Bill Text: IL HB1929 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that a formerly convicted person may petition the Department of Human Rights for a grant of protected class status. Provides that the Department may grant protected class status to a formerly convicted person who meets the following conditions: the person has complied with each term and condition of the person's parole, mandatory supervised release, probation, or conditional discharge; the person has obtained a high school diploma or received a high school equivalency certificate; the person is employed or actively seeking employment or is enrolled in or has successfully completed a vocational training or college educational program; the person has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor within the last 5 years; and the person has completed all sanctions imposed upon the person through due process of law. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules concerning what constitutes an intellectual or developmental disability that prevents the formerly convicted person from meeting some of the conditions and who is qualified to diagnose such a person. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to carry out the provisions. Provides that protected class status previously granted to a formerly convicted person shall be revoked by the Department after notice and a hearing, if the formerly convicted person is subsequently convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. Provides that the revocation process shall be initiated by a petition that sets forth the date of the subsequent offense, description of the offense, date of conviction for the subsequent offense, and sentence imposed on the conviction. Provides that a copy of the petition and notice of the hearing date shall be served on the formerly convicted person.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-04 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB1929 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB1929-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1929 Introduced , by Rep. Camille Y. Lilly SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
775 ILCS 5/1-103 from Ch. 68, par. 1-103
775 ILCS 5/7-101 from Ch. 68, par. 7-101
775 ILCS 5/7-114 new
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that a formerly convicted person may petition the Department of Human Rights for a grant of protected class status. Provides that the Department may grant protected class status to a formerly convicted person who meets the following conditions: the person has complied with each term and condition of the person's parole, mandatory supervised release, probation, or conditional discharge; the person has obtained a high school diploma or received a high school equivalency certificate; the person is employed or actively seeking employment or is enrolled in or has successfully completed a vocational training or college educational program; the person has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor within the last 5 years; and the person has completed all sanctions imposed upon the person through due process of law. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules concerning what constitutes an intellectual or developmental disability that prevents the formerly convicted person from meeting some of the conditions and who is qualified to diagnose such a person. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to carry out the provisions. Provides that protected class status previously granted to a formerly convicted person shall be revoked by the Department after notice and a hearing, if the formerly convicted person is subsequently convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. Provides that the revocation process shall be initiated by a petition that sets forth the date of the subsequent offense, description of the offense, date of conviction for the subsequent offense, and sentence imposed on the conviction. Provides that a copy of the petition and notice of the hearing date shall be served on the formerly convicted person.
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A BILL FOR
HB1929 LRB104 09254 JRC 19312 b
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 1-103 and 7-101 and by adding Section 7-114
as follows:
(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.
(B-5) Arrest record. "Arrest record" means:
(1) an arrest not leading to a conviction;
(2) a juvenile record; or

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(3) criminal history record information ordered
expunged, sealed, or impounded under Section 5.2 of the
Criminal Identification Act.
(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,
3-102.10, 3-104.1, 3-105, 3-105.1, 4-102, 4-103, 5-102,
5A-102, 6-101, 6-101.5, 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.
(G-5) Conviction record. "Conviction record" means
information indicating that a person has been convicted of a
felony, misdemeanor or other criminal offense, placed on
probation, fined, imprisoned, or paroled pursuant to any law
enforcement or military authority.
(H) Department. "Department" means the Department of Human

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Rights created by this Act.
(I) Disability.
(1) "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:
(a) 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;
(b) For purposes of Article 3, is unrelated to the
person's ability to acquire, rent, or maintain a housing
accommodation;
(c) For purposes of Article 4, is unrelated to a
person's ability to repay;
(d) For purposes of Article 5, is unrelated to a
person's ability to utilize and benefit from a place of
public accommodation;
(e) For purposes of Article 5, also includes any
mental, psychological, or developmental disability,
including autism spectrum disorders.

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(2) Discrimination based on disability includes unlawful
discrimination against an individual because of the
individual's association with a person with a disability.
(I-5) Formerly convicted person. "Formerly convicted
person" means a person:
(1) who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor
under the laws of this State, an ordinance of a unit of
local government of this State, another state, territory,
or possession of the United States, federal law, or the
laws of another country that guarantees due process rights
similar to those of the United States; and
(2) who has completed the person's parole, mandatory
supervised release term, term of probation, or conditional
discharge.
(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

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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,
Article 112A of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, the
Stalking No Contact Order Act, or the Civil No Contact Order
Act, 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.
(L-5) Pregnancy. "Pregnancy" means pregnancy, childbirth,
or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or
childbirth.
(M) Public contract. "Public contract" includes every
contract to which the State, any of its political
subdivisions, or any municipal corporation is a party.
(M-5) Race. "Race" includes traits associated with race,
including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective
hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists.

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(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-2) Reproductive Health Decisions. "Reproductive Health
Decisions" means a person's decisions regarding the person's
use of: contraception; fertility or sterilization care;
assisted reproductive technologies; miscarriage management
care; healthcare related to the continuation or termination of
pregnancy; or prenatal, intranatal, or postnatal care.
(O-5) Source of income. "Source of income" means the
lawful manner by which an individual supports himself or
herself and his or her dependents.
(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

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as RE-4 or "Dishonorable".
(Q) Unlawful discrimination. "Unlawful discrimination"
means discrimination against a person because of his or her:
(1) actual or perceived: race, color, religion,
national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, order
of protection status, disability, military status, sexual
orientation, pregnancy, reproductive health decisions, or
unfavorable discharge from military service as those terms
are defined in this Section; or
(2) status as a formerly convicted person if the
person has been granted protective class status by the
Department as provided in Section 7-114.
(Source: P.A. 102-362, eff. 1-1-22; 102-419, eff. 1-1-22;
102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-896, eff.
1-1-23; 102-1102, eff. 1-1-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-785,
eff. 1-1-25.)
(775 ILCS 5/7-101) (from Ch. 68, par. 7-101)
Sec. 7-101. Powers and duties. In addition to other powers
and duties prescribed in this Act, the Department shall have
the following powers:
(A) Rules and Regulations. To adopt, promulgate, amend,
and rescind rules and regulations not inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act pursuant to the Illinois Administrative
Procedure Act.
(B) Charges. To issue, receive, investigate, conciliate,

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settle, and dismiss charges filed in conformity with this Act.
(C) Compulsory Process. To request subpoenas as it deems
necessary for its investigations.
(D) Complaints. To file complaints with the Commission in
conformity with this Act and to intervene in complaints
pending before the Commission filed under Article 2, 4, 5, 5A,
or 6.
(E) Judicial Enforcement. To seek temporary relief and to
enforce orders of the Commission in conformity with this Act.
(F) Equal Employment Opportunities. To take such action as
may be authorized to provide for equal employment
opportunities and affirmative action.
(G) Recruitment; Research; Public Communication; Advisory
Councils. To engage in such recruitment, research and public
communication and create such advisory councils as may be
authorized to effectuate the purposes of this Act.
(H) Coordination with other Agencies. To coordinate its
activities with federal, state, and local agencies in
conformity with this Act.
(I) Grants; Private Gifts.
(1) To accept public grants and private gifts as may
be authorized.
(2) To design grant programs and award grants to
eligible recipients.
(J) Education and Training. To implement a formal and
unbiased program of education and training for all employees

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assigned to investigate and conciliate charges under Articles
7A and 7B. The training program shall include the following:
(1) substantive and procedural aspects of the
investigation and conciliation positions;
(2) current issues in human rights law and practice;
(3) lectures by specialists in substantive areas
related to human rights matters;
(4) orientation to each operational unit of the
Department and Commission;
(5) observation of experienced Department
investigators and attorneys conducting conciliation
conferences, combined with the opportunity to discuss
evidence presented and rulings made;
(6) the use of hypothetical cases requiring the
Department investigator and conciliation conference
attorney to issue judgments as a means to evaluating
knowledge and writing ability;
(7) writing skills;
(8) computer skills, including but not limited to word
processing and document management.
A formal, unbiased and ongoing professional development
program including, but not limited to, the above-noted areas
shall be implemented to keep Department investigators and
attorneys informed of recent developments and issues and to
assist them in maintaining and enhancing their professional
competence.

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(K) Hotlines. To establish and maintain hotlines and
helplines to aid in effectuating the purposes of this Act
including the confidential reporting of discrimination,
harassment, and bias incidents. All communications received or
sent via the hotlines and helplines are exempt from disclosure
under the Freedom of Information Act.
(L) Protected Class Status. To grant protective class
status to formerly convicted persons as provided in Section
7-114.
(Source: P.A. 102-1115, eff. 1-9-23; 103-335, eff. 1-1-24;
103-859, eff. 1-1-25.)
(775 ILCS 5/7-114 new)
Sec. 7-114. Protected class status for formerly convicted
persons.
(A) A formerly convicted person may petition the
Department for a grant of protected class status as provided
in this Section. The Department may grant protected class
status to a formerly convicted person who meets the following
conditions:
(1) the person has complied with each term and
condition of the person's parole, mandatory supervised
release, probation, or conditional discharge;
(2) if the person has not obtained a high school
diploma or received a high school equivalency certificate
and has not been diagnosed as a person having an

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intellectual or developmental disability that prevents the
person from successfully passing the high school
equivalency test, the person must have passed the high
school equivalency test and been issued a high school
equivalency certificate under Section 3-15.12 of the
School Code;
(3) the person must:
(a) be employed or actively seeking employment
unless the person has been diagnosed as a person
having an intellectual or developmental disability
that prevents the person from being employed; or
(b) be enrolled in or have successfully completed
a vocational training or college educational program
unless the person has been diagnosed as a person
having an intellectual or developmental disability
that prevents the person from successfully completing
a vocational or college educational program;
(4) the person must, for a minimum of 5 years after
completion of the person's parole, mandatory supervised
release, probation, or conditional discharge, not have
been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor under the laws
of this State or a municipal or county ordinance of a
county or municipality of this State, another state,
territory, or possession of the United States, federal
law, or the laws of another country that guarantees due
process rights similar to those of the United States; and

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(5) must have completed all sanctions imposed upon the
person through due process of law for the person's
conviction.
(B) The Department shall determine by rule:
(1) what constitutes having an intellectual or
developmental disability that prevents the formerly
convicted person from meeting the requirements of
paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (A); and
(2) who is qualified to diagnose such a person.
(C) The Department shall adopt rules, subject to the
Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, to carry out the
provisions of this Section.
(D) Protected class status previously granted to a
formerly convicted person under this Section shall be revoked
by the Department after notice and a hearing, if the formerly
convicted person is subsequently convicted of a felony or
misdemeanor, other than a minor traffic offense, under the
laws of this State, another state, territory, or possession of
the United States, federal law, or the laws of another country
that guarantees due process rights similar to those of the
United States. The revocation process shall be initiated by a
petition filed by a State's Attorney, the Attorney General,
other prosecutor, or the Department, that sets forth the date
of the subsequent offense, description of the offense, date of
conviction for the subsequent offense, and sentence imposed
for the conviction. A copy of the petition and notice of the

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