SB2355 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 28581 DTM 54962 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2355

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Truth and Tolerance Commission Act. Establishes the Truth and Tolerance Commission within the Department of Human Rights to delegitimize hate speech. Directs the Governor to appoint 15 voting members to the Commission who represent diverse racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and geographic groups. Establishes the Office of Truth and Tolerance within the Department of Human Rights to help lead and support the work of the Commission. Describes the Commission's duties. Requires the Department to provide staff and administrative support for the Commission. Provides that members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred in performing their duties.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning government.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Truth and Tolerance Commission Act.

Section 5. Findings and purpose.

The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Our county is suffering from a wave of hate directed at various demographic groups, including Blacks, Latinos, LGBTQ individuals, and members of the Asian, Jewish, and Muslim communities. This hate is driven by baseless conspiracy theories and specific lies that are largely spread on the Internet.

(2) Hate speech has led to hate crimes, including violence in Black churches, synagogues, mosques, LGBTQ-friendly nightclubs, homes, businesses, and on the streets.

(3) Hate speech undermines our democratic systems. When people believe outlandish conspiracy theories, they become susceptible to doubting the systems governing elections and the administration of justice, and they are more likely to support the authoritarian use of government power to punish those who have been wrongly or outrageously accused. It has happened before. The QAnon conspiracy theory, for example, is largely a rebranding of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" that empowered Hitler.

(4) While social media platforms should certainly enforce rules against dangerous lies, it will never be practical to block all hate speech. As antidefamation authorities explain in the book entitled "Viral Hate: Containing Its Spread on the Internet": "The best antidote to hate speech is counter-speech--exposing hate speech for its deceitful and false content, setting the record straight, and promoting the values of respect and diversity."

(5) However, counter-speech is effective only if it is backed by a broad coalition of community leaders. The names of individuals and organizations give counter-messages credibility. Setting the record straight requires a broadly endorsed and concerted effort.

(6) This Act is intended to prevent hate crimes and defend our democratic institutions.

Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:

"Demographic groups targeted for hate" means people who are targeted based on their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.

"Department" means the Department of Human Rights.

"Hate speech" means lies directed against demographic groups targeted for hate.

Section 15. Truth and Tolerance Commission.

(a) The Truth and Tolerance Commission is established within the Department to delegitimize hate speech. The Governor shall appoint 15 voting members to the Commission who represent diverse racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and geographic groups.

(b) The Office of Truth and Tolerance is established within the Department to help lead and support the work of the Truth and Tolerance Commission.

(c) The Commission shall:

(1) meet monthly, or more often as needed, to receive information, to direct research, and to create responses to dangerous conspiracy theories and lies against demographic groups targeted for hate;

(2) conduct public hearings and town hall meetings that allow experts, organizations, and individuals to provide information and make proposals that respond to hate speech;

(3) use the Internet to accept input and simplify the reporting of instances of hate speech;

(4) create and promote resources to counter hate speech and promote tolerance, including, but not limited to, truthful counterarguments and memes for use on social media using text, audio, video, or slideshow presentations designed for any particular audience, including, but not limited to, government agencies;

(5) create an advisory committee of Illinois residents who may:

(A) help to identify stories, theories, and lies against demographic groups targeted for hate;

(B) provide information to help debunk lies; and

(C) promote information that debunks hate speech and encourages tolerance; and

(6) make recommendations, whenever appropriate, to the General Assembly about the most appropriate and effective measures the State could put into effect to combat hate speech.

(d) The Department shall provide staff and administrative support for the Commission. Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred in performing their duties.