applicant appears before the county clerk to present evidence that the applicant is a United States citizen. Effective immediately.