HB5375 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 18587 LNS 32030 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5375

Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/1-148.3a-5
625 ILCS 5/1-182	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-182
625 ILCS 5/11-1414.1

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if a driver has obtained and currently holds a valid school bus permit, a multifunction school activity bus (MFSAB) may be used for the purpose of transporting 15 or less persons whose purposes do include transporting students to and from home or school bus stops. Provides that the definition of "school bus" does not include a multifunction school-activity bus, unless the driver has obtained and currently holds a valid school bus permit.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Sections 1-148.3a-5, 1-182, and 11-1414.1 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/1-148.3a-5)

Sec. 1-148.3a-5. Multifunction school activity bus. A multifunction school activity bus (MFSAB) means a school bus manufactured for the purpose of transporting 11 or more persons, including the driver, whose purposes do not include transporting students to and from home or school bus stops. Except as provided in subsection (a-5) of Section 11-1414.1, a A MFSAB is prohibited from meeting the special requirements for school buses in Sections 12-801, 12-803, and 12-805 and subsection (a) of Section 12-802 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 104-367, eff. 1-1-26.)

(625 ILCS 5/1-182) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-182)

Sec. 1-182. School bus.

(a) "School bus" means every motor vehicle, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this Section, owned or operated by or for any of the following entities for the transportation of persons regularly enrolled as students in grade 12 or below in connection with any activity of such entity:

Any public or private primary or secondary school;

Any primary or secondary school operated by a religious institution; or

Any public, private or religious nursery school.

(b) This definition shall not include the following:

1. A bus operated by a public utility, municipal corporation or common carrier authorized to conduct local or interurban transportation of passengers when such bus is not traveling a specific school bus route but is:

On a regularly scheduled route for the transportation of other fare paying passengers;

Furnishing charter service for the transportation of groups on field trips or other special trips or in connection with other special events; or

Being used for shuttle service between attendance centers or other educational facilities.

2. A motor vehicle of the First Division.

3. A multifunction school-activity bus, unless the driver has obtained and currently holds a valid school bus permit.

(Source: P.A. 96-410, eff. 7-1-10.)

(625 ILCS 5/11-1414.1)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-256)

Sec. 11-1414.1. School transportation of students.

(a) Every student enrolled in grade 12 or below in any entity listed in subsection (a) of Section 1-182 of this Code must be transported in a school bus or a vehicle described in subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (b) of Section 1-182 of this Code for any curriculum-related or career-related activity, except a student in any of grades 9 through 12 or a student in any of grades K through 12 with an individualized education program (IEP) with a staff to student ratio of 1 to 5, and attending Acacia Academy, Alexander Leigh, Marklund, Helping Hands Center, Connections Organization, Soaring Eagle Academy, or New Horizon Academy may be transported in a multifunction school activity bus (MFSAB) as defined in Section 1-148.3a-5 of this Code for any curriculum-related or career-related activity except for transportation on regular bus routes from home to school or from school to home, subject to the following conditions:

(i) A MFSAB may not be used to transport students under this Section unless the driver holds a valid school bus driver permit.

(ii) The use of a MFSAB under this Section is subject to the requirements of Sections 6-106.11, 6-106.12, 12-707.01, 13-101, and 13-109 of this Code.

"Curriculum-related or career-related activity" as used in this subsection (a) includes transportation from home to school or from school to home, tripper or shuttle service between school attendance centers, transportation to a college, university, or student job site developed through a partnership with a school, a vocational or career center or other trade-skill development site or a regional safe school or other school-sponsored alternative learning program, or an experience that a school determines will contribute to the college or career readiness of a student, or a trip that is directly related to the regular curriculum of a student for which he or she earns credit.

(b) Every student enrolled in grade 12 or below in any entity listed in subsection (a) of Section 1-182 of this Code who is transported in a vehicle that is being operated by or for a public or private primary or secondary school, including any primary or secondary school operated by a religious institution, for an interscholastic, interscholastic-athletic, or school-sponsored, noncurriculum-related activity that (i) does not require student participation as part of the educational services of the entity and (ii) is not associated with the students' regular class-for-credit schedule shall transport students only in a school bus or vehicle described in subsection (b) of Section 1-182 of this Code. A student participating in an agrarian-related activity may also be transported in a second division pick-up truck registered under paragraph 7 of subsection (b) of Section 3-808.1. For purposes of this subsection, "pick-up truck" means a truck weighing 12,000 pounds or less with an enclosed cabin that can seat up to 6 passengers with seatbelts, including the driver, and an open cargo area. This subsection (b) does not apply to any second division vehicle used by an entity listed in subsection (a) of Section 1-182 of this Code for a parade, homecoming, or a similar noncurriculum-related school activity.

(Source: P.A. 104-367, eff. 1-1-26.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-256)

Sec. 11-1414.1. School transportation of students.

(a) Every student enrolled in grade 12 or below in any entity listed in subsection (a) of Section 1-182 of this Code must be transported in a school bus or a vehicle described in subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (b) of Section 1-182 of this Code for any curriculum-related or career-related activity, except a student in any of grades 9 through 12 or a student in any of grades K through 12 with an individualized education program (IEP) with a staff to student ratio of 1 to 5, and attending Acacia Academy, Alexander Leigh, Marklund, Helping Hands Center, Connections Organization, Soaring Eagle Academy, or New Horizon Academy may be transported in a multifunction school activity bus (MFSAB) as defined in Section 1-148.3a-5 of this Code for any curriculum-related or career-related activity except for transportation on regular bus routes from home to school or from school to home. The use of a MFSAB for curriculum-related activities is subject to the following conditions:

(i) A MFSAB may not be used to transport students under this Section unless the driver holds a valid school bus driver permit.

(ii) The use of a MFSAB under this Section is subject to the requirements of Sections 6-106.11, 6-106.12, 12-707.01, 13-101, and 13-109 of this Code.

"Curriculum-related or career-related activity" as used in this subsection (a) includes transportation from home to school or from school to home, tripper or shuttle service between school attendance centers, transportation to a college, university, or student job site developed through a partnership with a school, a vocational or career center or other trade-skill development site or a regional safe school or other school-sponsored alternative learning program, or an experience that a school determines will contribute to the college or career readiness of a student, or a trip that is directly related to the regular curriculum of a student for which he or she earns credit.

(a-5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the driver has obtained and currently holds a valid school bus permit, a MFSAB may be used for the purpose of transporting 15 or less persons, including the driver, whose purposes do include transporting students to and from home or school bus stops. In such a case that a MFSAB is being used for transporting students to and from home or school bus stops, a MFSAB must meet the special requirements in Sections 12-801, 12-803, and 12-805 and subsection (a) of Section 12-802.

(b) Every student enrolled in grade 12 or below in any entity listed in subsection (a) of Section 1-182 of this Code who is transported in a vehicle that is being operated by or for a public or private primary or secondary school, including any primary or secondary school operated by a religious institution, for an interscholastic, interscholastic-athletic, or school-sponsored, noncurriculum-related activity that (i) does not require student participation as part of the educational services of the entity and (ii) is not associated with the students' regular class-for-credit schedule shall transport students only in a school bus or vehicle described in subsection (b) of Section 1-182 of this Code. A student participating in an agrarian-related activity may also be transported in a second division pick-up truck registered under paragraph 7 of subsection (b) of Section 3-808.1. For purposes of this subsection, "pick-up truck" means a truck weighing 12,000 pounds or less with an enclosed cabin that can seat up to 6 passengers with seatbelts, including the driver, and an open cargo area. This subsection (b) does not apply to any second division vehicle used by an entity listed in subsection (a) of Section 1-182 of this Code for a parade, homecoming, or a similar noncurriculum-related school activity.

(Source: P.A. 104-256, eff. 7-1-26; 104-367, eff. 1-1-26; revised 9-12-25.)

Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other Public Act.