Attorney General Kwame Raoul has spearheaded a key piece of legislation, intended to bolster civil rights protections within Illinois, which has officially been signed into law. Raoul emphasized the significance of the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) as a cornerstone in the fight against discrimination. "The Illinois Human Rights Act is an important tool for combating discrimination," Raoul said. He lauded Governor JB Pritzker for endorsing the legislation, thereby strengthening the groundwork for civil rights enforcement, according to the Illinois Attorney General's office.

House Bill (HB) 5371 emerges from the collaborative efforts between the Attorney General's office and the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR). The law aims to remedy civil rights issues by enforcing stronger legal action against repeated discriminatory practices – a move that will apply per violation. For example, a business found guilty of repetitive discrimination against multiple employees can now be held accountable for each incident of violation. "Repeated harassment and discrimination should not constitute a single violation of the act, and relief should be proportionate to the amount of harassment and discrimination victims had to endure," the legislation states, providing for increased penalties in pattern-and-practice determinations and fair housing lawsuits as detailed in the official announcement.

Supported by Gov. Pritzker, the legislation has met with praise from both Illinois lawmakers and civil rights advocates. "The Illinois Human Rights Act provides one of the strongest sets of protections against discrimination in the country, in part because our state continues to clarify and expand the Act," said IDHR Director Jim Bennett. Additionally, the bill codifies language from the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003 to expressly prohibit unjustified disparate impacts in real estate transactions and further ensures confidential reporting avenues for discrimination and hate incidents.

Conveying their support, State Sen. Laura Fine and State Rep. Ann Williams championed the bill in their respective chambers. "This measure makes important clarifications to the law to enhance protections against discrimination in housing and employment and will help make the implementation of IDHR’s new hate crimes hotline a success," Fine said, as stated by the Illinois Attorney General's office. Williams pointed out the legislation's practical impact: "HB 5371 cuts red tape and will help victims of harassment and discrimination collect judgments to which they are entitled but have historically had a difficult or impossible time collecting. This will make a real difference in the lives of victims," she emphasized.