---
type: "Bill"
title: "SCH CD-HS GRAD ACHIEVEMENT"
description: "Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 17 to 18 years of age; makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2012."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "97th"
identifier: "SB 3259"
citation: "Illinois SB 3259 (97th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 56
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2012-02-01"
last_action: "2012-08-08"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/49bbd48c-b0bc-480e-8a45-053760de3399"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3259&GAID=11&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=64349&SessionID=84&GA=97"
source_hash: "912e317ab87e62d96a2d7cb7ba8ea25c5e79294f8f8e2d0ead51c0e614d00896"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois SB 3259 (97th) — SCH CD-HS GRAD ACHIEVEMENT

Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 17 to 18 years of age; makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2012.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700SB3259&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=64349&DocNum=3259&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700SB3259eng&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=64349&DocNum=3259&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700SB3259enr&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=64349&DocNum=3259&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **117–0** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **31–18** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Kimberly A. Lightford — primary (person)
- Mike Fortner — cosponsor (person)
- Monique D. Davis — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2012-02-01** Filed with Secretary by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford `filing`
- **2012-02-01** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2012-02-01** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2012-02-07** Assigned to Education `referral-committee`
- **2012-02-22** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Annazette R. Collins
- **2012-02-22** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins
- **2012-02-24** Postponed - Education
- **2012-02-29** Do Pass Education; 006-004-000 `committee-passage`
- **2012-02-29** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 1, 2012
- **2012-03-07** Fiscal Note Requested by Sen. David S. Luechtefeld
- **2012-03-22** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Donne E. Trotter
- **2012-03-23** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Emil Jones, III
- **2012-03-26** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford `amendment-introduction`
- **2012-03-26** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2012-03-26** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Education
- **2012-03-27** Fiscal Note Filed from the Illinois State Board of Education
- **2012-03-27** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommend Do Adopt Education; 006-004-000
- **2012-03-28** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mattie Hunter
- **2012-03-28** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Iris Y. Martinez
- **2012-03-30** Rule 2-10 Third Reading Deadline Established As April 26, 2012 `reading-3`
- **2012-04-23** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford `amendment-introduction`
- **2012-04-23** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2012-04-24** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Assignments Refers to Education
- **2012-04-25** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommend Do Adopt Education; 006-004-000
- **2012-04-26** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2012-04-26** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Withdrawn by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford
- **2012-04-26** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted; Lightford `amendment-passage`
- **2012-04-26** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 1, 2012
- **2012-04-26** Rule 2-10 Third Reading Deadline Established As May 11, 2012 `reading-3`
- **2012-05-01** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Edward D. Maloney
- **2012-05-10** Third Reading - Passed; 031-018-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2012-05-10** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2012-05-10** Chief House Sponsor Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia
- **2012-05-10** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez
- **2012-05-10** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2012-05-10** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2012-05-10** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2012-05-11** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Donald L. Moffitt
- **2012-05-11** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Robert W. Pritchard
- **2012-05-11** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Lisa M. Dugan
- **2012-05-14** Committee Deadline Extended-Rule 9(b) May 18, 2012
- **2012-05-14** Assigned to Elementary & Secondary Education Committee `referral-committee`
- **2012-05-15** Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Monique D. Davis
- **2012-05-18** Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 29, 2012
- **2012-05-22** Do Pass / Short Debate Elementary & Secondary Education Committee; 018-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2012-05-22** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2012-05-22** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2012-05-22** Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2012-05-23** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2012-05-23** Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Mike Fortner
- **2012-05-24** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 117-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2012-05-24** Passed Both Houses
- **2012-06-22** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2012-08-08** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2012-08-08** Effective Date August 8, 2012
- **2012-08-08** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 97-0911 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/49bbd48c-b0bc-480e-8a45-053760de3399`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).