94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB0167

 

Introduced 2/2/2005, by Sen. Iris Y. Martinez

 

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

    Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. With respect to real estate transactions, prohibits discrimination on the basis of source of income. In provisions prohibiting an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, or source of income, from engaging 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 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; 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. Effective immediately.


LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0167 LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1     AN ACT in relation to human rights.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by
5 changing Sections 1-102, 1-103, and 3-102 as follows:
 
6     (775 ILCS 5/1-102)  (from Ch. 68, par. 1-102)
7     (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 93-1078)
8     Sec. 1-102. Declaration of Policy. It is the public policy
9 of this State:
10     (A) Freedom from Unlawful Discrimination. To secure for all
11 individuals within Illinois the freedom from discrimination
12 against any individual because of his or her race, color,
13 religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status,
14 physical or mental handicap, military status, or unfavorable
15 discharge from military service in connection with employment,
16 real estate transactions, access to financial credit, and the
17 availability of public accommodations.
18     (B) Freedom from Sexual Harassment-Employment and Higher
19 Education. To prevent sexual harassment in employment and
20 sexual harassment in higher education.
21     (C) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Citizenship
22 Status-Employment. To prevent discrimination based on
23 citizenship status in employment.
24     (D) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Familial Status or
25 Source of Income-Real Estate Transactions. To prevent
26 discrimination based on familial status or source of income in
27 real estate transactions.
28     (E) Public Health, Welfare and Safety. To promote the
29 public health, welfare and safety by protecting the interest of
30 all people in Illinois in maintaining personal dignity, in
31 realizing their full productive capacities, and in furthering
32 their interests, rights and privileges as citizens of this

 

 

SB0167 - 2 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1 State.
2     (F) Implementation of Constitutional Guarantees. To secure
3 and guarantee the rights established by Sections 17, 18 and 19
4 of Article I of the Illinois Constitution of 1970.
5     (G) Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action. To establish
6 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action as the policies of
7 this State in all of its decisions, programs and activities,
8 and to assure that all State departments, boards, commissions
9 and instrumentalities rigorously take affirmative action to
10 provide equality of opportunity and eliminate the effects of
11 past discrimination in the internal affairs of State government
12 and in their relations with the public.
13     (H) Unfounded Charges. To protect citizens of this State
14 against unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination, sexual
15 harassment in employment and sexual harassment in higher
16 education, and discrimination based on citizenship status in
17 employment.
18 (Source: P.A. 87-579; 88-178.)
 
19     (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 93-1078)
20     Sec. 1-102. Declaration of Policy. It is the public policy
21 of this State:
22     (A) Freedom from Unlawful Discrimination. To secure for all
23 individuals within Illinois the freedom from discrimination
24 against any individual because of his or her race, color,
25 religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status,
26 physical or mental handicap, military status, sexual
27 orientation, or unfavorable discharge from military service in
28 connection with employment, real estate transactions, access
29 to financial credit, and the availability of public
30 accommodations.
31     (B) Freedom from Sexual Harassment-Employment and Higher
32 Education. To prevent sexual harassment in employment and
33 sexual harassment in higher education.
34     (C) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Citizenship
35 Status-Employment. To prevent discrimination based on

 

 

SB0167 - 3 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1 citizenship status in employment.
2     (D) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Familial Status or
3 Source of Income-Real Estate Transactions. To prevent
4 discrimination based on familial status or source of income in
5 real estate transactions.
6     (E) Public Health, Welfare and Safety. To promote the
7 public health, welfare and safety by protecting the interest of
8 all people in Illinois in maintaining personal dignity, in
9 realizing their full productive capacities, and in furthering
10 their interests, rights and privileges as citizens of this
11 State.
12     (F) Implementation of Constitutional Guarantees. To secure
13 and guarantee the rights established by Sections 17, 18 and 19
14 of Article I of the Illinois Constitution of 1970.
15     (G) Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action. To establish
16 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action as the policies of
17 this State in all of its decisions, programs and activities,
18 and to assure that all State departments, boards, commissions
19 and instrumentalities rigorously take affirmative action to
20 provide equality of opportunity and eliminate the effects of
21 past discrimination in the internal affairs of State government
22 and in their relations with the public.
23     (H) Unfounded Charges. To protect citizens of this State
24 against unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination, sexual
25 harassment in employment and sexual harassment in higher
26 education, and discrimination based on citizenship status in
27 employment.
28 (Source: P.A. 93-1078, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
29     (775 ILCS 5/1-103)  (from Ch. 68, par. 1-103)
30     (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 93-1078)
31     Sec. 1-103. General Definitions. When used in this Act,
32 unless the context requires otherwise, the term:
33     (A) Age. "Age" means the chronological age of a person who
34 is at least 40 years old, except with regard to any practice
35 described in Section 2-102, insofar as that practice concerns

 

 

SB0167 - 4 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1 training or apprenticeship programs. In the case of training or
2 apprenticeship programs, for the purposes of Section 2-102,
3 "age" means the chronological age of a person who is 18 but not
4 yet 40 years old.
5     (B) Aggrieved Party. "Aggrieved party" means a person who
6 is alleged or proved to have been injured by a civil rights
7 violation or believes he or she will be injured by a civil
8 rights violation under Article 3 that is about to occur.
9     (C) Charge. "Charge" means an allegation filed with the
10 Department by an aggrieved party or initiated by the Department
11 under its authority.
12     (D) Civil Rights Violation. "Civil rights violation"
13 includes and shall be limited to only those specific acts set
14 forth in Sections 2-102, 2-103, 2-105, 3-102, 3-103, 3-104,
15 3-104.1, 3-105, 4-102, 4-103, 5-102, 5A-102 and 6-101 of this
16 Act.
17     (E) Commission. "Commission" means the Human Rights
18 Commission created by this Act.
19     (F) Complaint. "Complaint" means the formal pleading filed
20 by the Department with the Commission following an
21 investigation and finding of substantial evidence of a civil
22 rights violation.
23     (G) Complainant. "Complainant" means a person including
24 the Department who files a charge of civil rights violation
25 with the Department or the Commission.
26     (H) Department. "Department" means the Department of Human
27 Rights created by this Act.
28     (I) Handicap. "Handicap" means a determinable physical or
29 mental characteristic of a person, including, but not limited
30 to, a determinable physical characteristic which necessitates
31 the person's use of a guide, hearing or support dog, the
32 history of such characteristic, or the perception of such
33 characteristic by the person complained against, which may
34 result from disease, injury, congenital condition of birth or
35 functional disorder and which characteristic:
36         (1) For purposes of Article 2 is unrelated to the

 

 

SB0167 - 5 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1     person's ability to perform the duties of a particular job
2     or position and, pursuant to Section 2-104 of this Act, a
3     person's illegal use of drugs or alcohol is not a handicap;
4         (2) For purposes of Article 3, is unrelated to the
5     person's ability to acquire, rent or maintain a housing
6     accommodation;
7         (3) For purposes of Article 4, is unrelated to a
8     person's ability to repay;
9         (4) For purposes of Article 5, is unrelated to a
10     person's ability to utilize and benefit from a place of
11     public accommodation.
12     (I-5) Housing authority. "Housing authority" means either
13 a housing authority created under the Housing Authorities Act
14 or other government agency that is authorized by the United
15 States government under the United States Housing Act of 1937
16 to administer a housing choice voucher program, or the
17 authorized agent of such a housing authority that is authorized
18 to act upon that authority's behalf.
19     (J) Marital Status. "Marital status" means the legal status
20 of being married, single, separated, divorced or widowed.
21     (J-1) Military Status. "Military status" means a person's
22 status on active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
23 status as a current member of any reserve component of the
24 armed forces of the United States, including the United States
25 Army Reserve, United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States
26 Navy Reserve, United States Air Force Reserve, and United
27 States Coast Guard Reserve, or status as a current member of
28 the Illinois Army National Guard or Illinois Air National
29 Guard.
30     (K) National Origin. "National origin" means the place in
31 which a person or one of his or her ancestors was born.
32     (L) Person. "Person" includes one or more individuals,
33 partnerships, associations or organizations, labor
34 organizations, labor unions, joint apprenticeship committees,
35 or union labor associations, corporations, the State of
36 Illinois and its instrumentalities, political subdivisions,

 

 

SB0167 - 6 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1 units of local government, legal representatives, trustees in
2 bankruptcy or receivers.
3     (M) Public Contract. "Public contract" includes every
4 contract to which the State, any of its political subdivisions
5 or any municipal corporation is a party.
6     (N) Religion. "Religion" includes all aspects of religious
7 observance and practice, as well as belief, except that with
8 respect to employers, for the purposes of Article 2, "religion"
9 has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph (F) of Section
10 2-101.
11     (O) Sex. "Sex" means the status of being male or female.
12     (O-5) Source of Income. "Source of income" means any lawful
13 income, subsidy, or benefit with which an individual supports
14 himself or herself and his or her dependents, including, but
15 not limited to, child support, maintenance, and any federal,
16 State, or local public assistance, medical assistance, or
17 rental assistance program.
18     (P) Unfavorable Military Discharge. "Unfavorable military
19 discharge" includes discharges from the Armed Forces of the
20 United States, their Reserve components or any National Guard
21 or Naval Militia which are classified as RE-3 or the equivalent
22 thereof, but does not include those characterized as RE-4 or
23 "Dishonorable".
24     (Q) Unlawful Discrimination. "Unlawful discrimination"
25 means discrimination against a person because of his or her
26 race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex,
27 marital status, handicap, military status, or unfavorable
28 discharge from military service as those terms are defined in
29 this Section.
30 (Source: P.A. 93-941, eff. 8-16-04.)
 
31     (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 93-1078)
32     Sec. 1-103. General Definitions. When used in this Act,
33 unless the context requires otherwise, the term:
34     (A) Age. "Age" means the chronological age of a person who
35 is at least 40 years old, except with regard to any practice

 

 

SB0167 - 7 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1 described in Section 2-102, insofar as that practice concerns
2 training or apprenticeship programs. In the case of training or
3 apprenticeship programs, for the purposes of Section 2-102,
4 "age" means the chronological age of a person who is 18 but not
5 yet 40 years old.
6     (B) Aggrieved Party. "Aggrieved party" means a person who
7 is alleged or proved to have been injured by a civil rights
8 violation or believes he or she will be injured by a civil
9 rights violation under Article 3 that is about to occur.
10     (C) Charge. "Charge" means an allegation filed with the
11 Department by an aggrieved party or initiated by the Department
12 under its authority.
13     (D) Civil Rights Violation. "Civil rights violation"
14 includes and shall be limited to only those specific acts set
15 forth in Sections 2-102, 2-103, 2-105, 3-102, 3-103, 3-104,
16 3-104.1, 3-105, 4-102, 4-103, 5-102, 5A-102 and 6-101 of this
17 Act.
18     (E) Commission. "Commission" means the Human Rights
19 Commission created by this Act.
20     (F) Complaint. "Complaint" means the formal pleading filed
21 by the Department with the Commission following an
22 investigation and finding of substantial evidence of a civil
23 rights violation.
24     (G) Complainant. "Complainant" means a person including
25 the Department who files a charge of civil rights violation
26 with the Department or the Commission.
27     (H) Department. "Department" means the Department of Human
28 Rights created by this Act.
29     (I) Handicap. "Handicap" means a determinable physical or
30 mental characteristic of a person, including, but not limited
31 to, a determinable physical characteristic which necessitates
32 the person's use of a guide, hearing or support dog, the
33 history of such characteristic, or the perception of such
34 characteristic by the person complained against, which may
35 result from disease, injury, congenital condition of birth or
36 functional disorder and which characteristic:

 

 

SB0167 - 8 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1         (1) For purposes of Article 2 is unrelated to the
2     person's ability to perform the duties of a particular job
3     or position and, pursuant to Section 2-104 of this Act, a
4     person's illegal use of drugs or alcohol is not a handicap;
5         (2) For purposes of Article 3, is unrelated to the
6     person's ability to acquire, rent or maintain a housing
7     accommodation;
8         (3) For purposes of Article 4, is unrelated to a
9     person's ability to repay;
10         (4) For purposes of Article 5, is unrelated to a
11     person's ability to utilize and benefit from a place of
12     public accommodation.
13     (I-5) Housing authority. "Housing authority" means either
14 a housing authority created under the Housing Authorities Act
15 or other government agency that is authorized by the United
16 States government under the United States Housing Act of 1937
17 to administer a housing choice voucher program, or the
18 authorized agent of such a housing authority that is authorized
19 to act upon that authority's behalf.
20     (J) Marital Status. "Marital status" means the legal status
21 of being married, single, separated, divorced or widowed.
22     (J-1) Military Status. "Military status" means a person's
23 status on active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
24 status as a current member of any reserve component of the
25 armed forces of the United States, including the United States
26 Army Reserve, United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States
27 Navy Reserve, United States Air Force Reserve, and United
28 States Coast Guard Reserve, or status as a current member of
29 the Illinois Army National Guard or Illinois Air National
30 Guard.
31     (K) National Origin. "National origin" means the place in
32 which a person or one of his or her ancestors was born.
33     (L) Person. "Person" includes one or more individuals,
34 partnerships, associations or organizations, labor
35 organizations, labor unions, joint apprenticeship committees,
36 or union labor associations, corporations, the State of

 

 

SB0167 - 9 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1 Illinois and its instrumentalities, political subdivisions,
2 units of local government, legal representatives, trustees in
3 bankruptcy or receivers.
4     (M) Public Contract. "Public contract" includes every
5 contract to which the State, any of its political subdivisions
6 or any municipal corporation is a party.
7     (N) Religion. "Religion" includes all aspects of religious
8 observance and practice, as well as belief, except that with
9 respect to employers, for the purposes of Article 2, "religion"
10 has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph (F) of Section
11 2-101.
12     (O) Sex. "Sex" means the status of being male or female.
13     (O-1) Sexual orientation. "Sexual orientation" means
14 actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality,
15 bisexuality, or gender-related identity, whether or not
16 traditionally associated with the person's designated sex at
17 birth. "Sexual orientation" does not include a physical or
18 sexual attraction to a minor by an adult.
19     (O-5) Source of Income. "Source of income" means any lawful
20 income, subsidy, or benefit with which an individual supports
21 himself or herself and his or her dependents, including, but
22 not limited to, child support, maintenance, and any federal,
23 State, or local public assistance, medical assistance, or
24 rental assistance program.
25     (P) Unfavorable Military Discharge. "Unfavorable military
26 discharge" includes discharges from the Armed Forces of the
27 United States, their Reserve components or any National Guard
28 or Naval Militia which are classified as RE-3 or the equivalent
29 thereof, but does not include those characterized as RE-4 or
30 "Dishonorable".
31     (Q) Unlawful Discrimination. "Unlawful discrimination"
32 means discrimination against a person because of his or her
33 race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex,
34 marital status, handicap, military status, sexual orientation,
35 or unfavorable discharge from military service as those terms
36 are defined in this Section.

 

 

SB0167 - 10 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1 (Source: P.A. 93-941, eff. 8-16-04; 93-1078, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
2     (775 ILCS 5/3-102)  (from Ch. 68, par. 3-102)
3     Sec. 3-102. Civil Rights Violations; Real Estate
4 Transactions) It is a civil rights violation for an owner or
5 any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for
6 a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful
7 discrimination or familial status or source of income, to
8     (A) Transaction. Refuse to engage in a real estate
9 transaction with a person or to discriminate in making
10 available such a transaction;
11     (B) Terms. Alter the terms, conditions or privileges of a
12 real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or
13 services in connection therewith;
14     (C) Offer. Refuse to receive or to fail to transmit a bona
15 fide offer to engage in a real estate transaction from a
16 person;
17     (D) Negotiation. Refuse to negotiate for a real estate
18 transaction with a person;
19     (E) Representations. Represent to a person that real
20 property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or
21 lease when in fact it is so available, or to fail to bring a
22 property listing to his or her attention, or to refuse to
23 permit him or her to inspect real property;
24     (F) Publication of Intent. Print, circulate, post, mail,
25 publish or cause to be so published a written or oral
26 statement, advertisement or sign, or to use a form of
27 application for a real estate transaction, or to make a record
28 or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate
29 transaction, which expresses any limitation founded upon, or
30 indicates, directly or indirectly, an intent to engage in
31 unlawful discrimination;
32     (G) Listings. Offer, solicit, accept, use or retain a
33 listing of real property with knowledge that unlawful
34 discrimination or discrimination on the basis of familial
35 status in a real estate transaction is intended.

 

 

SB0167 - 11 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1     Nothing in this Section 3-102 or in any municipal or county
2 ordinance described in Section 7-108 of this Act shall require
3 a housing authority, its designated property manager, or any
4 other housing authority agents or assigns of any housing
5 development project in which 25% or more of the units are owned
6 by a housing authority or subject to a leasing agreement,
7 regulatory and operating agreement, or other similar
8 instrument with a housing authority to lease or rent another
9 unit of that same housing development project to an existing or
10 prospective tenant who is receiving subsidies, payment
11 assistance, contributions, or vouchers under or in connection
12 with the federal Housing Choice Voucher (also known as Section
13 8) program (42 U.S.C. 1437f) for payment of part or all of the
14 rent for the unit.
15     Nothing in this Section 3-102, except with respect to
16 written statements prohibited by subdivision (F) of this
17 Section, shall require or prevent any person whose property is
18 located in a municipality with fewer than 1,000,000
19 inhabitants, and is in a concentrated census tract where 3% of
20 the total housing stock in that census tract is occupied by
21 tenants relying on subsidies, payment assistance,
22 contributions, or vouchers under or in connection with the
23 federal Housing Choice Voucher (also known as Section 8)
24 program (42 U.S.C. 1437f) for payment of part of the rent for
25 the unit to lease or rent a unit to a prospective tenant who is
26 relying on such a subsidy, payment assistance, contribution, or
27 voucher for payment of part or all of the rent for the unit.
28 The housing authority shall determine which census tracts
29 within its service area meet the concentrated census tract
30 exemption requirements and annually deliver that information
31 to the municipalities within its jurisdiction.
32     Nothing in this Section 3-102 prevents an owner or agent
33 from taking into consideration factors other than lawful source
34 of income such as credit history, criminal history, or
35 references.
36 (Source: P.A. 86-910.)
 

 

 

SB0167 - 12 - LRB094 08351 WGH 38544 b

1     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2 becoming law.