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| Public Act 102-0610 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section | ||||
10-23.13 as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/10-23.13) | ||||
Sec. 10-23.13. Policies addressing sexual abuse. | ||||
(a) In this Section: | ||||
"Evidence-informed" refers to modalities that were created | ||||
utilizing components of evidence-based treatments or | ||||
curriculums. | ||||
"Grooming" means conduct prohibited under Section 11-25 of | ||||
the Criminal Code of 2012. | ||||
(b) To adopt and implement, by no later than July 1, 2022, | ||||
a policy addressing sexual abuse of children that shall may | ||||
include an age-appropriate and evidence-informed curriculum | ||||
for students in pre-K through 12th 5th grade; | ||||
evidence-informed training for school personnel on child | ||||
sexual abuse; evidence-informed educational information to | ||||
parents or guardians provided in the school handbook on the | ||||
warning signs of a child being abused, along with any needed | ||||
assistance, referral, or resource information; available | ||||
counseling and resources for students affected by sexual | ||||
abuse; and emotional and educational support for a child of | ||
abuse to continue to be successful in school. A school | ||
district shall include in its policy and all training | ||
materials and instruction a definition of prohibited grooming | ||
behaviors and boundary violations for school personnel and how | ||
to report these behaviors. | ||
Any policy adopted under this Section shall may address | ||
without limitation: | ||
(1) methods for increasing school personnel teacher, | ||
student, and parent awareness of issues regarding sexual | ||
abuse of children, including awareness and knowledge of | ||
likely warning signs indicating that a child may be a | ||
victim of sexual abuse, awareness and knowledge of | ||
grooming behaviors and how to report those behaviors, | ||
awareness of appropriate relationships between school | ||
personnel and students based on State law, and how to | ||
prevent child abuse from happening, including, but not | ||
limited to, methods outlined in State law regarding | ||
personal health and safety education for students; | ||
(1.5) evidence-informed training for school personnel | ||
on preventing, recognizing, reporting, and responding to | ||
child sexual abuse and grooming behavior, including when | ||
the grooming or abuse is committed by a member of the | ||
school community, with a discussion of the criminal | ||
statutes addressing sexual conduct between school | ||
personnel and students, professional conduct, and | ||
reporting requirements, including, but not limited to, | ||
training as outlined in Section 10-22.39 and Section 3-11; | ||
(2) options actions that a student child who is a | ||
victim of sexual abuse has should take to obtain | ||
assistance and intervention; and | ||
(3) available counseling options for students affected | ||
by sexual abuse; . | ||
(4) methods for educating school personnel, students, | ||
and staff on how to report child abuse to law enforcement | ||
authorities and to the Department of Children and Family | ||
Services and how to report grooming behaviors, including | ||
when the grooming or abuse is committed by a member of the | ||
school community; and | ||
(5) education and information about children's | ||
advocacy centers and sexual assault crisis centers and | ||
information about how to access a children's advocacy | ||
center or sexual assault crisis center serving the | ||
district. | ||
(c) A school district must provide training for school | ||
personnel on child sexual abuse as described in paragraph | ||
(1.5) of subsection (b) no later than January 31 of each year. | ||
(d) This Section may be referred to as Erin's Law.
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(Source: P.A. 96-1524, eff. 2-14-11.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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