This Senate resolution honors the life and legacy of Standish E. "Kwame" Willis, a prominent Chicago civil rights attorney and activist who passed away in Ghana. The bill formally memorializes his extensive contributions to social justice, including his work as a CTA bus driver during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, his career as a lawyer specializing in police brutality cases, and his role in founding organizations like Black People Against Police Torture. It highlights his specific achievements, such as helping to establish the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission and his advocacy for victims of racial oppression both locally and internationally. The resolution serves as an official record of his impact on civil rights and community organizing rather than enacting new laws or policies.
Creates the Statewide Hate Crime Information Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall compile and maintain information about hate crime and shall adopt a uniform reporting format for the entry of pertinent intelligence information regarding the report of a hate crime to the Illinois State Police Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall: (1) submit a report to the Illinois State Police through the Central Repository after any arrest with probable cause demonstrating the commission of a hate crime; (2) submit reports of persons arrested for hate crimes as soon as the minimum level of data or information specified by the Illinois State Police is available; and (3) notify the applicable prosecutor of any other information in the accused person's history of perpetrating hate crimes. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a criminal prosecution in which the defendant is charged with a hate crime, evidence of the defendant's commission of another hate crime is admissible and may be considered for its bearing on any matter to which it is relevant.
Amends the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Illinois Accountability Act. Provides that a person who claims to have suffered a deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities under the Illinois Constitution because of acts or omissions of a public body or person acting on behalf of a public body, under color of, or within the course and scope of the authority of a public body may maintain an action to establish liability and recover compensatory damages, punitive damages, and injunctive relief. Provides that in any action filed under the Act, a public body or person acting on behalf of a public body does not enjoy the defense of qualified immunity for causing the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Illinois Constitution. Provides that if the plaintiff prevails in an action under the Act, the public body is liable for reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs. Provides that statutory immunities and limitations on liability, damages, or attorney's fees do not apply to claims brought under the Act. Provides that an action filed under the Act that is pending does not abate upon the death of the plaintiff or defendant. Provides that a judgment awarded under the Act against a person acting on behalf of a public body, under color of, or within the course and scope of the authority of the public body is to be paid by the public body. Provides that the State does not have sovereign immunity for itself or any of its political subdivisions against claims brought the Act. Provides that if there is any conflict between the Act and any other law of this State, the amendatory Act controls.
Amends the Election Code. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2028, a person convicted of a felony, or otherwise under sentence in a correctional institution, shall have his or her right to vote restored and shall be eligible to vote not later than 14 days following his or her conviction. Provides that a person who is serving a sentence in a correctional institution starting prior to January 1, 2027 shall have his or her right to vote restored not later than January 14, 2028. Provides that a person may not be denied the right to vote because of a past criminal conviction. Provides that each local election authority shall coordinate with the correctional institution, Illinois Department of Corrections, and other correctional agencies incarcerating eligible voters to facilitate voting by mail for those voters eligible to vote in that election jurisdiction who are incarcerated in the correctional institution. Provides that the Attorney General, any individual aggrieved by a violation of these provisions, any entity whose membership includes individuals aggrieved by a violation of these provisions, any entity whose mission would be frustrated by a violation of these provisions, or any entity that would expend resources in order to fulfill its mission as a result of a violation of these provisions may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction. Provides that the Act is intended to benefit and protect the rights of individual voters and to provide a remedy for infringing on the rights granted under this Act. Amends the Re-Entering Citizens Civics Education Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Reintegration and Civic Empowerment Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall conduct the civics peer education program each of the 3 sessions not less than twice a month at each correctional institution totaling not less than 6 sessions per month at each correctional institution. Provides that the civics peer education program and workshops must be made available to all committed persons regardless of the date they were first committed or the length of their sentence. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2028.
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a hate crime is: (1) a Class 2 felony if committed by a person 18 years of age or older while armed with a firearm or if the victim of the hate crime is under 18 years of age; (2) a Class 1 felony if a crime of violence as defined in the Crime Victims Compensation Act is committed against a person by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals; or (3) a Class 1 felony for which the person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 4 years and not more than 15 years if a crime of violence that is a Class 1 felony is committed against a victim of a hate crime. Provides that the court may sentence a defendant who committed a hate crime to a term of natural life imprisonment if the underlying crime is first degree murder if the murder was committed by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of the victim or victims. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for a conviction for a hate crime if: (1) committed by a person 18 years of age or older while armed with a firearm or if the victim of the hate crime is under 18 years of age; or (2) a crime of violence is committed against a person by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals.
Amends the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that required hate crime training so Illinois may include material to help officers distinguish hate crimes from other crimes, understand and assist the victims of hate crimes, and ensure the accurate reporting of hate crimes, provides that the Illinois State Police shall biannually review the hate crime training curriculum. Provides the Illinois State Police may consult with the commission on discrimination and hate crimes to update the curriculum as needed. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct or approve training programs in crimes motivated by bias. Includes requirements for the training programs. Requires the training for new law enforcement officers and the completion of continuing education credits for current law enforcement officers who complete the training.
Amends the Uniform Crime Reporting Act. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall submit a report to the Illinois State Police after receiving a complaint of a hate crime or other bias-related complaint within 2 weeks of receiving the complaint. Describes information to be contained in the report. Provides that, when handling a hate crime or bias-related complaint, each law enforcement agency shall (1) approach victims in a sensitive and supportive manner; (2) reassure victims that appropriate investigative and enforcement methods will be used by the law enforcement agency to properly address the bias incident; (3) as required by the facts and circumstances surrounding the suspected or confirmed bias incident, ensure that a thorough and complete initial response investigation and a follow-up investigation are conducted, including providing for appropriate community relations activities and crime prevention programs; (4) refer the victims and the witnesses to the appropriate Office of Victim-Witness Advocacy or the Division on Civil Rights; (5) interact with concerned community service organizations, civic groups, and religious institutions regarding the bias incident; and (6) effectively calm victims and reduce their fear and alienation through direct, ongoing official communication regarding the bias incident. Provides that the Illinois State Police must identify patterns and analyze the information reported to it for the purpose of connecting the information to other reported crimes or incidents, create a reporting form or process to receive this information, review all reports, and disseminate to potentially affected law enforcement agencies and create a process for the sharing of all the reported incidents with law enforcement agencies across the State. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall identify a point of contact in regard to hate crime reporting within the agency and provide the Illinois State Police with that person's name and contact information. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall adopt rules identifying other bias-related complaints that must be reported. Makes a conforming change. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to exempt reports and information received under the hate crime and bias-related incident reporting under the Uniform Crime Reporting Act.
Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Veterans Housing Protection Act. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation to refuse to sell or rent or to otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any buyer or renter who is a veteran because of the results of a criminal, credit, or eviction history records check. Provides that the prohibition against the use of the results of a veteran's criminal history records check shall not preclude an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or a real estate broker or salesman, from prohibiting the veteran, a member of the veteran's household, or a guest of the veteran from engaging in unlawful activity on the premises. Expands the Act's definition of "source of income" to include any federal, State, or local public assistance, and federal, State, or local housing subsidies, such as federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers, rental assistance under the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, and veterans' benefits. Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to administer a statewide Landlord Rental Guarantee Program which reimburses landlords up to $3,500 for damages or unpaid rent associated with veteran tenants using any federal, State, or local housing assistance or veterans' benefits to pay all or a portion of the rent. Provides that reimbursement payments shall be paid out of the Veterans Rental Guarantee Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. Requires the Department to also establish and administer a pilot program to increase affordable homeownership opportunities among the veteran population. Provides that under the pilot program veterans shall be able to use federal or State housing vouchers to partially subsidize homeownership expenses for up to 10 or 15 years depending on the mortgage term.
Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Abraham Lincoln Law. Amends the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. Creates a cause of action against a person who, under color of any State law or rule or ordinance by a unit of local government deprives any citizen of this State or other person within the State's jurisdiction of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Illinois Constitution. Provides that it is not a defense to any action filed under the Act that, at the time of the deprivation: (i) the defendant was acting in good faith; (ii) the defendant believed, reasonably or otherwise, that the defendant's conduct was lawful; (iii) the rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Illinois Constitution were not clearly established; (iv) the state of the law was such that the defendant could not reasonably have been expected to know whether the conduct was lawful; or (v) the defendant was acting in a prosecutorial or judicial capacity. Provides that in any proceeding under the Act in which a plaintiff's claim prevails, the defendant shall be liable for reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs, including fees incurred on an hourly or contingency basis, as well as by an attorney providing services pro bono. Provides that a plaintiff's claim shall be deemed to have prevailed if the plaintiff obtains any relief sought in the complaint, whether via judgment, settlement, or the defendant's voluntary action. Provides that if there is any conflict between the Act and any other law of this State, the amendatory Act controls.
Creates the Incarceration Demographic Data Transparency Act. Provides that for each person confined for any length of time in a State correctional institution or county jail demographic data shall be collected. Provides that the data shall consist of the race, ethnicity, and gender of confined persons. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall establish uniform statewide standards for the collection of demographic data that: (1) are consistent with applicable federal civil rights reporting requirements; (2) promote accuracy and consistency across jurisdictions; and (3) protect the dignity, privacy, and safety of confined individuals. Provides that the Department shall collect and maintain demographic data for all covered individuals confined in State correctional facilities. Provides that each county sheriff shall collect demographic data for covered individuals confined in county jails and shall submit such data to the Department in the form and manner prescribed by the Department. Provides that demographic data shall be submitted and reported at least quarterly and shall include: (1) snapshot population counts; and (2) admissions and releases occurring during the reporting period. Provides that the Department shall publish demographic data collected under the Act on a publicly accessible website in a searchable and downloadable manner. Provides that publicly reported data shall: (1) be aggregated and de-identified; and (2) exclude or suppress categories where disclosure would create a reasonable risk of identifying an individual. Provides that nothing in the Act authorizes the public release of personally identifiable information. Provides that the Department shall oversee implementation and compliance with the Act and provide guidance, reporting templates, and technical assistance to county sheriffs as necessary to implement the Act. Provides that the implementation of the Act is subject to appropriation. Provides that no criminal penalty shall apply to good-faith errors, technical mistakes, or omissions that are promptly corrected upon notice. Provides that the criminal penalties provided in this provision do not preclude administrative sanctions, civil penalties, injunctive relief, or other remedies authorized by law.
