Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Sponsored New Laws that Take Effect in New Year

Lee Edwards | As of Wednesday, January 7, 2015

As part of the 98th Illinois General Assembly, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus was responsible for legislation that became law on Jan. 1, 2015 that may significantly impact the African American community.
As part of the 98th Illinois General Assembly, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus was responsible for legislation that became law on Jan. 1, 2015 that may significantly impact the African American community.

The 98th Illinois General Assembly has passed dozens of bills into law that took effect on Jan. 1.

Listed below are intriguing new laws that may significantly impact the African American community and that were sponsored by members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (ILBC).

According to its website, the ILBC was formally established in 1968 and works to assure that the interest of African-American citizens are given equitable representation in the General Assembly and that legislative action is directed to address those interests.

(The order in which the laws are listed are not indicative of their value/importance.)

Law name/number: Human Rights – Pregnancy Accommodation - HB0008

Primary sponsors: Rep. Mary E. Flowers (Dist. - 31st) & Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (Dist. - 40th)

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that with respect to employment, it is a civil rights violation for an employer to refuse to provide reasonable accommodations for an employee for conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, if she so requests, with the advice of her health care provider. Provides that the term “reasonable accommodations” means actions which would permit such an employee to perform in a reasonable manner the activities involved in the job or occupation including an accessible worksite, acquisition or modification of equipment, job restructuring, and modified work schedule. Provides that the reasonable accommodations shall be undertaken provided that those actions do not impose an undue hardship on the business, program, or enterprise of the entity from which the actions are requested.

HB008 passed both the House and Senate on May 28, was sent to Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn on June 26, and was approved on Aug. 26.

Law name/number: African American Family Commission - SB0121

Primary sponsors: Sen. Mattie Hunter (Dist. - 3rd) & Rep. Kenneth Dunkin (Dist. - 5th)

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois African-American Family Commission Act. Updates the legislative findings regarding African-American statistics in the areas of education, employment, income, and health. Expands the Commission’s objectives, including monitoring and commenting on existing and proposed legislation and programs designed to address the needs of African-Americans in Illinois, facilitating the representation of African-Americans in the development, implementation, and planning of policies, programs, and services, and promoting research efforts to document the impact of policies and programs on African-American families.

SB0121 passed both the House and Senate on May 30, was sent to Gov. Quinn on June 27, and was approved on July 2.

Law name/number: Criminal Identification – Expungement Act - HB2378

Primary sponsors: Rep. Rita Mayfield (Dist. - 60th) & Sen. Mattie Hunter (Dist. - 3rd)

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that a petitioner may petition the circuit court to expunge the records of his or her arrests when he or she has been convicted of or placed on supervision for a misdemeanor that occurred more than 15 years before the filing of the petition if the person has not committed another offense within that period, other than minor traffic offenses. Provides that prior to the granting of the petition, the Director of State Police shall certify that the person has no other records of arrest and conviction within that time period, other than minor traffic offenses.

HB2378 passed both the House and Senate on May 23, was sent to Gov. Quinn on June 20, and was approved on Aug. 19.

Law name/number: Human Trafficking - SB3558

Primary sponsors: Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (Dist. - 40th) & Rep. Ann Williams (Dist. - 11th)

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Imposes an assessment for various human trafficking offenses be collected and distributed in accordance with the Specialized Services for Survivors of Human Trafficking Fund. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Makes changes concerning forfeiture for individuals convicted of keeping a place of prostitution. Modifies the allocation percentages of moneys and sale proceeds forfeited by individuals convicted of involuntary servitude and trafficking of persons.

SB3558 passed both the House and Senate on May 27, was sent to Gov. Quinn on June 25, and was approved on Aug. 21.

For more information on all of the laws passed during the 98th Illinois General Assembly visit http://ilga.gov/default.asp. For more information about the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus visit http://illinoislbc.com/index.php.

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