SERVICE ANIMALS IN SCHOOLS

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SR0542

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SR0542 - 104th General Assembly

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SR0542
LRB104 16711 ECR 30116 r
1
SENATE RESOLUTION

2

WHEREAS, Service animals play a vital role in ensuring
3
that individuals with disabilities and chronic health
4
conditions can fully participate in everyday life and live
5
with autonomy, dignity, and independence; and

6

WHEREAS, Service animals provide essential support to
7
people with a wide range of disabilities and health
8
conditions, including but not limited to mobility impairments,
9
sensory disabilities, seizure disorders, diabetes, mental
10
health conditions, and other chronic medical conditions; and

11

WHEREAS, Students with disabilities across the State of
12
Illinois rely on service animals to safely and fully
13
participate in educational activities, school programs,
14
transportation, and extracurricular opportunities; and

15

WHEREAS, Service animals are individually trained to
16
perform specific tasks that directly support a student's
17
access to education, including alerting to medical conditions,
18
guiding students with visual impairments, assisting with
19
stability and mobility, interrupting or preventing harmful
20
episodes, retrieving items, providing safety monitoring, and
21
enabling greater independence; and

SR0542
- 2 -
LRB104 16711 ECR 30116 r
1

WHEREAS, The daily presence of service animals can
2
significantly reduce barriers faced by students with
3
disabilities, increase their comfort and confidence in school
4
environments, promote academic engagement, and support social,
5
emotional, and developmental well-being; and

6

WHEREAS, Federal and state disability rights laws,
7
including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of
8
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with
9
Disabilities Education Act, and the Illinois Human Rights Act,
10
protect the rights of students who use service animals and
11
require schools to ensure equal access to all programs and
12
services; and

13

WHEREAS, Schools, including public, private, and charter
14
educational institutions, have an obligation to provide equal
15
access to students with disabilities who use service animals
16
and to avoid discriminatory practices or barriers that impede
17
educational participation; and

18

WHEREAS, Increased public awareness and consistent
19
implementation of service-animal policies help create
20
inclusive learning environments in which students with
21
disabilities can thrive academically, socially, and
22
emotionally; therefore, be it

SR0542
- 3 -
LRB104 16711 ECR 30116 r
1

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL
2
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize and
3
affirm the profound importance of service animals in
4
supporting the safety, health, independence, and academic
5
success of students with disabilities across Illinois; and be
6
it further

7

RESOLVED, That we encourage all Illinois school districts
8
to continue fostering respect for individuals who use service
9
animals and to promote awareness of the rights and
10
responsibilities established under federal and state law; and
11
be it further

12

RESOLVED, That we urge state agencies, including the
13
Illinois State Board of Education, to review existing
14
policies, administrative rules, oversight practices, and
15
enforcement mechanisms to ensure that all Illinois schools
16
fully comply with disability rights laws governing
17
service-animal access, including appropriate staff training,
18
consistent implementation, and timely resolution of barriers
19
or complaints.

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