Bill Text: IL HR0687 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates the Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment. Directs the Task Force to conduct a comprehensive review of the legal and social consequences of sexual discrimination and harassment, in both the public and private sectors, and make recommendations to the General Assembly. Provides specific areas of inquiry related to sexual discrimination and harassment to be addressed by the Task Force. Provides for the composition of and appointments to the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to make its report, including recommendations in the form of legislation, to the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2018.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-2)
Status: (Passed) 2017-11-07 - Resolution Adopted 116-000-000 [HR0687 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2017-HR0687-Introduced.html
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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, There is currently a worldwide social and cultural | ||||||
| 3 | campaign to raise awareness
about sexual discrimination and | ||||||
| 4 | harassment that has led both women and men to publicly
report | ||||||
| 5 | their experiences of widespread sexual discrimination and | ||||||
| 6 | harassment; and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, The members of the General Assembly recognize it | ||||||
| 8 | is critical to continue this
conversation in a productive and | ||||||
| 9 | meaningful manner and that legal remedies and protections for | ||||||
| 10 | those victimized by sexual
discrimination and harassment | ||||||
| 11 | should be appropriately maximized; therefore, be it
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| 12 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 13 | HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there | ||||||
| 14 | is created the Task Force on Sexual
Discrimination and | ||||||
| 15 | Harassment; and be it further
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| 16 | RESOLVED, That that the Task Force shall conduct a | ||||||
| 17 | comprehensive review of the legal and
social consequences of | ||||||
| 18 | sexual discrimination and harassment, in both the public and
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| 19 | private sectors, and make recommendations to the General | ||||||
| 20 | Assembly; and be it further
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| 21 | RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall, at a minimum, review | ||||||
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| 1 | and produce recommendations
concerning amendments to the legal | ||||||
| 2 | definition of the terms "sexual discrimination" and
"sexual | ||||||
| 3 | harassment"; which behaviors should be legally actionable as | ||||||
| 4 | sexual harassment;
review and assess best practices to improve | ||||||
| 5 | procedures for accepting sexual discrimination
and harassment | ||||||
| 6 | complaints, including methods to increase and improve | ||||||
| 7 | reporting
allegations of sexual harassment; the process and | ||||||
| 8 | structure for reporting allegations to
ethics officers, | ||||||
| 9 | inspectors general, and others, and whether an independent | ||||||
| 10 | third party
should be assigned to handle complaints; necessary | ||||||
| 11 | amendments to anti-retaliation and
whistleblower protections | ||||||
| 12 | for individuals making sexual discrimination or harassment
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| 13 | complaints; the process for filing complaints with the | ||||||
| 14 | Department of Human Rights; the
process for filing civil | ||||||
| 15 | complaints, including any applicable statute of limitations; | ||||||
| 16 | legal
remedies available to victims of sexual discrimination | ||||||
| 17 | and harassment, including whether
plaintiffs should be | ||||||
| 18 | entitled to punitive damages; the need for a code of conduct | ||||||
| 19 | and zero
tolerance policies for units of government; the | ||||||
| 20 | ability of complainants to seek independent
counsel when | ||||||
| 21 | reporting allegations; and the prevention of sexual | ||||||
| 22 | discrimination and
harassment in the public and private sector; | ||||||
| 23 | and be it further
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| 24 | RESOLVED, That that the Task Force shall be comprised of | ||||||
| 25 | members of the House of
Representatives appointed by the | ||||||
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| 1 | Speaker of the House of Representatives and House
members | ||||||
| 2 | appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives, with each
appointing no more than 20 members, | ||||||
| 4 | and the Chair appointed by the Speaker, and any
action of the | ||||||
| 5 | Task Force shall be approved by a majority of those voting on | ||||||
| 6 | the question; and be it further
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| 7 | RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall work in conjunction | ||||||
| 8 | with any task force created by
the Senate for a similar | ||||||
| 9 | purpose, and that both entities shall aspire to produce | ||||||
| 10 | legislation to
address the concerns and issues presented to the | ||||||
| 11 | Task Force; and be it further
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| 12 | RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall make recommendations to | ||||||
| 13 | the General Assembly in
the form of legislation, as well as a | ||||||
| 14 | report to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2018, | ||||||
| 15 | provided
that the Task Force is encouraged to produce interim | ||||||
| 16 | reports.
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