SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes, employees will be protected from the discriminatory use of artificial intelligence in hiring decisions as of Jan. 1.

“Although AI is a relatively new technology, we are already seeing reports of how some systems discriminate against people of color,” Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This is extremely concerning as many organizations utilize these tools to make decisions regarding workers’ employment. This law makes sure people are protected against discrimination by AI, ensuring equal treatment in the workplace.”

Under the new law, House Bill 3773, employers will not be allowed to use artificial intelligence to consider demographic information such as race or ZIP code in employment decisions related to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges, or conditions of employment.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect employees from unfair retaliation from their workplace, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes led new legislation to shield immigrant workers from surveillance and discrimination based on their perceived immigration status.

“With the increase in ICE raids and anti-immigrant sentiment at an all-time high, our immigrant workers do not feel safe in the workplace,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This law will help ease their minds by establishing protections against discrimination, regardless of their status.”

Federal immigration law requires employers to verify the legal work status of their employees through an online system that compares information from an employee’s I-9 Form to records available to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm eligibility. If discrepancies are found, immigrant workers have the possibility of receiving a “no match” letter for a variety of reasons, including instances where the individual changed their name due to marriage. Many employers terminate employees upon receiving this notice, even though they could be legally working in the United States.

SPRINGFIELD – Following the passage of Senate Bill 2111, a bicameral transit reform package, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes released the following statement:

“Whether it’s Metra, Pace, or the CTA, my community members utilize transit every day to get where they need to go. I returned to Springfield committed to passing a solution to the transit fiscal cliff so my constituents’ daily routines could go on uninterrupted and without cuts to essential stations or bus stops.

“Not only does our agreement maintain all current stops, it does not raise taxes on Illinoisans or fares for commuters. This is a massive win for working families who utilize our transit system as an affordable method of transportation.

“I look forward to seeing how this intergenerational investment will transform our transit system.” 

SPRINGFIELD – In the face of constant raids from federal agents on Latino individuals in Chicagoland, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes voted to pass legislation that establishes that certain areas, like daycares, hospitals, courthouses, and more, cannot be subject to unregulated federal agent intervention, allowing residents to patronize these essential locations without fear.

“People who look like me don’t feel safe picking their children up from school or going to the doctor because they could be targeted by federal agents, whether they are a citizen or not,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This is deeply concerning and inhumane treatment of people under the guise of law and order. It is chaos and fear, and I am grateful we are taking action to make people feel safer when they need to visit sensitive locations.” 

House Bill 1312 would allow Illinois residents to bring civil actions against any person who deprives them of their constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, or Section 2 or Section 6 of Article 1 of the Illinois Constitution.

The bill would establish enhanced punitive damages for particularly egregious conduct, such as concealing identity with masks, failing to identify as law enforcement, not using body cameras, or deploying crowd-control weapons. It also would strengthen the Illinois Whistleblower Act to protect those who report violations and creates a 1,000-foot safe zone around courthouses with significant penalties for violations, including $10,000 in statutory damages.