HB5544 Summary: Illinois Council on Women and Girls Act

• Establishes the Illinois Council on Women and Girls to advise the Governor and General Assembly on policy issues affecting women and girls, including gender pay gaps, healthcare disparities, reproductive health access, and protections for transgender women.

• Council consists of 21 members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and both minority leaders (4 members each), plus a Governor-appointed representative, with appointment authorities ensuring diversity by race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and geography.

• Includes 11 ex officio members from state agencies including the Lieutenant Governor, departments of Human Services, Human Rights, Children and Family Services, Healthcare and Family Services, Public Health, Labor, Education, and Higher Education boards.

• Council must meet at least quarterly, may hold up to 2 annual public hearings, and must issue semi-annual policy recommendation reports to the Governor and General Assembly by June 30 and December 31 each year.

• Designates 10 specific policy goals including ending gender pay discrimination, addressing sexual harassment protections, preventing domestic violence, studying healthcare disparities across demographic groups, and increasing access to reproductive health care.