Macon Reporter

State Representative Regan Deering from Decatur has expressed her opposition to the advancement of House Bill 2827 by the House Education Policy Committee. The bill, which affects homeschool policy, received over 41,000 witness slips in opposition.

House Bill 2827 proposes changes that would require non-public elementary and secondary schools to register annually with the Illinois State Board of Education. Additionally, it mandates homeschools to complete a Homeschool Declaration Form or face penalties such as fines and imprisonment for truancy.

Representative Deering stated, "I am disappointed in the Education Policy Committee’s decision to advance this legislation when over 41,000 witnesses have slipped in opposition to the bill." She further commented on the potential consequences of the bill: "This legislation sets up unfunded mandates, further burdens school administrators and Regional Offices of Education (ROEs), puts energy into a non-problem, and strips freedom from students who learn differently."

Despite significant opposition, House Democrats moved forward with passing the legislation through committee without any Republican support. Representative Deering encourages those opposed to HB 2827 and supportive of homeschool freedom to sign her petition available on her website at RepDeering.com.

For those interested in tracking the progress of HB 2827, updates can be found at ilga.gov. Questions can be directed to Representative Deering's office by calling (217) 876-1968 or visiting RepDeering.com.