SPRINGFIELD – An initiative addressing discriminatory school disciplinary practices championed by State Senator Karina Villa passed the Senate on Wednesday.

“A student being ticketed for behavior at school can result in them being thrown into the system, hindering their future opportunities,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “School discipline that mirrors law enforcement practices is ineffective at addressing the root causes of student behavior.”

Senate Bill 1519 would ensure that no person is allowed to issue a fine or fee to a student as a disciplinary consequence for behavior during school. The bill would also require school districts with a school resource officer to have a memorandum of understanding with their local law enforcement agency, establishing that SROs are properly trained and do not use fines or tickets for disciplinary infractions.

In 2015, the Illinois General Assembly passed a law ending the ability of schools to issue monetary fines to students for disciplinary infractions at school. However, students in schools across the state continue to be fined due to the practice of students being referred to law enforcement for school-related behavior. 

The measure was introduced following an investigation that revealed that Black and Latino students were ticketed at disproportionate rates. Between 2019 and 2021, 11,950 tickets were issued with fines as high as $750.

“The practice of ticketing in schools disproportionately affects Black and Latino students from working-class backgrounds, creating unnecessary financial hardship for their families,” said Villa. “Financial strain and an unfriendly school environment leads to learning disparities between students of color and their white counterparts.”

Senate Bill 1519 passed the Senate on Wednesday.