HB4816 Summary

• Amends Board of Higher Education Act to require public institutions of higher education to develop and submit plans for increasing participation of minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities in education programs

• Establishes Board oversight responsibilities including periodic compliance reviews, studies on effectiveness of inclusion strategies, and annual reporting to General Assembly with specific data on minority student recruitment, retention, graduation rates, and faculty representation

• Adds new subsection (B-5) to Illinois Human Rights Act allowing public universities and community colleges to adopt a 5% bid preference factor for minority-owned, women-owned, and disability-owned businesses in procurement

• Defines "harassment" in Human Rights Act to include unwelcome conduct based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, citizenship status, and work authorization status that creates hostile work environment

• Clarifies that higher education institutions using the 5% plus factor are exempted from certain affirmative action plan requirements under subsection (B) of the Illinois Human Rights Act