SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a plan Thursday to ban private schools from penalizing students with religious hairstyles.

This plan expands the current state law that bans public and private schools from prohibiting hairstyles associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture. 

Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) said rabbis asked him to file the bill to protect Orthodox Jewish students who have beards.

"I live in the West Ridge community where there's a pretty big Orthodox Jewish community and dozens of people have brought up to me in the last few years since we passed the Jett Hawkins Act," Simmons said. "It seems like it's a good time to move forward with this legislation, particularly when we know that there's been such a big increase in antisemitism across the country and the world."

Sectarian schools would be exempt if they are not subject to requirements that restrict their ability to adopt, enforce, or apply policies regarding religious hairstyles. 

Senate Bill 3361 now moves to the House for further consideration. 

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