To better prepare all educators – including substitute teachers – for emergencies at school, a new law championed by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel requires training in evacuation and lockdown procedures prior to being in the classroom.

“We drop off our children in the mornings and expect educators to know what they’re doing if an emergency occurs,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Full-time teachers receive training on all emergency protocols, and substitute teachers should receive the same.”

The new law requires school districts in Illinois to provide training to all substitute teachers on school evacuation drills and law enforcement lockdown drills. Additionally, all substitutes will be given the same information as full-time employees outlining all lockdown and evacuation procedures, and maps will be required to be displayed in every classroom showing all school exit points.

A new law led by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel will allow individuals trafficked or exploited as minors more time to bring forth charges.

“Current law has a three-year statute of limitations for these terrible crimes,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “It can take victims many years to tell their story; they shouldn’t be limited to a timeframe.”

House Bill 2602 will extend the time limit for filing criminal charges in cases of forced labor, trafficking or related offenses by allowing charges to be brought at any time if the victim was under 18 years old when the crime occurred.

“This legislation reflects our evolving understanding of trauma in survivors and lets them know our justice system is on their side,” said Loughran Cappel.

House Bill 2602 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026.  

In response to increased incidents of bullying using artificial intelligence and altered images, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel led a new law that adds to the definition of cyberbullying and addresses artificial intelligence content in the school code.

“As technology progresses, we have seen cyberbullying continue to be an issue for children and teens,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Now that artificial technology is easily accessible, we need to ensure our students know the effects that can come from it and understand the repercussions if it’s used inappropriately.” 

The law extends the definition of bullying and clarifies that cyberbullying includes the posting or distribution of unauthorized digital replicas, if the action creates any of the effects stated in the definition of "bullying" within the school code. Also addressed in the law, a student who uses another student’s photo to depict them offensively without permission would be considered cyberbullying. However, classroom uses of AI that involve consent would not constitute as bullying.

State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel announced that seven school districts across the area will receive over $5.6 million in evidence-based funding, in addition to the base funding that the state provides.

“The EBF model is essential for our public schools because it provides all children the opportunity to succeed,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “In Illinois, education is a top priority and we will continue our efforts to fully fund our schools so every child has access to a fair, quality education.”

The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.