The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) is urging lawmakers to oppose House Bill 1063 (including Amendment #4, the most recent). The IDHR claims the measure allows religious organizations and secular non-profit entities to discriminate in the hiring of individuals on any grounds protected by the Illinois Human Rights Act. The protected classes include sex, age, race—and sexual orientation, as of Jan. 1, 2006.
HB1063 amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. According to the Illinois General Assembly Web site, the measure ‘excludes, from the definition of ’employer’ any religious organization, association, or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised, or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society.’ It also leaves out ‘any institution conducted by and for those who rely upon treatment by prayer through spiritual means.’ The bill has the backing of arguably some of the most conservative members of the House, including Bob Churchill, R-Grayslake, and Shane Cultra, R-Onarga.
In a letter to the Illinois House, Rocco Claps, the IDHR director, asked legislators to vote against the bill. In part, the letter reads that ‘HB 1063 endorses discrimination. Amendment #4 does not change that. The bill, as amended, not only completely exempts religious organizations, but it also exempts secular non-profit entities from the reach of the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA), laws that have protected Illinoisans for nearly 25 years.’