PUBLIC SAFETY CAREER PATHWAYS

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4295

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4295

Introduced 1/14/2026, by Rep. Jed Davis

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Public Safety Career Pathways Act. Requires a
participating public or nonpublic high school or school district to
provide access to at least one Pipeline Program in a public safety field.
Allows an individual 18 years of age or older to participate in a Fire and
Emergency Medical Services Pathway. Provides that a law enforcement agency
may establish a Cadet Program for individuals 18 to 20 years of age
interested in pursuing sworn law enforcement employment. Provides that a
Pipeline Program may also include training or supervised experience
leading to certain other careers. Requires the State Board of Education to
develop a model memorandum of understanding for institutions and local
public safety partners. Requires a local public safety partner
participating in a Pipeline Program to maintain all insurance required
under State law. Provides that participation in a Pipeline Program does
not create civil liability for a local public safety partner beyond its
statutory duties, as long as the local public safety partner acts in good
faith and complies with safety requirements. Provides that compensation
for a Pipeline Program participant is optional and may be determined by the
local public safety partner. Allows the State Board to provide tuition
assistance to eligible participants in certified fire services, emergency
medical services, or law enforcement preparatory programs. Requires a
local public safety partner to comply with all safety requirements
applicable to minors and trainees. Sets forth provisions concerning
employee status, background checks, reporting, and rulemaking. Repeals the
Act 5 years after the effective date. Effective immediately.
LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b

A BILL FOR

HB4295
LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1

AN ACT concerning education.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 1.
Short title.
This Act may be cited as the
Public
5
Safety Career Pathways Act.

6

Section 5.
Purpose.
The purpose of this Act is to expand
7
student access to structured pathways leading to careers in
8
public safety, including law enforcement, fire service,
9
emergency medical services, telecommunications, corrections,
10
and emergency management. This Act promotes regional
11
flexibility, preserves all existing training and certification
12
standards, and supports local recruitment efforts without
13
imposing new mandates on schools.

14

Section 10.
Definitions.
As used in this Act:
15

"Access" means availability of a pathway option through
16
school district programming, a regional partnership, or an
17
agreement with a qualified provider.
18

"Cadet Program" means a structured educational and
19
training experience for individuals ages 18 to 20 that
20
prepares participants for future sworn law enforcement
21
employment upon meeting all statutory requirements.
22

"Fire and Emergency Medical Services Pathway" means a

HB4295
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LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1
training sequence recognized or approved by the Office of the
2
State Fire Marshal or leading to basic emergency medical
3
technician certification or higher emergency medical services
4
certification.
5

"Institution" means a public high school, school district,
6
or nonpublic high school recognized by the State Board of
7
Education that elects to participate.
8

"Law enforcement agency" means any agency recognized by
9
the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board.
10

"Local public safety partner" includes a law enforcement
11
agency, fire protection district, emergency medical services
12
provider, 9-1-1 telecommunication center, corrections agency,
13
emergency management agency, public community college, or
14
similar entity providing training or supervised experience.
15

"Pipeline Program" means a structured sequence of
16
instruction, training, or supervised experience preparing a
17
student for entry into a public safety career.

18

Section 15.
Access requirement.
19

(a) Each institution shall provide access to at least one
20
Pipeline Program in a public safety field.
21

(b) Access may be offered through:
22

(1) direct programming by the institution;
23

(2) regional vocational centers;
24

(3) community college partnerships;
25

(4) local public safety partners; or

HB4295
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LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1

(5) any combination of paragraphs (1) through (4).
2

(c) Nothing in this Act required an institution to create
3
a new program, hire new personnel, construct a facility, or
4
incur additional operational costs.

5

Section 20.
Fire and Emergency Medical Services Pathway.
6

(a) An individual 18 years of age or older may participate
7
in a Fire and Emergency Medical Services Pathway, including
8
attendance at an approved training program, subject to all
9
applicable certification requirements.
10

(b) No training or certification standard under the
11
authority of the Office of the State Fire Marshal or the
12
Department of Public Health may be reduced or waived due to
13
participation in a Pipeline Program.
14

(c) A participant may not perform duties requiring
15
certification until obtaining such certification under the
16
law.

17

Section 25.
Police Cadet Program.
18

(a) A law enforcement agency may establish a Cadet Program
19
for individuals 18 to 20 years of age interested in pursuing
20
sworn law enforcement employment.
21

(b) A cadet may perform nonenforcement duties, attend
22
preparatory training, participate in physical fitness and
23
academic components of academy instruction, and assist with
24
community engagement activities.

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LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1

(c) A cadet may not:
2

(1) exercise police powers;
3

(2) carry a firearm in any operational capacity;
4

(3) make arrests; or
5

(4) perform custodial searches.
6

(d) A cadet may become a sworn officer only upon reaching
7
the statutory age, meeting all certification requirements of
8
the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, and
9
satisfying all hiring standards of the law enforcement agency.
10

(e) No training, certification, psychological, or fitness
11
requirements for a sworn officer may be reduced or waived
12
under this Act.

13

Section 30.
Additional pathway options.
A Pipeline Program
14
may also include training or supervised experience leading to
15
careers in:
16

(1) 9-1-1 telecommunications;
17

(2) corrections;
18

(3) probation or court services;
19

(4) emergency management; or
20

(5) related public safety fields.

21

Section 35.
Model memorandum of understanding.
22

(a) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
23
Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board and the
24
Office of the State Fire Marshal, shall develop a model

HB4295
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LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1
memorandum of understanding for institutions and local public
2
safety partners.
3

(b) The model memorandum of understanding shall include:
4

(1) student responsibilities;
5

(2) supervision and safety protocols;
6

(3) training site expectations;
7

(4) attendance and reporting requirements;
8

(5) credit or credential options;
9

(6) partner responsibilities;
10

(7) program duration; and
11

(8) procedures for review.
12

(c) An institution and local public safety partner may
13
modify the model memorandum of understanding by mutual
14
agreement.

15

Section 40.
Insurance; liability; employee status.
16

(a) A local public safety partner participating in a
17
Pipeline Program shall maintain all insurance required under
18
State law, including workers' compensation and general
19
liability if applicable.
20

(b) Participation in a Pipeline Program does not create
21
civil liability for a local public safety partner beyond its
22
statutory duties, as long as the local public safety partner
23
acts in good faith and complies with safety requirements.
24

(c) Participation in a Pipeline Program does not create
25
employee status for a student unless the student receives

HB4295
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LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1
compensation under applicable labor laws.

2

Section 45.
Compensation.
3

(a) Compensation for a Pipeline Program participant is
4
optional and may be determined by the local public safety
5
partner.
6

(b) A compensated participant may be considered a
7
temporary or part-time employee only for purposes expressly
8
required under State or federal law.
9

(c) An uncompensated participant may not be designated as
10
an employee for any purpose.

11

Section 50.
Tuition assistance.
12

(a) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education
13
may provide tuition assistance to eligible participants in
14
certified fire services, emergency medical services, or law
15
enforcement preparatory programs.
16

(b) Nothing in this Section may be construed to require
17
the State to appropriate funds.

18

Section 55.
Safety requirements; background checks.
19

(a) A local public safety partner shall comply with all
20
safety requirements applicable to minors and trainees.
21

(b) All mentors and supervisors under this Act shall
22
comply with an institution's volunteer or contractor
23
background-check procedures.

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LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1

(c) No additional background check requirements may be
2
imposed under this Act.

3

Section 60.
Reporting.
4

(a) By December 31 each year, the State Board of Education
5
shall submit a one-page summary to the General Assembly
6
identifying:
7

(1) the total number of student participants under
8

this Act;
9

(2) any participating agencies and partners under this
10

Act;
11

(3) the pathway completion rates under this Act;
12

(4) regional partnership development under this Act;
13

and
14

(5) any recommendations for program refinement under
15

this Act.
16

(b) An institution is not required to submit a report
17
beyond the minimal participation data requested by the State
18
Board of Education.

19

Section 65.
No new mandates.
Nothing in this Act may be
20
construed as requiring an institution to incur additional
21
expenditures or establish new programs.

22

Section 70.
Rulemaking.
The State Board of Education, the
23
Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, and the

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LRB104 16789 LNS 30198 b
1
Office of the State Fire Marshal may adopt any rules necessary
2
to implement this Act. Rules shall be limited to
3
administrative procedures and may not impose material costs on
4
institutions or local public safety partners.

5

Section 75.
Repeal.
This Act is repealed 5 years after the
6
effective date of this Act.

7

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon
8
becoming law.

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