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| 1 | AN ACT concerning human rights.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by | ||||||
| 5 | changing Section 7-101 as follows:
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| 6 | (775 ILCS 5/7-101) (from Ch. 68, par. 7-101)
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| 7 | Sec. 7-101. Powers and Duties. In addition to other powers | ||||||
| 8 | and duties
prescribed in this Act, the Department shall have | ||||||
| 9 | the following powers:
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| 10 | (A) Rules and Regulations. To adopt, promulgate, amend, and | ||||||
| 11 | rescind rules
and regulations not inconsistent with the | ||||||
| 12 | provisions of this Act pursuant
to the Illinois Administrative | ||||||
| 13 | Procedure Act.
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| 14 | (B) Charges. To issue, receive, investigate, conciliate, | ||||||
| 15 | settle, and dismiss
charges filed in conformity with this Act.
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| 16 | (C) Compulsory Process. To request subpoenas as it deems | ||||||
| 17 | necessary for
its investigations.
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| 18 | (D) Complaints. To file complaints with the Commission in | ||||||
| 19 | conformity
with this Act.
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| 20 | (E) Judicial Enforcement. To seek temporary relief and to | ||||||
| 21 | enforce orders
of the Commission in conformity with this Act.
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| 22 | (F) Equal Employment Opportunities. To take such action as | ||||||
| 23 | may be authorized
to provide for equal employment opportunities | ||||||
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| 1 | and affirmative action.
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| 2 | (G) Recruitment; Research; Public Communication; Advisory | ||||||
| 3 | Councils. To
engage in such recruitment, research and public | ||||||
| 4 | communication and create
such advisory councils as may be | ||||||
| 5 | authorized to effectuate the purposes of
this Act.
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| 6 | (H) Coordination with other Federal and Local Agencies. To | ||||||
| 7 | coordinate its
activities with federal, state, and local | ||||||
| 8 | agencies in conformity with this Act.
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| 9 | (I) Public Grants; Private Gifts. To accept public grants | ||||||
| 10 | and private
gifts as may be authorized.
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| 11 | (J) Education and Training. To implement a formal and | ||||||
| 12 | unbiased program
of education and training for all employees | ||||||
| 13 | assigned to investigate and
conciliate charges under Articles | ||||||
| 14 | 7A and 7B. The training program shall
include the following:
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| 15 | (1) substantive and procedural aspects of the | ||||||
| 16 | investigation and
conciliation positions;
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| 17 | (2) current issues in human rights law and practice;
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| 18 | (3) lectures by specialists in substantive areas | ||||||
| 19 | related to human
rights matters;
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| 20 | (4) orientation to each operational unit of the | ||||||
| 21 | Department and Commission;
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| 22 | (5) observation of experienced Department | ||||||
| 23 | investigators and attorneys
conducting conciliation | ||||||
| 24 | conferences, combined with the opportunity to
discuss | ||||||
| 25 | evidence presented and rulings made;
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| 26 | (6) the use of hypothetical cases requiring the | ||||||
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| 1 | Department investigator
and conciliation conference | ||||||
| 2 | attorney to issue judgments as a means to
evaluating | ||||||
| 3 | knowledge and writing ability;
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| 4 | (7) writing skills;
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| 5 | (8) computer skills, including but not limited to word | ||||||
| 6 | processing and
document management.
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| 7 | A formal, unbiased and ongoing professional development | ||||||
| 8 | program
including, but not limited to, the above-noted areas | ||||||
| 9 | shall be implemented
to keep Department investigators and | ||||||
| 10 | attorneys informed of recent
developments and issues and to | ||||||
| 11 | assist them in maintaining and enhancing
their professional | ||||||
| 12 | competence.
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| 13 | (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)
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| 14 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
| 15 | becoming law.
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