South Central Reporter

Michael J. Coffey, Jr. introduced HB3208 in the Illinois House on Feb. 6, 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 requiring access to a high school campus and student directory information to the official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States, deletes language that provides that a school board is not required to give greater notice regarding the right of access to recruiting representatives than is given to other persons and groups. Provides instead that a school board shall invite official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States to hold a recruitment event on the high school campus at least once per school year."

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, requiring school boards to provide access to high school campuses and student directory information to armed forces recruiters from Illinois and the United States. It mandates schools invite military recruiters for annual campus recruitment events. The bill allows students or their guardians to opt out of sharing directory information, which includes names, addresses, and telephone numbers, with military recruiters if they submit a request before the end of the student's sophomore year. Schools may charge recruiters a fee for copying and mailing the directory information, and any provided information must solely be used for presenting military educational and career opportunities. The bill also stipulates that, by Jan. 1, 2024, directory information should be accessible electronically via a secure system for these official recruitment representatives.

Michael J. Coffey, Jr. has proposed another two bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Coffey graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS.

Michael J Coffey Jr. is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 95th House District. He replaced previous state representative Tim Butler 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
HB3208	02/06/2025	Amends the School Code. In provisions requiring access to a high school campus and student directory information to the official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States, deletes language that provides that a school board is not required to give greater notice regarding the right of access to recruiting representatives than is given to other persons and groups. Provides instead that a school board shall invite official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States to hold a recruitment event on the high school campus at least once per school year.
HB3207	02/06/2025	Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Increases the jurisdictional amount to use the summary administration procedure or the small estate affidavit from $100,000 to $500,000.
HB3209	02/06/2025	Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Revenue shall reimburse eligible municipalities for revenue loss associated with tax exempt State property located in the municipality. Provides that the aggregate amount of reimbursements for all taxing districts in any calendar year may not exceed $100,000,000. Sets forth the amount of the reimbursement. Effective immediately.
HB3210	02/06/2025	Amends the State Salary and Annuity Withholding Act, the Secretary of State Act, and the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984. Removes references to parking lot O and the William G. Stratton State Office Building. Replaces references with "the underground parking facility located at the intersection of South Spring Street and West Edwards Street" and "the underground legislative parking garage located at 301 South College Street in Springfield".
HB3211	02/06/2025	Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State shall allow students to participate in interscholastic athletic practices and events as a member of the team of a school in the school district if the student meets specified conditions. Effective immediately.
HB3241	02/06/2025	Amends the Illinois TRUST Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a county is not required to comply with the provisions of the Act if the county board of the county adopts a resolution for that purpose on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that if the county board adopts such a resolution, neither the county nor any officer or employee of the county shall be civilly or criminally liable for noncompliance with the Act.
HB1729	01/24/2025	Creates the Reinvest in Future Technical Careers Act. Provides that the Department of Revenue shall award income tax credits to taxpayers who make authorized contributions to scholarship granting organizations for the purpose of awarding scholarships to eligible students who attend technical academies. Sets forth limitations with respect to the aggregate amount of credits awarded by the Department of Revenue under the program in a calendar year and the amount of credits awarded to an individual taxpayer. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes.