94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB1270

 

Introduced 2/9/2005, by Rep. Wyvetter H. Younge

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
775 ILCS 5/1-102   from Ch. 68, par. 1-102
775 ILCS 5/1-103   from Ch. 68, par. 1-103

    Creates the Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act. Sets forth certain rights of homeless persons, including the right to live in any community in the State, the right to choose living arrangements, and the right to employment and training opportunities. Directs the Department of Human Rights to monitor and enforce homeless persons' rights, and provides criminal penalties for violations of those rights. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish priorities of eligibility for temporary rental or other housing assistance among the various categories of persons needing assistance in obtaining or retaining housing.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT in relation to homeless persons.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Bill
5 of Rights for the Homeless Act.
 
6     Section 5. Legislative intent. It is the long-standing
7 policy of this State that no person should suffer unnecessarily
8 from cold or hunger, or be deprived of shelter or the basic
9 rights incident to shelter. At the present time, many persons
10 have been rendered homeless as a result of economic adversity,
11 a severe shortage of affordable housing, and increased stress
12 due to the complexity of daily living that has created an
13 inability on the part of those persons to interact in society.
14 It is the intent of this Act to lessen the adverse effects and
15 conditions caused by the lack of residence or a home.
 
16     Section 10. Bill of Rights.
17     (a) No person's rights, privileges, or access to public
18 services may be denied or abridged solely because he or she is
19 homeless. Such a person shall be granted the same rights and
20 privileges as any other citizen of this State. These rights
21 include but are not limited to the following:
22         (1) The right to live in any community in this State in
23     which he or she can afford to live.
24         (2) The right to choose a type of living arrangements
25     in accordance with local regulations without harassment or
26     interference from any other citizen or from any public or
27     private entity.
28         (3) The right to employment and training opportunities
29     in accordance with his or her interests and abilities.
30         (4) The right to access emergency medical health
31     services in any health care facility doing business in this

 

 

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1     State.
2         (5) The right to manage his or her own personal
3     finances notwithstanding his or her living arrangements,
4     unless (i) the person voluntarily signs a written
5     agreement, sworn to and witnessed before a notary public,
6     authorizing an individual or agency to manage his or her
7     finances, (ii) the person resides in a shelter for homeless
8     persons and has enrolled in a savings program designed to
9     provide rent money upon the person's departure from the
10     shelter, or (iii) the person has been ruled or adjudicated
11     by a court of competent jurisdiction to be incompetent to
12     manage his or her financial affairs.
13         (6) The right to not be coerced or penalized in any way
14     for not taking any medication or for not undergoing any
15     medical treatment that has not been authorized by a
16     qualified physician.
17         (7) In the case of a group living arrangement or
18     long-term care facility, the right to receive and sign any
19     check, voucher, or other warrant or legal tender issued in
20     his or her name before the moneys may be expended by the
21     person's landlord or a public or private agency, unless the
22     person waives the right in a writing sworn to before a
23     notary public. If the person is unable to sign his or her
24     name, the person may make his or her signature with an "X"
25     that is witnessed by 2 other persons not employed or
26     directly associated with the landlord or agency,
27     preferably a relative or guardian of the person or someone
28     designated by the person beforehand.
29         (8) The right to vote, which may not be denied solely
30     because the person does not have a permanent residence,
31     notwithstanding any provision of the Election Code.
32         (9) The right of visitation with family members,
33     friends, clergy, and professional or public consultants
34     notwithstanding the person's living arrangements, as long
35     as the visitation does not interfere with the smooth
36     operation of the person's place of residence.

 

 

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1         (10) The right to receive public services or
2     accommodations offered to any other citizen of this State
3     in accordance, with established eligibility guidelines for
4     those services.
5         (11) The right to confidentiality of records. Homeless
6     shelters shall obtain a voluntary written release from a
7     homeless person prior to disclosing any personal
8     information regarding the homeless person, including, but
9     not limited to, name, social security number, and birth
10     date, except in aggregate form. The right to
11     confidentiality of records includes the dissemination of
12     materials to other agencies, either private or public. The
13     homeless person shall be given the option of whether to
14     release records via informed consent, based on guidelines
15     from the Office of Human Research Protections, United
16     States Department of Health and Human Services, including:
17             (A) the expected duration of the subject's
18         participation;
19             (B) an explanation of whom to contact for answers
20         to pertinent questions about the research and research
21         subjects' rights, and whom to contact in the event of a
22         research-related injury to the subject;
23             (C) a statement that participation in releasing
24         records is voluntary, refusal to participate will
25         involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which the
26         subject is otherwise entitled, and the subject may
27         discontinue participation in the record release at any
28         time without penalty or loss of benefits to which the
29         subject is otherwise entitled;
30             (D) a description of any reasonably foreseeable
31         risks or discomforts to the subject; and
32             (E) a statement describing the extent, if any, to
33         which confidentiality of records identifying the
34         subject will be maintained.
35     (b) The Department of Human Rights shall enforce the rights
36 of homeless persons set forth in subsection (a) in accordance

 

 

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1 with the Illinois Human Rights Act.
 
2     Section 15. DCEO; housing assistance. The Department of
3 Commerce and Economic Opportunity may establish priorities of
4 eligibility for temporary rental or other housing assistance
5 among the various categories of persons needing assistance in
6 obtaining or retaining housing, including, without limitation,
7 persons subject to immediate eviction for nonpayment of rent or
8 subject to foreclosure for nonpayment of mortgage installments
9 or property taxes, when nonpayment is attributable to illness,
10 unemployment, underemployment, or any other failure of lack of
11 resources beyond the person's control.
 
12     Section 90. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by
13 changing Sections 1-102 and 1-103 as follows:
 
14     (775 ILCS 5/1-102)  (from Ch. 68, par. 1-102)
15     (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 93-1078)
16     Sec. 1-102. Declaration of Policy. It is the public policy
17 of this State:
18     (A) Freedom from Unlawful Discrimination. To secure for all
19 individuals within Illinois the freedom from discrimination
20 against any individual because of his or her race, color,
21 religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status,
22 physical or mental handicap, military status, or unfavorable
23 discharge from military service in connection with employment,
24 real estate transactions, access to financial credit, and the
25 availability of public accommodations.
26     (B) Freedom from Sexual Harassment-Employment and Higher
27 Education. To prevent sexual harassment in employment and
28 sexual harassment in higher education.
29     (C) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Citizenship
30 Status-Employment. To prevent discrimination based on
31 citizenship status in employment.
32     (D) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Familial
33 Status-Real Estate Transactions. To prevent discrimination

 

 

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

 

 

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1 of public accommodations.
2     (B) Freedom from Sexual Harassment-Employment and Higher
3 Education. To prevent sexual harassment in employment and
4 sexual harassment in higher education.
5     (C) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Citizenship
6 Status-Employment. To prevent discrimination based on
7 citizenship status in employment.
8     (D) Freedom from Discrimination Based on Familial
9 Status-Real Estate Transactions. To prevent discrimination
10 based on familial status in real estate transactions.
11     (E) Public Health, Welfare and Safety. To promote the
12 public health, welfare and safety by protecting the interest of
13 all people in Illinois in maintaining personal dignity, in
14 realizing their full productive capacities, and in furthering
15 their interests, rights and privileges as citizens of this
16 State.
17     (F) Implementation of Constitutional Guarantees. To secure
18 and guarantee the rights established by Sections 17, 18 and 19
19 of Article I of the Illinois Constitution of 1970.
20     (G) Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action. To establish
21 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action as the policies of
22 this State in all of its decisions, programs and activities,
23 and to assure that all State departments, boards, commissions
24 and instrumentalities rigorously take affirmative action to
25 provide equality of opportunity and eliminate the effects of
26 past discrimination in the internal affairs of State government
27 and in their relations with the public.
28     (H) Unfounded Charges. To protect citizens of this State
29 against unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination, sexual
30 harassment in employment and sexual harassment in higher
31 education, and discrimination based on citizenship status in
32 employment.
33 (Source: P.A. 93-1078, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
34     (775 ILCS 5/1-103)  (from Ch. 68, par. 1-103)
35     (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 93-1078)

 

 

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

 

 

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1 history of such characteristic, or the perception of such
2 characteristic by the person complained against, which may
3 result from disease, injury, congenital condition of birth or
4 functional disorder and which characteristic:
5         (1) For purposes of Article 2 is unrelated to the
6     person's ability to perform the duties of a particular job
7     or position and, pursuant to Section 2-104 of this Act, a
8     person's illegal use of drugs or alcohol is not a handicap;
9         (2) For purposes of Article 3, is unrelated to the
10     person's ability to acquire, rent or maintain a housing
11     accommodation;
12         (3) For purposes of Article 4, is unrelated to a
13     person's ability to repay;
14         (4) For purposes of Article 5, is unrelated to a
15     person's ability to utilize and benefit from a place of
16     public accommodation.
17     (J) Marital Status. "Marital status" means the legal status
18 of being married, single, separated, divorced or widowed.
19     (J-1) Military Status. "Military status" means a person's
20 status on active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
21 status as a current member of any reserve component of the
22 armed forces of the United States, including the United States
23 Army Reserve, United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States
24 Navy Reserve, United States Air Force Reserve, and United
25 States Coast Guard Reserve, or status as a current member of
26 the Illinois Army National Guard or Illinois Air National
27 Guard.
28     (K) National Origin. "National origin" means the place in
29 which a person or one of his or her ancestors was born.
30     (L) Person. "Person" includes one or more individuals,
31 partnerships, associations or organizations, labor
32 organizations, labor unions, joint apprenticeship committees,
33 or union labor associations, corporations, the State of
34 Illinois and its instrumentalities, political subdivisions,
35 units of local government, legal representatives, trustees in
36 bankruptcy or receivers.

 

 

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1     (M) Public Contract. "Public contract" includes every
2 contract to which the State, any of its political subdivisions
3 or any municipal corporation is a party.
4     (N) Religion. "Religion" includes all aspects of religious
5 observance and practice, as well as belief, except that with
6 respect to employers, for the purposes of Article 2, "religion"
7 has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph (F) of Section
8 2-101.
9     (O) Sex. "Sex" means the status of being male or female.
10     (P) Unfavorable Military Discharge. "Unfavorable military
11 discharge" includes discharges from the Armed Forces of the
12 United States, their Reserve components or any National Guard
13 or Naval Militia which are classified as RE-3 or the equivalent
14 thereof, but does not include those characterized as RE-4 or
15 "Dishonorable".
16     (Q) Unlawful Discrimination. "Unlawful discrimination"
17 means discrimination against a person because of his or her
18 race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex,
19 marital status, handicap, military status, or unfavorable
20 discharge from military service as those terms are defined in
21 this Section.
22 (Source: P.A. 93-941, eff. 8-16-04.)
 
23     (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 93-1078)
24     Sec. 1-103. General Definitions. When used in this Act,
25 unless the context requires otherwise, the term:
26     (A) Age. "Age" means the chronological age of a person who
27 is at least 40 years old, except with regard to any practice
28 described in Section 2-102, insofar as that practice concerns
29 training or apprenticeship programs. In the case of training or
30 apprenticeship programs, for the purposes of Section 2-102,
31 "age" means the chronological age of a person who is 18 but not
32 yet 40 years old.
33     (B) Aggrieved Party. "Aggrieved party" means a person who
34 is alleged or proved to have been injured by a civil rights
35 violation or believes he or she will be injured by a civil

 

 

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1 rights violation under Article 3 that is about to occur.
2     (C) Charge. "Charge" means an allegation filed with the
3 Department by an aggrieved party or initiated by the Department
4 under its authority.
5     (D) Civil Rights Violation. "Civil rights violation"
6 includes and shall be limited to only those specific acts set
7 forth in Sections 2-102, 2-103, 2-105, 3-102, 3-103, 3-104,
8 3-104.1, 3-105, 4-102, 4-103, 5-102, 5A-102 and 6-101 of this
9 Act.
10     (E) Commission. "Commission" means the Human Rights
11 Commission created by this Act.
12     (F) Complaint. "Complaint" means the formal pleading filed
13 by the Department with the Commission following an
14 investigation and finding of substantial evidence of a civil
15 rights violation.
16     (G) Complainant. "Complainant" means a person including
17 the Department who files a charge of civil rights violation
18 with the Department or the Commission.
19     (H) Department. "Department" means the Department of Human
20 Rights created by this Act.
21     (I) Handicap. "Handicap" means a determinable physical or
22 mental characteristic of a person, including, but not limited
23 to, a determinable physical characteristic which necessitates
24 the person's use of a guide, hearing or support dog, the
25 history of such characteristic, or the perception of such
26 characteristic by the person complained against, which may
27 result from disease, injury, congenital condition of birth or
28 functional disorder and which characteristic:
29     (I-5) Housing status. "Housing status" means (i) the type
30 of housing in which an individual resides or (ii) the status of
31 having or not having a fixed or regular residence, including
32 the status of living on the streets, in a shelter, or in a
33 temporary residence.
34         (1) For purposes of Article 2 is unrelated to the
35     person's ability to perform the duties of a particular job
36     or position and, pursuant to Section 2-104 of this Act, a

 

 

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1     person's illegal use of drugs or alcohol is not a handicap;
2         (2) For purposes of Article 3, is unrelated to the
3     person's ability to acquire, rent or maintain a housing
4     accommodation;
5         (3) For purposes of Article 4, is unrelated to a
6     person's ability to repay;
7         (4) For purposes of Article 5, is unrelated to a
8     person's ability to utilize and benefit from a place of
9     public accommodation.
10     (J) Marital Status. "Marital status" means the legal status
11 of being married, single, separated, divorced or widowed.
12     (J-1) Military Status. "Military status" means a person's
13 status on active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
14 status as a current member of any reserve component of the
15 armed forces of the United States, including the United States
16 Army Reserve, United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States
17 Navy Reserve, United States Air Force Reserve, and United
18 States Coast Guard Reserve, or status as a current member of
19 the Illinois Army National Guard or Illinois Air National
20 Guard.
21     (K) National Origin. "National origin" means the place in
22 which a person or one of his or her ancestors was born.
23     (L) Person. "Person" includes one or more individuals,
24 partnerships, associations or organizations, labor
25 organizations, labor unions, joint apprenticeship committees,
26 or union labor associations, corporations, the State of
27 Illinois and its instrumentalities, political subdivisions,
28 units of local government, legal representatives, trustees in
29 bankruptcy or receivers.
30     (M) Public Contract. "Public contract" includes every
31 contract to which the State, any of its political subdivisions
32 or any municipal corporation is a party.
33     (N) Religion. "Religion" includes all aspects of religious
34 observance and practice, as well as belief, except that with
35 respect to employers, for the purposes of Article 2, "religion"
36 has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph (F) of Section

 

 

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1 2-101.
2     (O) Sex. "Sex" means the status of being male or female.
3     (O-1) Sexual orientation. "Sexual orientation" means
4 actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality,
5 bisexuality, or gender-related identity, whether or not
6 traditionally associated with the person's designated sex at
7 birth. "Sexual orientation" does not include a physical or
8 sexual attraction to a minor by an adult.
9     (P) Unfavorable Military Discharge. "Unfavorable military
10 discharge" includes discharges from the Armed Forces of the
11 United States, their Reserve components or any National Guard
12 or Naval Militia which are classified as RE-3 or the equivalent
13 thereof, but does not include those characterized as RE-4 or
14 "Dishonorable".
15     (Q) Unlawful Discrimination. "Unlawful discrimination"
16 means discrimination against a person because of his or her
17 race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex,
18 marital status, handicap, housing status, military status,
19 sexual orientation, or unfavorable discharge from military
20 service as those terms are defined in this Section.
21 (Source: P.A. 93-941, eff. 8-16-04; 93-1078, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
22     Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes
23 changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text
24 that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section
25 represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does
26 not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes
27 made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other
28 Public Act.