HB1551 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 08241 AJO 48367 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1551

Introduced 2/15/2011, by Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

775 ILCS 5/1-102	from Ch. 68, par. 1-102
775 ILCS 5/1-103	from Ch. 68, par. 1-103
775 ILCS 5/3-102	from Ch. 68, par. 3-102
775 ILCS 5/8A-104	from Ch. 68, par. 8A-104
775 ILCS 5/8B-104	from Ch. 68, par. 8B-104

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. With respect to real estate transactions, prohibits discrimination on the basis of source of income in relation to residential rental real estate transactions. In provisions making it is a civil rights violation for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful discrimination or familial status or source of income, to engage in certain activities, provides that those provisions do not: (i) require a housing authority or housing development project in which 25% or more of the units are owned by a housing authority or subject to a leasing agreement, regulatory and operating agreement, or other similar instrument with a housing authority to lease or rent another unit of that same housing development project to an existing or prospective tenant who is receiving subsidies, payment assistance, contributions, or vouchers under or in connection with the federal Housing Choice Voucher program for payment of part or all of the rent for the unit; (ii) require or prevent, with specified exceptions, any person whose property is located in a municipality with fewer than 1,000,000 inhabitants and is in a concentrated census tract where 3% of the total housing stock in that census tract is occupied by tenants relying on subsidies, payment assistance, contributions, or vouchers under or in connection with the federal Housing Choice Voucher program for payment of part of the rent for the unit to lease or rent a unit to a prospective tenant who is relying on such a subsidy, payment assistance, contribution, or voucher for payment of part or all of the rent for the unit (the housing authority shall determine which census tracts within its service area meet the concentrated census tract exemption requirements and annually deliver that information to the municipalities within its jurisdiction); or (iii) prevent an owner or agent from taking into consideration factors other than lawful source of income such as credit history, criminal history, or references. Makes other changes. Effective January 31, 2012.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning human rights.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by changing Sections 1-102, 1-103, 3-102, 8A-104, and 8B-104 as follows:

(775 ILCS 5/1-102) (from Ch. 68, par. 1-102)

Sec. 1-102. Declaration of Policy. It is the public policy of this State:

(A) Freedom from Unlawful Discrimination. To secure for all individuals within Illinois the freedom from discrimination against any individual because of his or her race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, or unfavorable discharge from military service in connection with employment, real estate transactions, access to financial credit, and the availability of public accommodations.

(B) Freedom from Sexual Harassment-Employment and Elementary, Secondary, and Higher Education. To prevent sexual harassment in employment and sexual harassment in elementary, secondary, and higher education.

(C) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Citizenship Status-Employment. To prevent discrimination based on citizenship status in employment.

(D) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Familial Status-Real Estate Transactions. To prevent discrimination based on familial status in real estate transactions.

(D-1) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Source of Income-Residential Rental Real Estate Transactions. To prevent discrimination based on source of income in residential rental real estate transactions.

(E) Public Health, Welfare and Safety. To promote the public health, welfare and safety by protecting the interest of all people in Illinois in maintaining personal dignity, in realizing their full productive capacities, and in furthering their interests, rights and privileges as citizens of this State.

(F) Implementation of Constitutional Guarantees. To secure and guarantee the rights established by Sections 17, 18 and 19 of Article I of the Illinois Constitution of 1970.

(G) Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action. To establish Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action as the policies of this State in all of its decisions, programs and activities, and to assure that all State departments, boards, commissions and instrumentalities rigorously take affirmative action to provide equality of opportunity and eliminate the effects of past discrimination in the internal affairs of State government and in their relations with the public.

(H) Unfounded Charges. To protect citizens of this State against unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment in employment and sexual harassment in elementary, secondary, and higher education, and discrimination based on citizenship status in employment.

(Source: P.A. 95-668, eff. 10-10-07; 96-447, eff. 1-1-10; 96-1319, eff. 7-27-10.)

(775 ILCS 5/1-103) (from Ch. 68, par. 1-103)

Sec. 1-103. General Definitions. When used in this Act, unless the context requires otherwise, the term:

(A) Age. "Age" means the chronological age of a person who is at least 40 years old, except with regard to any practice described in Section 2-102, insofar as that practice concerns training or apprenticeship programs. In the case of training or apprenticeship programs, for the purposes of Section 2-102, "age" means the chronological age of a person who is 18 but not yet 40 years old.

(B) Aggrieved Party. "Aggrieved party" means a person who is alleged or proved to have been injured by a civil rights violation or believes he or she will be injured by a civil rights violation under Article 3 that is about to occur.

(C) Charge. "Charge" means an allegation filed with the Department by an aggrieved party or initiated by the Department under its authority.

(D) Civil Rights Violation. "Civil rights violation" includes and shall be limited to only those specific acts set forth in Sections 2-102, 2-103, 2-105, 3-102, 3-102.1, 3-103, 3-104, 3-104.1, 3-105, 3-105.1, 4-102, 4-103, 5-102, 5A-102, 6-101, and 6-102 of this Act.

(E) Commission. "Commission" means the Human Rights Commission created by this Act.

(F) Complaint. "Complaint" means the formal pleading filed by the Department with the Commission following an investigation and finding of substantial evidence of a civil rights violation.

(G) Complainant. "Complainant" means a person including the Department who files a charge of civil rights violation with the Department or the Commission.

(H) Department. "Department" means the Department of Human Rights created by this Act.

(I) Disability. "Disability" means a determinable physical or mental characteristic of a person, including, but not limited to, a determinable physical characteristic which necessitates the person's use of a guide, hearing or support dog, the history of such characteristic, or the perception of such characteristic by the person complained against, which may result from disease, injury, congenital condition of birth or functional disorder and which characteristic:

(1) For purposes of Article 2 is unrelated to the person's ability to perform the duties of a particular job or position and, pursuant to Section 2-104 of this Act, a person's illegal use of drugs or alcohol is not a disability;

(2) For purposes of Article 3, is unrelated to the person's ability to acquire, rent or maintain a housing accommodation;

(3) For purposes of Article 4, is unrelated to a person's ability to repay;

(4) For purposes of Article 5, is unrelated to a person's ability to utilize and benefit from a place of public accommodation.

(I-5) Housing authority. "Housing authority" means either a housing authority created under the Housing Authorities Act or other government agency that is authorized by the United States government under the United States Housing Act of 1937 to administer a housing choice voucher program, or the authorized agent of such a housing authority that is authorized to act upon that authority's behalf.

(J) Marital Status. "Marital status" means the legal status of being married, single, separated, divorced or widowed.

(J-1) Military Status. "Military status" means a person's status on active duty in or status as a veteran of the armed forces of the United States, status as a current member or veteran of any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the United States Army Reserve, United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States Navy Reserve, United States Air Force Reserve, and United States Coast Guard Reserve, or status as a current member or veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard or Illinois Air National Guard.

(K) National Origin. "National origin" means the place in which a person or one of his or her ancestors was born.

(K-5) "Order of protection status" means a person's status as being a person protected under an order of protection issued pursuant to the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 or an order of protection issued by a court of another state.

(L) Person. "Person" includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations or organizations, labor organizations, labor unions, joint apprenticeship committees, or union labor associations, corporations, the State of Illinois and its instrumentalities, political subdivisions, units of local government, legal representatives, trustees in bankruptcy or receivers.

(M) Public Contract. "Public contract" includes every contract to which the State, any of its political subdivisions or any municipal corporation is a party.

(N) Religion. "Religion" includes all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, except that with respect to employers, for the purposes of Article 2, "religion" has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph (F) of Section 2-101.

(O) Sex. "Sex" means the status of being male or female.

(O-1) Sexual orientation. "Sexual orientation" means actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, or gender-related identity, whether or not traditionally associated with the person's designated sex at birth. "Sexual orientation" does not include a physical or sexual attraction to a minor by an adult.

(O-5) Source of Income. "Source of income" means any lawful income, subsidy, or benefit with which an individual supports himself or herself and his or her dependents, including, but not limited to, child support, maintenance, and any federal, State, or local public assistance, medical assistance, or rental assistance program.

(P) Unfavorable Military Discharge. "Unfavorable military discharge" includes discharges from the Armed Forces of the United States, their Reserve components or any National Guard or Naval Militia which are classified as RE-3 or the equivalent thereof, but does not include those characterized as RE-4 or "Dishonorable".

(Q) Unlawful Discrimination. "Unlawful discrimination" means discrimination against a person because of his or her race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, order of protection status, disability, military status, sexual orientation, or unfavorable discharge from military service as those terms are defined in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 95-392, eff. 8-23-07; 95-668, eff. 10-10-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08; 96-328, eff. 8-11-09; 96-447, eff. 1-1-10.)

(775 ILCS 5/3-102) (from Ch. 68, par. 3-102)

Sec. 3-102. Civil Rights Violations; Real Estate Transactions) It is a civil rights violation for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful discrimination or familial status or source of income in connection with residential rental real estate transactions, to

(A) Transaction. Refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with a person or to discriminate in making available such a transaction;

(B) Terms. Alter the terms, conditions or privileges of a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith;

(C) Offer. Refuse to receive or to fail to transmit a bona fide offer to engage in a real estate transaction from a person;

(D) Negotiation. Refuse to negotiate for a real estate transaction with a person;

(E) Representations. Represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or to fail to bring a property listing to his or her attention, or to refuse to permit him or her to inspect real property;

(F) Publication of Intent. Print, circulate, post, mail, publish or cause to be so published a written or oral statement, advertisement or sign, or to use a form of application for a real estate transaction, or to make a record or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction, which expresses any limitation founded upon, or indicates, directly or indirectly, an intent to engage in unlawful discrimination;

(G) Listings. Offer, solicit, accept, use or retain a listing of real property with knowledge that unlawful discrimination or discrimination on the basis of familial status in a real estate transaction is intended.

Nothing in this Section 3-102 or in any municipal or county ordinance described in Section 7-108 of this Act shall require a housing authority, its designated property manager, or any other housing authority agents or assigns of any housing development project in which 25% or more of the units are owned by a housing authority or subject to a leasing agreement, regulatory and operating agreement, or other similar instrument with a housing authority to lease or rent another unit of that same housing development project to an existing or prospective tenant who is receiving subsidies, payment assistance, contributions, or vouchers under or in connection with the federal Housing Choice Voucher (also known as Section 8) program (42 U.S.C. 1437f) for payment of part or all of the rent for the unit.

Nothing in this Section 3-102, except with respect to written statements prohibited by subdivision (F) of this Section, shall require or prevent any person whose property is located in a municipality with fewer than 1,000,000 inhabitants, and is in a concentrated census tract where 3% of the total housing stock in that census tract is occupied by tenants relying on subsidies, payment assistance, contributions, or vouchers under or in connection with the federal Housing Choice Voucher (also known as Section 8) program (42 U.S.C. 1437f) for payment of part of the rent for the unit to lease or rent a unit to a prospective tenant who is relying on such a subsidy, payment assistance, contribution, or voucher for payment of part or all of the rent for the unit. The housing authority shall determine which census tracts within its service area meet the concentrated census tract exemption requirements and annually deliver that information to the municipalities within its jurisdiction.

Nothing in this Section 3-102 prevents an owner or agent from taking into consideration factors other than lawful source of income such as credit history, criminal history, or references.

Nothing in this Section 3-102 shall require or prevent any person whose property fails to meet federal Housing Quality Standards in connection with the federal Housing Choice Voucher (also known as Section 8) program (42 U.S.C. 1437f) to lease or rent a unit to a prospective tenant who is relying on such a subsidy, payment assistance, contribution, or voucher for payment of part or all of the rent for such unit.

(Source: P.A. 86-910.)

(775 ILCS 5/8A-104) (from Ch. 68, par. 8A-104)

Sec. 8A-104. Relief; Penalties. Upon finding a civil rights violation, a hearing officer may recommend and the Commission or any three-member panel thereof may provide for any relief or penalty identified in this Section, separately or in combination, by entering an order directing the respondent to:

(A) Cease and Desist Order. Cease and desist from any violation of this Act.

(B) Actual Damages. Pay actual damages, as reasonably determined by the Commission, for injury or loss suffered by the complainant.

(C) Hiring; Reinstatement; Promotion; Backpay; Fringe Benefits. Hire, reinstate or upgrade the complainant with or without back pay or provide such fringe benefits as the complainant may have been denied.

(D) Restoration of Membership; Admission To Programs. Admit or restore the complainant to labor organization membership, to a guidance program, apprenticeship training program, on the job training program, or other occupational training or retraining program.

(E) Public Accommodations. Admit the complainant to a public accommodation.

(F) Services. Extend to the complainant the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of the respondent.

(G) Attorneys Fees; Costs. Pay to the complainant all or a portion of the costs of maintaining the action, including reasonable attorney fees and expert witness fees incurred in maintaining this action before the Department, the Commission and in any judicial review and judicial enforcement proceedings. Provided, however, that no award of attorney fees or costs shall be made pursuant to this amendatory Act of 1987 with respect to any charge for which the complaint before the Commission was filed prior to December 1, 1987. With respect to all charges for which complaints were filed with the Commission prior to December 1, 1987, attorney fees and costs shall be awarded pursuant to the terms of this subsection as it existed prior to revision by this amendatory Act of 1987.

(H) Compliance Report. Report as to the manner of compliance.

(I) Posting of Notices. Post notices in a conspicuous place which the Commission may publish or cause to be published setting forth requirements for compliance with this Act or other relevant information which the Commission determines necessary to explain this Act.

(I-1) Training. Participate in training by the Department or other such training as is necessary to prevent future civil rights violations.

(J) Make Complainant Whole. Take such action as may be necessary to make the individual complainant whole, including, but not limited to, awards of interest on the complainant's actual damages and backpay from the date of the civil rights violation. Provided, however, that no award of prejudgment interest shall be made pursuant to this amendatory Act of 1987 with respect to any charge in which the complaint before the Commission was filed prior to December 1, 1987. With respect to all charges for which complaints were filed with the Commission prior to December 1, 1987, make whole relief shall be awarded pursuant to this subsection as it existed prior to revision by this amendatory Act of 1987.

There shall be no distinction made under this Section between complaints filed by the Department and those filed by the aggrieved party.

(Source: P.A. 86-910.)

(775 ILCS 5/8B-104) (from Ch. 68, par. 8B-104)

Sec. 8B-104. Relief; Penalties. Upon finding a civil rights violation, a hearing officer may recommend and the Commission or any three-member panel thereof may provide for any relief or penalty identified in this Section, separately or in combination, by entering an order directing the respondent to:

(A) Cease and Desist Order. Cease and desist from any violation of this Act.

(B) Actual Damages. Pay actual damages, as reasonably determined by the Commission, for injury or loss suffered by the complainant.

(C) Civil Penalty. Pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest:

(i) in an amount not exceeding $10,000 if the respondent has not been adjudged to have committed any prior civil rights violation under Article 3;

(ii) in an amount not exceeding $25,000 if the respondent has been adjudged to have committed one other civil rights violation under Article 3 during the 5-year period ending on the date of the filing of this charge; and

(iii) in an amount not exceeding $50,000 if the respondent has been adjudged to have committed 2 or more civil rights violations under Article 3 during the 7-year period ending on the date of the filing of this charge; except that if the acts constituting the civil rights violation that is the object of the charge are committed by the same natural person who has been previously adjudged to have committed acts constituting a civil rights violation under Article 3, then the civil penalties set forth in subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) may be imposed without regard to the period of time within which any subsequent civil rights violation under Article 3 occurred.

(D) Attorney Fees; Costs. Pay to the complainant all or a portion of the costs of maintaining the action, including reasonable attorneys fees and expert witness fees incurred in maintaining this action before the Department, the Commission and in any judicial review and judicial enforcement proceedings.

(E) Compliance Report. Report as to the manner of compliance.

(F) Posting of Notices. Post notices in a conspicuous place which the Commission may publish or cause to be published setting forth requirements for compliance with this Act or other relevant information which the Commission determines necessary to explain this Act.

(F-1) Training. Participate in Fair Housing training by the Department or other such training as is necessary to prevent future civil rights violations.

(G) Make Complainant Whole. Take such action as may be necessary to make the individual complainant whole, including, but not limited to, awards of interest on the complainant's actual damages from the date of the civil rights violation.

(Source: P.A. 86-910.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 31, 2012.