§ 7-108 — Local Departments, Commissions

(A) Authority. A political subdivision, or two or more political subdivisions acting jointly, may create a local department or commission as it or they see fit to promote the purposes of this Act and to secure for all individuals within the jurisdiction of the political subdivision or subdivisions freedom from unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment in employment and sexual harassment in elementary, secondary, and higher education. The provisions of any ordinance enacted by any municipality or county which prohibits broader or different categories of discrimination than are prohibited by this Act are not invalidated or affected by this Act. (B) Concurrent Jurisdiction. When the Department and a local department or commission have concurrent jurisdiction over a complaint, either may transfer the complaint to the other under regulations established by the Department. (C) Exclusive Jurisdiction. When the Department or a local department or commission has jurisdiction over a complaint and the other does not, the Department or local department or commission without jurisdiction may transfer the complaint to the other under regulations established by the Department. (D) To secure and guarantee the rights established by Sections 17, 18 and 19 of Article I of the Illinois Constitution, any ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation of any county, municipality or other unit of local government or of any local department or commission which prohibits, restricts, narrows or limits the housing choice of any person is unenforceable and void. Nothing in this amendatory Act of 1981 prohibits a unit of local government from making special outreach efforts to inform members of minority groups of housing opportunities available in areas of majority white concentration and make similar efforts to inform the majority white population of available housing opportunities located in areas of minority concentration. This paragraph is applicable to home rule units as well as non-home rule units. Pursuant to Article VII, Section 6, paragraph (i) of the Illinois Constitution, this amendatory Act of 1981 is a limitation of the power of home rule units.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 96-1319, eff. 7-27-10.)