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.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Truth
5and Tolerance Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings and purpose.
7    The General Assembly finds that:
8    (1) Our county is suffering from a wave of hate directed at
9various demographic groups, including Blacks, Latinos, LGBTQ
10individuals, and members of the Asian, Jewish, and Muslim
11communities. This hate is driven by baseless conspiracy
12theories and specific lies that are largely spread on the
13Internet.
14    (2) Hate speech has led to hate crimes, including violence
15in Black churches, synagogues, mosques, LGBTQ-friendly
16nightclubs, homes, businesses, and on the streets.
17    (3) Hate speech undermines our democratic systems. When
18people believe outlandish conspiracy theories, they become
19susceptible to doubting the systems governing elections and
20the administration of justice, and they are more likely to
21support the authoritarian use of government power to punish
22those who have been wrongly or outrageously accused. It has
23happened before. The QAnon conspiracy theory, for example, is

 

 

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1largely a rebranding of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion"
2that empowered Hitler.
3    (4) While social media platforms should certainly enforce
4rules against dangerous lies, it will never be practical to
5block all hate speech. As antidefamation authorities explain
6in the book entitled "Viral Hate: Containing Its Spread on the
7Internet": "The best antidote to hate speech is
8counter-speech--exposing hate speech for its deceitful and
9false content, setting the record straight, and promoting the
10values of respect and diversity."
11    (5) However, counter-speech is effective only if it is
12backed by a broad coalition of community leaders. The names of
13individuals and organizations give counter-messages
14credibility. Setting the record straight requires a broadly
15endorsed and concerted effort.
16    (6) This Act is intended to prevent hate crimes and defend
17our democratic institutions.
 
18    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
19    "Demographic groups targeted for hate" means people who
20are targeted based on their race, religion, ethnicity, gender,
21sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
22    "Department" means the Department of Human Rights.
23    "Hate speech" means lies directed against demographic
24groups targeted for hate.
 

 

 

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1    Section 15. Truth and Tolerance Commission.
2    (a) The Truth and Tolerance Commission is established
3within the Department to delegitimize hate speech. The
4Governor shall appoint 15 voting members to the Commission who
5represent diverse racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and
6geographic groups.
7    (b) The Office of Truth and Tolerance is established
8within the Department to help lead and support the work of the
9Truth and Tolerance Commission.
10    (c) The Commission shall:
11        (1) meet monthly, or more often as needed, to receive
12    information, to direct research, and to create responses
13    to dangerous conspiracy theories and lies against
14    demographic groups targeted for hate;
15        (2) conduct public hearings and town hall meetings
16    that allow experts, organizations, and individuals to
17    provide information and make proposals that respond to
18    hate speech;
19        (3) use the Internet to accept input and simplify the
20    reporting of instances of hate speech;
21        (4) create and promote resources to counter hate
22    speech and promote tolerance, including, but not limited
23    to, truthful counterarguments and memes for use on social
24    media using text, audio, video, or slideshow presentations
25    designed for any particular audience, including, but not
26    limited to, government agencies;

 

 

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1        (5) create an advisory committee of Illinois residents
2    who may:
3            (A) help to identify stories, theories, and lies
4        against demographic groups targeted for hate;
5            (B) provide information to help debunk lies; and
6            (C) promote information that debunks hate speech
7        and encourages tolerance; and
8        (6) make recommendations, whenever appropriate, to the
9    General Assembly about the most appropriate and effective
10    measures the State could put into effect to combat hate
11    speech.
12    (d) The Department shall provide staff and administrative
13support for the Commission. Members of the Commission shall
14serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for
15reasonable travel expenses incurred in performing their
16duties.