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    AN ACT concerning education.

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



 
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    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by changing Section 
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27-13.3 as follows:
 
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    (105 ILCS 5/27-13.3)
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    Sec. 27-13.3. Internet safety education curriculum.
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    (a) The purpose of this Section is to inform and protect 
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students from inappropriate or illegal communications and 
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solicitation and to encourage school districts to provide 
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education about Internet threats and risks, including without 
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limitation child predators, fraud, and other dangers.
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    (b) The General Assembly finds and declares the following:
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        (1) it is the policy of this State to protect consumers 
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    and Illinois residents from deceptive and unsafe 
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    communications that result in harassment, exploitation, or 
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    physical harm;
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        (2) children have easy access to the Internet at home, 
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    school, through electronic communication devices, and 
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    public places;
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        (3) the Internet is used by sexual predators and other 
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    criminals to make initial contact with children and other 
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    vulnerable residents in Illinois; and
 


 






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        (3.5)  the Internet and electronic communication 
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    devices can be used to harass or exploit minors through 
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    transmitted images or text messages; and 
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        (4) education is an effective method for preventing 
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    children from falling prey to online predators, identity 
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    theft, harassment and exploitation by peers, and other 
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    dangers.
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    (c) Each school may adopt an age-appropriate curriculum for 
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Internet safety instruction of students in grades kindergarten 
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through 12.  However, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, 
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a school district must incorporate into the school curriculum a 
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component on Internet safety to be taught at least once each 
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school year to students in grades 3 through 12. The school 
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board shall determine the scope and duration of this unit of 
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instruction.  Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a school 
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district must include in the age-appropriate curriculum topics 
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regarding the appropriate use of electronic communication 
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devices, including, but not limited to, the risks and 
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consequences of dissemination and transmission of sexually 
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explicit images and video. The age-appropriate unit of 
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instruction may be incorporated into the current courses of 
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study regularly taught in the district's schools, as determined 
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by the school board, and it is recommended that the unit of 
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instruction include the following topics:
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        (1) Safe and responsible use of social networking 
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    websites, chat rooms, electronic mail, bulletin boards, 
 


 






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    instant messaging, and other means of communication on the 
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    Internet.
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        (2) Recognizing, avoiding,  and reporting online 
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    solicitations of students, their classmates, and their 
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    friends by sexual predators.
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        (3) Risks of transmitting personal information on the 
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    Internet.
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        (4) Recognizing and avoiding unsolicited or deceptive 
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    communications received online.
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        (5) Recognizing and reporting online harassment and 
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    cyber-bullying.
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        (6) Reporting illegal activities and communications on 
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    the Internet.
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        (7) Copyright laws on written materials, photographs, 
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    music, and video.
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    (d) Curricula devised in accordance with subsection (c) of 
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this Section may be submitted for review to  the Office of the 
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Illinois Attorney General.
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    (e)  The State Board of Education shall make available 
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resource materials for educating children regarding child 
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online safety and may take into consideration the curriculum on 
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this subject developed by other states, as well as any other 
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curricular materials suggested by education experts, child 
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psychologists, or technology companies that work on child 
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online safety issues.  Materials may include without limitation 
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safe online communications, privacy protection, 
 


 






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cyber-bullying, viewing inappropriate material, file sharing, 
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the dissemination and transmission of images and video, and the 
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importance of open communication with responsible adults. The 
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State Board of Education shall make these resource materials 
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available on its Internet website.
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(Source: P.A. 95-509, eff. 8-28-07; 95-869, eff. 1-1-09; 
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96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)

 
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    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
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2010.