Illinois Students Can No Longer Be Ticketed Or Fined By Police In School Under New State Law

Illinois enacted a new law banning law enforcement from ticketing students for incidents on school property during school hours, a measure signed by Governor JB Pritzker. The law addresses concerns about its disproportionate effect on students of color, particularly Black and Latino youth. Schools must establish a "memorandum of understanding" with local police by July 1, 2026, which will detail the responsibilities of school resource officers and prohibit ticketing students. Additionally, the law mandates that school districts collect data on student referrals to law enforcement starting in the 2027-28 school year. State Superintendent Tony Sanders noted that punitive measures do not effectively improve student behavior and often burden low-income families with financial penalties.

This legislative action stems from a 2022 investigation revealing that schools referred students to police for minor infractions instead of handling them internally. The law allows schools to contact police only in the event of a crime or safety threat. Overall, this law represents a significant shift toward addressing systemic issues in school discipline and law enforcement involvement.