(105 ILCS 5/10-27.1A)
Sec. 10-27.1A. Firearms in schools.
(a) All school officials, including teachers, school counselors, and
support staff, shall immediately notify the office of the principal in the
event that they observe any person in possession of a firearm on school
grounds; provided that taking such immediate action to notify the office of the
principal would not immediately endanger the health, safety, or welfare of
students who are under the direct supervision of the school official or the
school official. If the health, safety, or welfare of students under the
direct supervision of the school official or of the school official is
immediately endangered, the school official shall notify the office of the
principal as soon as the students under his or her supervision and he or she
are no longer under immediate danger. A report is not required by this Section
when the school official knows that the person in possession of the firearm is
a law enforcement official engaged in the conduct of his or her official
duties. Any school official acting in good faith who makes such a report under
this Section shall have immunity from any civil or criminal liability that
might otherwise be incurred as a result of making the report. The identity of
the school official making such report shall not be disclosed except as
expressly and specifically authorized by law. Knowingly and willfully failing
to comply with this Section is a petty offense. A second or subsequent offense
is a Class C misdemeanor.
(b) Upon receiving a report from any school official pursuant to this
Section, or from any other person, the principal or his or her designee shall
immediately notify a local law enforcement agency. If the person found to be
in possession of a firearm on school grounds is a student, the principal or
his or her designee shall also immediately notify that student's parent or
guardian. Any principal or his or her designee acting in good faith who makes
such reports under this Section shall have immunity from any civil or criminal
liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of making
the reports. Knowingly and willfully failing to comply with this Section is a
petty offense. A second or subsequent offense is a Class C misdemeanor. If
the person found to be in possession of the firearm on school grounds is a
minor, the law enforcement agency shall detain that minor until such time as
the agency makes a determination pursuant to clause (a) of subsection (1) of
Section 5-401 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, as to whether the agency
reasonably believes that the minor is delinquent. If the law enforcement
agency determines that probable cause exists to believe that the minor
committed a violation of item (4) of subsection (a) of Section 24-1 of the
Criminal Code of 2012 while on school grounds, the agency shall detain the
minor for processing pursuant to Section 5-407 of the Juvenile Court Act of
1987.
(c) Upon receipt of any written,
electronic, or verbal report from any school personnel regarding a verified
incident involving a firearm in a school or on school owned or leased property,
including any conveyance owned,
leased, or used by the school for the transport of students or school
personnel, the superintendent or his or her designee shall report all such
firearm-related incidents occurring in a school or on school property to the
local law enforcement authorities immediately, who shall report to the Illinois State Police in a form, manner, and frequency as prescribed by the Illinois State Police.
The State Board of Education shall receive an annual statistical compilation
and related data associated with incidents involving firearms in schools from
the Illinois State Police. The State Board of Education shall compile
this information by school district and make it available to the public.
(d) As used in this Section, the term "firearm" shall have the meaning
ascribed to it in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.
As used in this Section, the term "school" means any public or private
elementary or secondary school.
As used in this Section, the term "school grounds" includes the real property
comprising any school, any conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by a school
to transport students to or from school or a school-related activity, or any
public way within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising any school.
(Source: P.A. 102-197, eff. 7-30-21; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 103-34, eff. 6-9-23.)
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