AI Cyberbullying — School Code Amendment

Expands the Illinois School Code's bullying and cyberbullying definitions to include posting or distributing sexually explicit images and, from the 2026–27 school year, certain unauthorized digital replicas of students.

HB 3851 extends the School Code’s existing anti-bullying framework, now codified at 105 ILCS 5/22-110, to the AI era in two steps: first covering posting or distribution of sexually explicit images, regardless of whether AI generated them, then, from the 2026–27 school year, covering unauthorized digital replicas of a student where the statutory bullying conditions are met. It took effect July 1, 2026.

For a school district, charter school, or covered non-public non-sectarian school, the work is procedural: update applicable anti-bullying and cyberbullying policies and disciplinary procedures to address sexually explicit images and digital replicas, and brief staff and families for the 2026–27 school year. It travels with the rest of the 2025 education-AI package (PA 104-0399, PA 104-0201) and carries no direct monetary penalty — enforcement runs through school discipline and ISBE oversight.

The current citation and covered-school wording were checked against official indexed text on October 24, 2026. The effects and applicable dates of later School Code amendments, including PA 104-0465 and PA 104-0852, have not been fully reconciled in this entry.