McHenry Times

The Illinois General Assembly is currently considering House Bill 2827, a controversial piece of legislation that has drawn significant opposition from homeschooling communities. The bill imposes strict reporting requirements on homeschool students and parents, which has led to over 22,000 electronic witness slips being filed against it. The number of slips opposing the bill far exceeds those in favor.

Critics argue that the bill undermines parental rights and extends state authority into areas where it traditionally does not have jurisdiction. Concerns have been raised about the implication in the bill's preamble that homeschooling parents may be neglecting or abusing their children.

An amendment to clarify the language in the bill is reportedly being prepared at the request of non-public schools, aiming to neutralize their objections. The Education Policy Committee is scheduled to hear the bill on Wednesday, though this may be delayed for further drafting.

The supermajority in the Illinois legislature has faced criticism for procedural tactics that allegedly limit public involvement and testimony against such bills. One such tactic is described as a "witness slip shell game," where legislative language opposed by many is transferred to a new bill with no existing opposition record.

House Republicans have requested changes to allow witness slip portability but were denied by the majority. They continue to monitor H.B. 2827 and encourage public engagement through filing witness slips and contacting committee chairs for updates on hearings.