HB4577

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SCH CD-K-PLAY-BASED LEARNING

What this bill does

Amends the School Code regarding the establishment of kindergartens. With respect to a provision stating that kindergarten should provide opportunities for play-based learning, defines: (1) "play-based learning" as either guided play or student-initiated play; (2) "guided play" as intentional teacher-directed play with activities set up and led by a teacher that are aligned to learning goals or standards; and (3) "student-initiated play" as child-selected opportunities to build, pretend, create, move, or explore in an environment intentionally curated by a teacher to align with learning goals or standards.

Sponsor: Laura Faver Dias Chamber: House Introduced: 2026-01-23
Stuck
P(Advance)
17.5%
Chance it ever reaches a milestone (committee, floor, etc.). Not “next step.”
P(Law)
0.0%
Chance it becomes law given where it is now (stage, momentum).
Confidence: 83%

Calculating prediction drivers...

Pipeline Progress

Current stage: In Committee · Last action 148 days ago · SLOW

How does a bill become law in Illinois?
  1. Introduction of Bill

    A member of the Senate or the House introduces a bill, which is assigned a unique identifying number (e.g., "H.B. ___" for House bills and "S.B. ___" for Senate bills). If not enacted, it must be reintroduced in the next General Assembly with a new number.

  2. Committee Work — Hearings

    The bill goes to the appropriate committee, which holds hearings to gather expert opinions and determine the need for the legislation.

  3. Committee Work — Markup, Amendments, Report

    The committee may make amendments to the bill. If approved, a committee report endorsing the bill is issued.

  4. Floor Debate

    The bill is debated and can be further amended. The debate transcripts are accessible online for public viewing.

  5. Passage and Consideration in Second Chamber

    If the bill passes in the first chamber, it moves to the second chamber for a similar review process. If both chambers approve, it goes to the governor.

  6. Gubernatorial Action

    The governor can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action (resulting in an automatic law after 60 days). The type of veto can be total or amendatory. Once signed, the bill becomes a Public Act and is assigned a Public Act number.

Sponsor Context

Hearings

This bill has not been scheduled for a committee hearing.

Witness slips

3 slips filed. Proponent / opponent / no position as filed with the committee.

Name Organization Representing Position Hearing committee Hearing date
David Schwartz Self Self Proponent Education Policy 2026-02-18
Eric Poorman self self Proponent Education Policy 2026-02-18
Kim Wolowiec-Fisher na Proponent Education Policy 2026-02-18

Action History

6 actions recorded. Last action: 2026-02-13 — House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred toRules Committee. Each action's meaning and outcome signal are classified automatically.

2026-01-23 Introduction & Filing
Filed with the Clerk byRep. Laura Faver Dias House Rule 6(b)
Bill officially submitted to the House Clerk during the session.
2026-02-03 Introduction & Filing
First Reading Senate Rule 5-1(d)/5-2; House Rule 37(d)/38
Formal introduction — title read into the official record. Required procedural step; bill now exists in the system.
2026-02-03 Committee Assignment
Referred toRules Committee Senate Rule 3-8(a); House Rule 18(a)
Sent to a committee (usually Rules in the House, Assignments in the Senate). The gatekeeping step — Rules/Assignments decides which substantive committee hears the bill.
2026-02-11 Committee Assignment
Assigned toEducation Policy Committee Senate Rule 3-8(a); House Rule 18(b)
Sent to a substantive committee (e.g., Transportation, Revenue). This is where the bill gets a real hearing and evaluation.
2026-02-13 Amendment Actions
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk byRep. Laura Faver Dias
[Amendment] Amendment sub-action.
2026-02-13 Amendment Actions
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred toRules Committee
[Amendment] Sent to a committee (usually Rules in the House, Assignments in the Senate). The gatekeeping step — Rules/Assignments decides which substantive committee hears the bill.

All actions (table)

Date Chamber Action Category Signal
2026-01-23 House Filed with the Clerk byRep. Laura Faver Dias House Rule 6(b) Introduction & Filing
2026-02-03 House First Reading Senate Rule 5-1(d)/5-2; House Rule 37(d)/38 Introduction & Filing
2026-02-03 House Referred toRules Committee Senate Rule 3-8(a); House Rule 18(a) Committee Assignment
2026-02-11 House Assigned toEducation Policy Committee Senate Rule 3-8(a); House Rule 18(b) Committee Assignment
2026-02-13 House House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk byRep. Laura Faver Dias Amendment Actions
2026-02-13 House House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred toRules Committee Amendment Actions