IL HR0582

Urges the Illinois Supreme Court to require LGBTQ+ and HIV cultural competency education as part of continuing education for all attorneys, judges, and courtroom staff in Illinois.

Cites Lambda Legal's 2022 survey finding that 22.2% of LGBTQ+ individuals and people living with HIV reported negative comments from legal professionals, and 30.1% of transgender participants had their gender identity inappropriately revealed in court.

References data showing 32.2% of LGBTQ+ people do not trust the court system at all, while only 8.5% completely trust it, attributing distrust to harassment and discrimination in legal settings.

Notes that Illinois will see increased LGBTQ+ populations seeking legal services as people move to the state to access reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care.

Identifies existing pervasive discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people of color in the criminal justice system, with judges and attorneys often relying on misinformation and stereotypes when interacting with LGBTQ+ clients.