Illinois Senate could pass bill charging teachers with sexual abuse of 18-year-old students | Top Stories

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – Several Republican state lawmakers hope the Illinois Senate will vote on a plan to address sexual abuse by educators and authority figures in high schools during the veto session.

Although strict protections are in place for students ages 17 and under, sponsors told WAND News that teachers and staff should be charged for sexual conduct toward students ages 18 to 23.

Under House Bill 4241, teachers or authority figures who sexually abuse these students could face a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 4 felony for repeat offenses.

“Currently, a teacher or staff member can have sexual contact with an 18-year-old student and lose their job if caught,” said Rep. Amy Elik. “But police are not allowed to investigate and the person can work with students in another capacity outside of the school system.”

Sexual abuse by an educator involving sexual intercourse would be charged as a Class 4 felony for the first offense and a Class 3 felony for repeated offenses.

Bill 4241 passed the House of Representatives unanimously on April 19, but failed to advance in the Senate.

Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) said children cannot afford to wait any longer for this problem to be resolved.

“With the passage of House Bill 4241, we can tell every person in our state who has suffered this abuse that their lawmakers have heard their cries for help and acted,” Bryant said.

Elik stressed that the victim’s consent should not be a defense against this type of abuse.

“We have carefully crafted this bill to anticipate potential concerns in both the House and Senate,” Elik said. “This bipartisan bill has no vocal opposition and must advance this session so students receive the necessary protections they deserve.”

Bryant currently has 16 co-sponsors of the bill in the Senate, including four Democrats.

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