Chicago City Wire

Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. introduced HB2523 in the Illinois House on Feb. 3, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. By June 1, 2026, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to establish, by rule, a Montessori education endorsement to be added to a Professional Educator License. Requires the rules adopted by the State Board of Education to outline the requirements for obtaining the endorsement. Provides that these provisions are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the Illinois State Board of Education to establish a Montessori education endorsement for a Professional Educator License by June 1, 2026. The endorsement is to be created in collaboration with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board and will outline the necessary requirements for educators to obtain it. These new provisions are set to become inoperative on January 1, 2027, suggesting a temporary initiative to integrate Montessori methods into the state's educational framework. The bill is part of a broader system of educational endorsements aimed at enhancing educators' qualifications across various specializations.

Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. has proposed another eight bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Andrade graduated from DePaul University in 2014 with a BS and again in 2021 from DePaul University.

Jaime M. Andrade Jr. is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 40th House District. He replaced previous state representative Deb Mell in 2013.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB2523	02/03/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. By June 1, 2026, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to establish, by rule, a Montessori education endorsement to be added to a Professional Educator License. Requires the rules adopted by the State Board of Education to outline the requirements for obtaining the endorsement. Provides that these provisions are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027.
HB2432	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall allow commercial relocators to recover towing permit fees or vehicle release fees that are lawfully adopted by a unit of local government and imposed by a law enforcement agency as a necessary administrative fee in order to effectuate an existing relocator program in the unit of local government where the law enforcement agency and relocator operate. Allows the Commission to set the maximum amount of towing permit fees or vehicle release fees that a commercial relocator may recover.
HB2461	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Establishes that a municipality that operates an automated speed enforcement system shall set aside 10% of the net proceeds from each system that generates more than $500,000 in revenue for the respective school district or park district in the safety zone in which the automated speed enforcement system is located. Provides that the set aside proceeds may be allocated for any purpose designated by the school district or park district. Set forth home rule provisions.
HB2333	01/30/2025	Amends the Statute on Statutes. Provides that any reference to the term "electronic data processing" in any statute of the State, any rule adopted by an administrative agency of the State, or any appropriations Act of the State includes information technology as defined in a specified provision of the State Finance Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Replaces the term "electronic data processing" with "information technology". Provides that, upon written approval by the Office of the Comptroller, a State agency may submit electronic travel vouchers under procedures and controls prescribed by the Comptroller. Effective immediately.
HB1617	01/23/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the offense of possession of burglary tools includes possessing a vehicle security circumvention device and not being a: (1) mechanic; (2) licensed new or used vehicle dealer; (3) licensed locksmith; (4) repossession agent; or (5) State or local law enforcement officer. Provides that a violation is a Class C misdemeanor. Provides that the offense of unlawful sale of burglary tools includes knowingly selling or transferring a vehicle security circumvention device with knowledge that the device will be used by the person or another to commit a violation of law. Provides that a violation is a petty offense. Defines "vehicle security circumvention device".
HB1618	01/23/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "relay box". Provides that no person may possess a relay box in this State except for: (1) a mechanic; (2) a new vehicle dealer or used vehicle dealer licensed under the Code; (3) a locksmith licensed under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004; (4) a repossession agent; or (5) a State or local law enforcement officer. Provides that a person who commits a violation of the new provisions is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Effective immediately.
HB1619	01/23/2025	Amends the Cemetery Care Act. Defines "average fair market value", "total return percentage", and "net income". Provides that a trustee may apply to the Comptroller to establish a master trust fund in which deposits are made. Allows a cemetery authority to take distributions from its fund either by distributing ordinary income or total return distribution. Requires an application for the implementation of the total return distribution method to be submitted to the Comptroller at least 120 days before the effective date of the election to receive total return distribution. Allows, where no receiver is available, a circuit court to order a willing local municipality, township, county, or city to take over the cemetery. Repeals a provision regarding the use of care funds. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2027.
HB1565	01/21/2025	Creates the Anti-Click Gambling Data Analytics Collection Act. Provides that no entity that operates a remote gambling platform or a subsidiary of the entity shall collect data from a participant with the intent to predict how the participant will gamble in a particular gambling or betting scenario. Effective immediately.
HB1566	01/21/2025	Amends the Uniform Crime Reporting Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency shall report all shootings connected with the subject of an incident report when the shooting resulted in any property damage or bodily injury. Provides that each incident report that reports a shooting shall, at a minimum, state whether a firearm has been identified and if a magazine, round of ammunition, expended bullet, or shell casing was found at the scene of the crime.