Article 5 - Public Accommodations


      (775 ILCS 5/Art. 5 heading)
ARTICLE 5. PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS

    (775 ILCS 5/5‑101)(from Ch. 68, par. 5‑101)
    Sec. 5‑101. Definitions) The following definitions are applicable strictly in the context of this Article:
    (A) Place of Public Accommodation. "Place of public accommodation" includes, but is not limited to:
        (1) an inn, hotel, motel, or other place of lodging,
     except for an establishment located within a building that contains not more than 5 units for rent or hire and that is actually occupied by the proprietor of such establishment as the residence of such proprietor;
        (2) a restaurant, bar, or other establishment serving
     food or drink;
        (3) a motion picture house, theater, concert hall,
     stadium, or other place of exhibition or entertainment;
        (4) an auditorium, convention center, lecture hall,
     or other place of public gathering;
        (5) a bakery, grocery store, clothing store, hardware
     store, shopping center, or other sales or rental establishment;
        (6) a laundromat, dry‑cleaner, bank, barber shop,
     beauty shop, travel service, shoe repair service, funeral parlor, gas station, office of an accountant or lawyer, pharmacy, insurance office, professional office of a health care provider, hospital, or other service establishment;
        (7) public conveyances on air, water, or land;
        (8) a terminal, depot, or other station used for
     specified public transportation;
        (9) a museum, library, gallery, or other place of
     public display or collection;
        (10) a park, zoo, amusement park, or other place of
     recreation;
        (11) a non‑sectarian nursery, day care center,
     elementary, secondary, undergraduate, or postgraduate school, or other place of education;
        (12) a senior citizen center, homeless shelter, food
     bank, non‑sectarian adoption agency, or other social service center establishment; and
        (13) a gymnasium, health spa, bowling alley, golf
     course, or other place of exercise or recreation.
    (B) Operator. "Operator" means any owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent, or occupant of a place of public accommodation or an employee of any such person or persons.
    (C) Public Official. "Public official" means any officer or employee of the state or any agency thereof, including state political subdivisions, municipal corporations, park districts, forest preserve districts, educational institutions and schools.
(Source: P.A. 95‑668, eff. 10‑10‑07; 96‑814, eff. 1‑1‑10.)

    (775 ILCS 5/5‑102)(from Ch. 68, par. 5‑102)
    Sec. 5‑102. Civil Rights Violations: Public Accommodations. It is a civil rights violation for any person on the basis of unlawful discrimination to:
    (A) Enjoyment of Facilities, Goods, and Services. Deny or refuse to another the full and equal enjoyment of the facilities, goods, and services of any public place of accommodation;
    (B) Written Communications. Directly or indirectly, as the operator of a place of public accommodation, publish, circulate, display or mail any written communication, except a private communication sent in response to a specific inquiry, which the operator knows is to the effect that any of the facilities of the place of public accommodation will be denied to any person or that any person is unwelcome, objectionable or unacceptable because of unlawful discrimination;
    (C) Public Officials. Deny or refuse to another, as a public official, the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advantage, facilities or privileges of the official's office or services or of any property under the official's care because of unlawful discrimination.
(Source: P.A. 95‑668, eff. 10‑10‑07.)

    (775 ILCS 5/5‑102.1)
    Sec. 5‑102.1. No Civil Rights Violation: Public Accommodations.
    (a) It is not a civil rights violation for a medical, dental, or other health care professional or a private professional service provider such as a lawyer, accountant, or insurance agent to refer or refuse to treat or provide services to an individual in a protected class for any non‑discriminatory reason if, in the normal course of his or her operations or business, the professional would for the same reason refer or refuse to treat or provide services to an individual who is not in the protected class of the individual who seeks or requires the same or similar treatment or services.
    (b) With respect to a place of public accommodation defined in paragraph (11) of Section 5‑101, the exercise of free speech, free expression, free exercise of religion or expression of religiously based views by any individual or group of individuals that is protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or under Section 3 of Article I, or Section 4 of Article I, of the Illinois Constitution, shall not be a civil rights violation.
(Source: P.A. 95‑668, eff. 10‑10‑07; 96‑814, eff. 1‑1‑10.)

    (775 ILCS 5/5‑102.2)
    Sec. 5‑102.2. Jurisdiction limited. In regard to places of public accommodation defined in paragraph (11) of Section 5‑101, the jurisdiction of the Department is limited to: (1) the failure to enroll an individual; (2) the denial of access to facilities, goods, or services; or (3) severe or pervasive harassment of an individual when the covered entity fails to take corrective action to stop the severe or pervasive harassment.
(Source: P.A. 96‑814, eff. 1‑1‑10.)

    (775 ILCS 5/5‑103) (from Ch. 68, par. 5‑103)
    Sec. 5‑103. Exemption. Nothing in this Article shall apply to:
    (A) Private Club. A private club, or other establishment not in fact open to the public, except to the extent that the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of the establishment are made available to the customers or patrons of another establishment that is a place of public accommodation.
    (B) Facilities Distinctly Private. Any facility, as to discrimination based on sex, which is distinctly private in nature such as restrooms, shower rooms, bath houses, health clubs and other similar facilities for which the Department, in its rules and regulations, may grant exemptions based on bona fide considerations of public policy.
    (C) Inn, Hotel, Rooming House. Any facility, as to discrimination based on sex, which restricts the rental of rooms to individuals of one sex.
(Source: P.A. 85‑567.)