OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Cook County Commission on Human Rights Regular Meeting – July 14, 2026

Board of Commissioners — Tuesday, July 14, 2026
BodyCook County, Illinois
SessionBoard of Commissioners
DateTuesday, July 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:15:32

Transcript — Verbatim
0:13

I call this meeting to order at 11.06 a.m.

0:17

roll call, please.

0:19

I'll just get loud.

0:22

Commissioner Reverend Tolliver.

0:24

Commissioner Ratner.

0:26

Commissioner Isaacs.

0:28

Present.

0:28

Commissioner Sherma.

0:30

Present.

0:30

Chair Sohel.

0:32

Chair, you have a quorum of five members present and uh three are absent.

0:38

Wonderful.

0:38

Four correction for asked.

0:41

Any statements from the general public.

0:49

Thank you so much.

0:50

Chair takes a motion to approve today's agenda.

0:54

Thank you.

0:54

May I have a second, please?

0:56

Sorry.

0:56

All those in favor, please say aye.

0:58

All those who oppose, please say nay.

1:00

Agenda is approved.

1:02

Chair changed the motion to approve in January 29th, 2026.

1:09

We'll move.

1:10

Yeah, second, please.

1:12

All those in favor, please say aye.

1:15

All those opposed, please say nay.

1:17

Regular meeting opening this are approved and let the record reflect that uh commissioner is also in attendance.

1:25

Any commissioner updates seeing the director's report.

1:37

So we can share.

1:49

So I'll note that uh we did go through the through the first uh full quarter of the year.

1:58

Um the total cases pending across all stages.

2:02

This is something that we're adding um so that it's clear kind of all the active cases that we're working on at a given time.

2:08

So the total for the first quarter is 240.

2:11

I believe the current as we stand now is around that amount as well.

2:16

And then uh 260 inquiries, fairly consistent with last the last quarter of fiscal year 25 and 112 new cases or new complaints filed in the first quarter.

2:27

Note that that is uh 32 more than the last um uh quarter of the fiscal year of 2026 or the last quarter of the fiscal year 2025.

2:38

Uh investigations closed 80.

2:42

And of those uh that were closed, 18 were duplicate cases.

2:46

Uh note that sometimes the duplicates are individuals we notice are filing uh the identical or substantially similar complaints.

2:55

Um sometimes different investigators are working on those, so sometimes there is work that's being done on them before it's identified as a duplicate.

3:03

Then I'll note that one of the cases were was resolved after administrative hearing, two cases settled, and the known total uh settlement amount is 700.

3:14

So when you say two uh staff are working on the same case, do they know they are working on the same sometimes?

3:22

It's not apparent right away.

3:25

Um so as they're talking about the cases, uh of course working with the deputy director to my right, uh it becomes apparent that these are the same.

3:34

And what we've seen as well is that it's not always readily apparent uh that it's a duplicate.

3:40

Sometimes we see complainants who are filing what appears to be a duplicate, but it's maybe like a different respondent or there's some additional claim, and so there is work involved in identifying.

3:50

So then do I mean to come to a consensus of what the outcome is?

3:58

Sure.

3:58

So generally, and I can let my speak to this a bit more, but in working with Tamaya, she will direct them on kind of the steps to take from there in terms of either sometimes it's a consolidation of a complaint if it's the same claims but two different respondents or three different respondents, uh, or uh dismissal of the duplicate if it's just completely duplicate, dismissal of the duplicate one of the duplicate complaints, and then they proceed with the other.

4:25

Mary, did you want to add to that?

4:26

Uh yes, that's absolutely correct.

4:28

And then sometimes depending on who's further along in the matter, then we will um, you know, if it's the same situation, we'll either close it as a duplicate or if it's something that needs to be merged in with an existing and we'll assign it to the investigator that's further along, but they usually notify me, you know, um, or we're examining the system or uh our data team will flag that hey got similar cases, so that's been our way of uh kind of identifying and trying to resolve these matters or reaching out to the complainant if there's additional details and they've added something else to figure out hey, is this something unique that needs to be treated as a separate complaint, or is this something that you're just adding to your already existing site?

5:11

So any other questions on the data before I move to the remainder of the report.

5:22

I also there'll be time for more questions as you kind of digest the information.

5:26

I do want to note that we will be hosting uh similar to last year, a commissioner summer social um following our July 9th commission meeting.

5:36

And also for the next that next meeting, we will be having chair and vice chair elections.

5:41

So please uh submit your nominations by the end of June so that we can include that on the agenda.

5:50

And then I will turn it to Claire to present the policy matters.

5:55

Yes.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Technology and Innovation██████9%
Data Sharing█████8%
Community Engagement█████8%
Personnel Matters███5%
Homelessness███4%
Summary of Proceedings

Cook County Commission on Human Rights Regular Meeting – July 14, 2026

The Cook County Commission on Human Rights held its regular meeting on July 14, 2026, at 11:06 a.m., adjourning at 12:21 p.m. Chair Sohel presided with a quorum of five members present and three absent. The meeting covered the director’s quarterly report, updates on policy and outreach, approval of the FY2025 annual report, adoption of procedural rule amendments, and approval of multiple investigation extension requests.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda was approved by voice vote.
  • The regular meeting minutes of January 29, 2026, were approved by voice vote.

Discussion Items

  • Director’s Report (Jennifer): Total pending cases across all stages stood at 240 as of the first quarter of 2026. The department received 260 inquiries, 112 new complaints (32 more than the previous quarter), and closed 80 investigations (18 of which were duplicates). One case was resolved after an administrative hearing, two cases settled, with a total settlement amount of $700. Discussion addressed how duplicate cases are identified and consolidated.
  • Policy Update (Claire): The policy team completed an internal memo on artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications in employment and housing. The dashboard was updated, showing 25 cases filed in March and a 25-case increase from the previous quarter. A complaint portal is under development in partnership with the Bureau of Technology. The Just Housing Amendment impact assessment will be released next Wednesday. Commissioner Lipinski inquired about the AI memo’s next steps; staff responded that a public-facing draft will be brought to the commission in July, and they are open to collaboration with other jurisdictions.
  • Outreach Report (Bianca): Outreach conducted numerous trainings (including in Spanish) and events, such as the Illinois Reentry Council meeting and the Chicago Urban League housing fair. The human rights newsletter now has 2,539 subscribers. A new TikTok account was created to reach broader audiences. Commissioner Ratner raised concerns about increased law enforcement on CTA targeting unhoused individuals and suggested renewed outreach to housing support organizations. Staff noted they are exploring joining the homelessness task force.
  • FY2025 Annual Report: Presented by Jennifer and Claire. Total cases in FY2025 were 352, a 133% increase from 151 in FY2024 and 94 in FY2023. Total active caseload for the year was 483, with 239 cases closed—a stark increase from prior years. Reported settlements were $14,547 greater than the previous two fiscal years combined. Trainings and community meetings totaled 146. Complaint types: paid leave (32%), employment (25%), housing (20%), together comprising 81% of new complaints. Common bases of discrimination included housing status, retaliation, source of income, race, and ethnicity (housing); retaliation, disability, and race (employment); and various paid leave violations. Policy highlights included the equity landscape review, national origin amendments, and outreach to mental health facilities. The report was approved by voice vote.
  • Proposed CCCHR Rule Amendments: Staff presented amendments to procedural rules for commission-initiated complaints to avoid conflicts of interest. Changes would make hearing officer decisions final and allow appeals directly to circuit court rather than commission reconsideration. Commissioner Ratner asked about the validity of decisions without commission approval; staff explained the process aligns with other agency enforcement. A formatting note about a closed parenthesis was raised and acknowledged. The amendments were approved on a roll call vote: 6 yes, 0 no, 3 absent.
  • Investigation Extension Requests: Staff presented a list of 2024 and 2025 investigation extension requests, noting most are first requests and reflecting improved timeliness. Four investigator positions remain open. The motion to approve all listed extensions was approved by voice vote, with a correction on case number 2025 PA00598.

Key Outcomes

  • Annual Report Approved: The FY2025 annual report was approved by voice vote.
  • Rule Amendments Adopted: The proposed procedural rule amendments passed on a roll call 6-0 (3 absent).
  • Investigation Extensions Granted: All listed extension requests were approved by voice vote after a correction.
  • Closed Session: The commission moved into executive session (not public). Upon return, the closed minutes of January 29, 2026, were approved by voice vote.
  • Request for Reconsideration: A roll call vote unanimously approved the request for reconsideration for case number 2026 PA001010.
  • Commission-Initiated Complaint: A motion to open a commission-initiated complaint was approved unanimously by roll call.
  • Meeting Adjourned: The meeting adjourned at 12:21 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

I call this meeting to order at 11.06 a.m. roll call, please. I'll just get loud. Commissioner Reverend Tolliver. Commissioner Ratner. Commissioner Isaacs. Present. Commissioner Sherma. Present. Chair Sohel. Chair, you have a quorum of five members present and uh three are absent. Wonderful. Four correction for asked. Any statements from the general public. Thank you so much. Chair takes a motion to approve today's agenda. Thank you. May I have a second, please? Sorry. All those in favor, please say aye. All those who oppose, please say nay. Agenda is approved. Chair changed the motion to approve in January 29th, 2026. We'll move. Yeah, second, please. All those in favor, please say aye. All those opposed, please say nay. Regular meeting opening this are approved and let the record reflect that uh commissioner is also in attendance. Any commissioner updates seeing the director's report. So we can share. So I'll note that uh we did go through the through the first uh full quarter of the year. Um the total cases pending across all stages. This is something that we're adding um so that it's clear kind of all the active cases that we're working on at a given time. So the total for the first quarter is 240. I believe the current as we stand now is around that amount as well. And then uh 260 inquiries, fairly consistent with last the last quarter of fiscal year 25 and 112 new cases or new complaints filed in the first quarter. Note that that is uh 32 more than the last um uh quarter of the fiscal year of 2026 or the last quarter of the fiscal year 2025. Uh investigations closed 80. And of those uh that were closed, 18 were duplicate cases. Uh note that sometimes the duplicates are individuals we notice are filing uh the identical or substantially similar complaints. Um sometimes different investigators are working on those, so sometimes there is work that's being done on them before it's identified as a duplicate. Then I'll note that one of the cases were was resolved after administrative hearing, two cases settled, and the known total uh settlement amount is 700. So when you say two uh staff are working on the same case, do they know they are working on the same sometimes? It's not apparent right away. Um so as they're talking about the cases, uh of course working with the deputy director to my right, uh it becomes apparent that these are the same. And what we've seen as well is that it's not always readily apparent uh that it's a duplicate. Sometimes we see complainants who are filing what appears to be a duplicate, but it's maybe like a different respondent or there's some additional claim, and so there is work involved in identifying. So then do I mean to come to a consensus of what the outcome is? Sure. So generally, and I can let my speak to this a bit more, but in working with Tamaya, she will direct them on kind of the steps to take from there in terms of either sometimes it's a consolidation of a complaint if it's the same claims but two different respondents or three different respondents, uh, or uh dismissal of the duplicate if it's just completely duplicate, dismissal of the duplicate one of the duplicate complaints, and then they proceed with the other.

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