Bill > HB5404

This bill amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to explicitly include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity as protected characteristics under its Educational Article, meaning discrimination and harassment based on these identities are now prohibited in educational settings. The bill reinforces the state's commitment to preventing and responding to such discrimination and harassment in schools, aiming to improve academic outcomes and reduce teacher turnover. It mandates that educational institutions adopt and implement policies to address these issues, provide information on reporting mechanisms, and ensure protection against retaliation for those who report incidents. The Illinois Department of Human Rights will develop a free, publicly available model training program focused on preventing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and national origin, which schools must either use, adopt, or develop their own equivalent programs. This training will cover recognizing and reporting discrimination, understanding different types of discrimination, and outlining legal protections and responsibilities for both students and staff.

https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?DocNum=5404&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104