Metro East Sun

State Senator Erica Harriss has announced that House Bill 1237, known as the proposed School Mascot Ban, did not progress in the Illinois Senate. The bill failed to advance following a procedural deadline for moving House bills out of committee.

"This is a great win for schools across Illinois that were faced with the uncertainty of having to erase longstanding traditions and absorb yet another unfunded mandate from out-of-touch Chicago politicians," stated Senator Harriss.

House Bill 1237 aimed to prohibit schools from using names, logos, and mascots that reference Native American tribes or terms such as "Braves," "Chiefs," "Chieftains," "Tribe," and "Indians." It also sought to ban imagery depicting Native Americans, including feathered headdresses, tomahawks, and arrowheads.

The bill stipulated that any school wishing to keep a mascot referencing Native American culture would need written consent from a federally recognized tribe. This consent would require renewal every five years and could be revoked at any time. Schools in Collinsville and Granite City, which use the Kahok and Warrior mascots respectively, would have been affected by this legislation since neither mascot is linked to a federally recognized tribe.

Senator Harriss opposed the bill by initiating a School Mascot Ban petition and participating in local advocacy efforts. She expressed gratitude for community involvement: "I want to thank everyone who took the time to engage on this issue and signed my petition. This was a grassroots effort, and I am proud of the work we’ve done to prevent this legislation from advancing."

Senator Harriss advises residents of Illinois to stay alert since legislation can change quickly in Springfield. She noted that the Majority Party might suspend rules and bring the bill back for consideration at another time.