Regan Deering, State Representative for 88th District | https://www.reganforillinois.com/
Regan Deering, State Representative for 88th District | https://www.reganforillinois.com/
According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that any athletic team or sport that is under the jurisdiction of an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and student must be expressly designated as (i) a male athletic team or sport, (ii) a female athletic team or sport, or (iii) a coeducational athletic team or sport. Provides that an athletic team or sport designated as being female is available only to participants who are female, based on their biological sex. Requires a school district or nonpublic school to obtain a written statement signed by a student's parent or guardian or the student verifying the student's age, biological sex, and that the student has not taken performance enhancing drugs; provides for a penalty for false or misleading statements. Prohibits a governmental entity or an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and students from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against a school district or nonpublic school for maintaining athletic teams or sports in accordance with these provisions."
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act to require athletic teams or sports governed by interscholastic associations in Illinois to be designated as male, female, or coeducational. Female teams are restricted to participants who are female based on biological sex. Schools must annually obtain a written statement, verified by a parent or guardian or the student themselves, confirming the student's age, biological sex, and absence of performance-enhancing drug use. Schools can exclude students providing false information. Additionally, no governing entity may take action against schools for adhering to these guidelines. This bill may require reimbursement under the State Mandates Act.
Deering graduated from Duke University in 1997 with a BS.
Regan Deering is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 88th House District. She replaced previous state representative Dan Caulkins in 2025.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| HB1117 | 01/09/2025 | Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that any athletic team or sport that is under the jurisdiction of an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and student must be expressly designated as (i) a male athletic team or sport, (ii) a female athletic team or sport, or (iii) a coeducational athletic team or sport. Provides that an athletic team or sport designated as being female is available only to participants who are female, based on their biological sex. Requires a school district or nonpublic school to obtain a written statement signed by a student's parent or guardian or the student verifying the student's age, biological sex, and that the student has not taken performance enhancing drugs; provides for a penalty for false or misleading statements. Prohibits a governmental entity or an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and students from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against a school district or nonpublic school for maintaining athletic teams or sports in accordance with these provisions. |
| HB1118 | 01/09/2025 | Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows a lapsed Professional Educator License to be immediately reinstated upon payment to the State Board of Education by the applicant of the lesser of a $50 penalty or a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed. Effective immediately. |
| HB1119 | 01/09/2025 | Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a candidate for a State educator license who is either a former or active first responder or a military service member shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge or a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military service member may be charged an application fee under provisions regarding a Professional Educator License, an Educator License with Stipulations, a Substitute Teaching License, and a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Effective July 1, 2025. |
Alerts Sign-up