97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB3748

 

Introduced 2/10/2012, by Sen. Ron Sandack

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
775 ILCS 5/8B-102  from Ch. 68, par. 8B-102

    Amends provisions of the Illinois Human Rights Act concerning hearings on complaints before the Human Rights Commission involving the Real Estate Transactions Article of the Act. Provides that, if a civil action is filed by or on behalf of the aggrieved party under federal or State law, the Commission shall act no further on the complaint and shall administratively close the file on the complaint.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB3748LRB097 15772 AJO 60916 b

1    AN ACT concerning human rights.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by
5changing Section 8B-102 as follows:
 
6    (775 ILCS 5/8B-102)  (from Ch. 68, par. 8B-102)
7    Sec. 8B-102. Hearing on complaint.
8    (A) Election of Judicial Determination. When a complaint is
9filed under Section 7B-102(F) a complainant, a respondent, or
10an aggrieved party on whose behalf the complaint was filed, may
11elect to have the claims asserted in that complaint decided in
12a civil action in a circuit court of Illinois, in which case
13the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure shall apply. The election
14must be made not later than 20 days after the receipt by the
15electing person of service of the complaint by the Commission.
16The person making such election shall file it with the
17Commission and shall give notice of doing so to the Department
18and to all other complainants and respondents to whom the
19charge relates. If an election is made, the Commission shall
20act no further on the complaint and shall administratively
21close the file on the complaint. If an election is not made,
22the Commission shall continue proceedings on the complaint in
23accordance with this Act and the hearing shall be before a

 

 

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1hearing officer.
2    (B) Services. Within 5 days after a complaint is filed by
3the Department, the Commission shall cause it to be served on
4the respondent and complainant together with a notice of
5hearing before a hearing officer of the Commission at a place
6therein fixed and with information as to how to make an
7election under subsection (A) and the effect of such an
8election.
9    (C) Time and Location of Hearing. An initial hearing date
10shall be scheduled for not less than 30 nor more than 90 days
11after service of the complaint at a place that is within 100
12miles of the place at which the civil rights violation is
13alleged to have occurred. The hearing officer may, for good
14cause shown, extend the date of the hearing.
15    (D) Amendment.
16        (1) A complaint may be amended under oath by leave of
17    the presiding hearing officer, for good cause shown, upon
18    timely written motion and reasonable notice to all
19    interested parties at any time prior to the issuance of a
20    recommended order pursuant to Section 8A-102(I) or
21    8B-102(J). The amended complaint shall be served upon all
22    parties of record by the Department within 7 days of the
23    date of the order permitting its filing or such additional
24    time as the hearing officer may order. Amendments to the
25    complaint may encompass any unlawful discrimination which
26    is like or reasonably related to the charge and growing out

 

 

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1    of the allegations in such charge, including, but not
2    limited to, allegations of retaliation.
3        (2) A motion that the complaint be amended to conform
4    to the evidence, made prior to the close of the public
5    hearing, may be addressed orally on the record to the
6    hearing officer, and shall be granted for good and
7    sufficient cause.
8    (E) Answer.
9        (1) The respondent shall file an answer under oath or
10    affirmation to the original or amended complaint within 30
11    days of the date of service thereof, but the hearing
12    officer may, for good cause shown, grant further time for
13    the filing of an answer.
14        (2) When the respondent files a motion to dismiss the
15    complaint within 30 days and the motion is denied by the
16    hearing officer, the time for filing the answer shall be
17    within 15 days of the date of denial of the motion.
18        (3) Any allegation in the complaint which is not denied
19    or admitted in the answer is deemed admitted unless the
20    respondent states in the answer that he is without
21    sufficient knowledge or information to form a belief with
22    respect to such allegation.
23        (4) The failure to file an answer is deemed to
24    constitute an admission of the allegations contained in the
25    complaint.
26        (5) The respondent has the right to amend his answer,

 

 

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1    upon leave of the hearing officer, for good cause shown.
2    (F) Proceedings In Forma Pauperis.
3        (1) If the hearing officer is satisfied that the
4    complainant or respondent is a poor person, and unable to
5    prosecute or defend the complaint and pay the costs and
6    expenses thereof, the hearing officer may permit the party
7    to commence and prosecute or defend the action as a poor
8    person. Such party shall have all the necessary subpoenas,
9    appearances, and proceedings without prepayment of witness
10    fees or charges. Witnesses shall attend as in other cases
11    under this Act and the same remedies shall be available for
12    failure or refusal to obey the subpoena as are provided for
13    in Section 8-104 of this Act.
14        (2) A person desiring to proceed without payment of
15    fees or charges shall file with the hearing officer an
16    affidavit stating that he is a poor person and unable to
17    pay costs, and that the action is meritorious.
18    (G) Discovery. The procedures for obtaining discovery of
19information from parties and witnesses shall be specified by
20the Commission in rules. If no rule has been promulgated by the
21Commission on a particular type of discovery, the Code of Civil
22Procedure may be considered persuasive authority. The types of
23discovery shall be the same as in civil cases in the circuit
24courts of this State, provided, however, that a party may take
25discovery depositions only upon leave of the hearing officer
26and for good cause shown.

 

 

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1    (H) Hearing.
2        (1) The Department and the respondent shall be parties
3    in hearings under this Article. The Department shall seek
4    appropriate relief for the complainant and vindication of
5    the public interest. Any complainant may intervene as a
6    party. All parties have the right to examine and cross
7    examine witnesses.
8        (2) The testimony taken at the hearing shall be under
9    oath or affirmation and a transcript shall be made and
10    filed in the office of the Commission.
11        (3) The testimony taken at the hearing is subject to
12    the same rules of evidence that apply in courts of this
13    State in civil cases.
14    (I) Compelling Appearance of Parties at Hearing. The
15appearance at the hearing of a party or a person who at the
16time of the hearing is an officer, director, or employee of a
17party may be required by serving the party with a notice
18designating the person who is required to appear. The notice
19also may require the production at the hearing of documents or
20tangible things. If the party or person is a nonresident of the
21county, the hearing officer may order any terms and conditions
22in connection with his appearance at the hearing that are just,
23including payment of his reasonable expenses. Upon a failure to
24comply with the notice, the hearing officer may enter any order
25that is just.
26    (J) Decision.

 

 

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1        (1) When all the testimony has been taken, the hearing
2    officer shall determine whether the respondent has engaged
3    in or is engaging in the civil rights violation with
4    respect to the aggrieved party as charged in the complaint.
5    A determination sustaining a complaint shall be based upon
6    a preponderance of the evidence.
7        (2) The hearing officer shall make findings of fact in
8    writing and, if the finding is against the respondent,
9    shall issue and cause to be served on the parties and the
10    Department a recommended order for appropriate relief as
11    provided by this Act.
12        (3) If, upon all the evidence, the hearing officer
13    finds that a respondent has not engaged in the civil rights
14    violation charged in the complaint or that a preponderance
15    of the evidence does not sustain the complaint, he shall
16    state his findings of fact and shall issue and cause to be
17    served on the parties and the Department a recommended
18    order dismissing the complaint.
19        (4) The findings and recommended order of the hearing
20    officer shall be filed with the Commission. The findings
21    and recommended order may be authored by a hearing officer
22    other than the hearing officer who presides at the public
23    hearing if:
24            (a) the hearing officer who presides at the public
25        hearing is unable to author the findings and
26        recommended order by reason of death, disability, or

 

 

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1        separation from employment; and
2            (b) all parties to a complaint file a joint motion
3        agreeing to have the findings and recommended order
4        written by a hearing officer who did not preside at the
5        public hearing.
6        (5) The hearing officer may issue a recommended order
7    of dismissal with prejudice or a recommended order of
8    default as a sanction for the failure of a party to
9    prosecute his or her case, file a required pleading, appear
10    at a hearing, or otherwise comply with this Act, the rules
11    of the Commission, or a previous order of the hearing
12    officer.
13    (K) Effect of Trial of Civil Action on Administrative
14Proceedings. A hearing officer shall not proceed with any
15administrative proceedings under this Section after the filing
16of a civil action by or on behalf of the aggrieved party under
17federal or State law seeking relief with respect to the alleged
18civil rights violation. If a civil action is filed by or on
19behalf of the aggrieved party under federal or State law, the
20Commission shall act no further on the complaint and shall
21administratively close the file on the complaint.
22(Source: P.A. 92-472, eff. 1-1-02.)