VETERANS HOUSING PROTECTION

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4820

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4820

Introduced , by Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 2805/45 new
20 ILCS 2805/50 new
30 ILCS 105/5.1038 new
775 ILCS 5/1-103

from Ch. 68, par. 1-103
775 ILCS 5/3-102.2 new

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Veterans Housing
Protection Act. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a
civil rights violation to refuse to sell or rent or to otherwise make
unavailable or deny a dwelling to any buyer or renter who is a veteran
because of the results of a criminal, credit, or eviction history records
check. Provides that the prohibition against the use of the results of a
veteran's criminal history records check shall not preclude an owner or
any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or a real estate
broker or salesman, from prohibiting the veteran, a member of the
veteran's household, or a guest of the veteran from engaging in unlawful
activity on the premises. Expands the Act's definition of "source of
income" to include any federal, State, or local public assistance, and
federal, State, or local housing subsidies, such as federal Department of
Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
vouchers, rental assistance under the Supportive Services for Veterans
Families program, and veterans' benefits. Amends the Department of
Veterans Affairs Act. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to
administer a statewide Landlord Rental Guarantee Program which reimburses
landlords up to $3,500 for damages or unpaid rent associated with veteran
tenants using any federal, State, or local housing assistance or veterans'
benefits to pay all or a portion of the rent. Provides that reimbursement
payments shall be paid out of the Veterans Rental Guarantee Fund, a special
fund created in the State treasury. Requires the Department to also
establish and administer a pilot program to increase affordable
homeownership opportunities among the veteran population. Provides that
under the pilot program veterans shall be able to use federal or State
housing vouchers to partially subsidize homeownership expenses for up to
10 or 15 years depending on the mortgage term.
LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b

A BILL FOR

HB4820
LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1

AN ACT concerning veterans.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 1.
Reference to Act.
This Act may be referred to as
5
the Veterans Housing Protection Act.

6

Section 3.
Purpose and findings.
The General Assembly
7
finds that:
8

(1) Veterans experience disproportionate rates of
9
homelessness and housing instability, especially in counties
10
with rising rents and limited transitional housing.
11

(2) The denial of housing to veterans undermines federal
12
investments and perpetuates homelessness.
13

(3) Federal voucher access alone is insufficient when
14
landlords deny voucher holders and counties lack fast-track
15
development pathways.
16

(4) Veteran homelessness is preventable, and the State has
17
a moral interest in ensuring that those who defended this
18
nation do not live without secure shelter.
19

(5) To ensure that veterans have equitable and
20
unrestricted access to safe and stable housing without
21
discriminatory screening practices, the General Assembly deems
22
it in the public interest to enact this Act.

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1

Section 5.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is
2
amended by adding Sections 45 and 50 as follows:

3

(20 ILCS 2805/45 new)
4

Sec. 45.
Landlord Rental Guarantee Program.

5

(a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall administer a
6
statewide Landlord Rental Guarantee Program which reimburses
7
landlords up to $3,500 for damages or unpaid rent associated
8
with veteran tenants using any federal, State, or local
9
housing assistance or veterans' benefits to pay all or a
10
portion of the rent, including, but not limited to, federal
11
Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs
12
Supportive Housing vouchers, rental assistance under the
13
Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, and
14
veterans' benefits disbursed under the VA Fiduciary Program.
15

(b) Reimbursement payments under the Landlord Rental
16
Guarantee Program shall be issued for claims relating to
17
renting private market rental units to veterans and shall be
18
paid out of the Veterans Rental Guarantee Fund, a special fund
19
created in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of any
20
moneys appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs for
21
the Landlord Rental Guarantee Program as well as any gifts,
22
bequests, or other sources of funding. All interest earned on
23
the moneys in the Fund shall be deposited into the Fund. Moneys
24
in the Fund shall be expended for the operation of the Landlord
25
Rental Guarantee Program and for no other purpose.

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1

(c) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
2
implement the program, including, but not limited to, rules on
3
claims applications for tenants and landlords, claims
4
processing, damages, beyond wear and tear, that are eligible
5
for reimbursement, and damages or unpaid rent that are
6
ineligible for reimbursement.

7

(20 ILCS 2805/50 new)
8

Sec. 50.
Homeownership pilot program.
9

(a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall establish and
10
administer a pilot program to increase affordable
11
homeownership opportunities among the veteran population. The
12
pilot program shall operate in the State's metropolitan
13
statistical areas and major rural areas. Under the pilot
14
program, veterans shall be able to use their federal
15
Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs
16
Supportive Housing vouchers, or any other federal or State
17
housing voucher, to partially subsidize homeownership expenses
18
for up to 10 or 15 years depending on the mortgage term. The
19
pilot program shall also provide case management and clinical
20
services to veterans participating in the pilot program to
21
help prevent future housing and personal crises. The
22
Department of Veterans Affairs shall collaborate with relevant
23
agencies to support the coordination and alignment of housing
24
assistance for veterans provided through other State and
25
federal funds, to the extent possible.

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(b) Any person who participates in the pilot program by
2
means of a false statement or willful misrepresentation for
3
the purpose of unlawfully using any federal or State housing
4
voucher or other assistance to partially subsidize
5
homeownership as provided under the pilot program shall be
6
answerable to the Department for refunding the entire value
7
amount of the State or federal housing voucher or other
8
assistance received. If the refund is not made, it shall be
9
recoverable in a civil action from the person who unlawfully
10
received the State or federal housing voucher or other
11
assistance or from anyone who willfully aided such person to
12
obtain such State or federal housing voucher or assistance. In
13
any such civil action where fraud is proven, the court may, as
14
a penalty receivable by the Department, assess an additional
15
sum of money up to but not in excess of the entire value amount
16
of the State or federal housing voucher or other assistance
17
received.

18

(c) Any person, firm, corporation, association, agency,
19
institution or other legal entity, other than an individual
20
recipient, that willfully, by means of a false statement or
21
representation, or by concealment of any material fact or by
22
other fraudulent scheme or device on behalf of himself or
23
herself or others, obtains or attempts to obtain housing
24
voucher funds or other housing assistance under the pilot
25
program to which he or she or it is not entitled, or in a
26
greater amount than that to which he or she or it is entitled,

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1
shall be liable for repayment of any excess funds or payments
2
received and, in the event such payment is not made, it shall
3
be recoverable in a civil action. In any such civil action
4
where fraud is proven, the court may, as a penalty receivable
5
by the Department, assess an additional sum of money up to but
6
not in excess of the entire amount of the difference in
7
mortgage payment to the individual recipient and that which
8
should have been charged but for the willful misrepresentation
9
and misstatements.

10

(d) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall monitor
11
implementation of the pilot program, evaluate results, and
12
submit annual progress reports with recommendations to the
13
General Assembly beginning one year after the initial
14
implementation date of the pilot program.

15

Section 10.
The State Finance Act is amended by adding
16
Section 5.1038 as follows:

17

(30 ILCS 105/5.1038 new)
18

Sec. 5.1038.
The Veterans Rental Guarantee Fund.

19

Section 15.
The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by
20
changing Section 1-103 and by adding Section 3-102.2 as
21
follows:

22

(775 ILCS 5/1-103)

(from Ch. 68, par. 1-103)

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1

Sec. 1-103.
General definitions.
When used in this Act,
2
unless the context requires otherwise, the term:
3

(A) Age. "Age" means the chronological age of a person who
4
is at least 40 years old, except with regard to any practice
5
described in Section 2-102, insofar as that practice concerns
6
training or apprenticeship programs. In the case of training
7
or apprenticeship programs, for the purposes of Section 2-102,
8
"age" means the chronological age of a person who is 18 but not
9
yet 40 years old.
10

(B) Aggrieved party. "Aggrieved party" means a person who
11
is alleged or proved to have been injured by a civil rights
12
violation or believes he or she will be injured by a civil
13
rights violation under Article 3 that is about to occur.
14

(B-5) Arrest record. "Arrest record" means:
15

(1) an arrest not leading to a conviction;
16

(2) a juvenile record; or
17

(3) criminal history record information ordered
18

expunged, sealed, or impounded under Section 5.2 of the
19

Criminal Identification Act.
20

(C) Charge. "Charge" means an allegation filed with the
21
Department by an aggrieved party or initiated by the
22
Department under its authority.
23

(D) Civil rights violation. "Civil rights violation"
24
includes and shall be limited to only those specific acts set
25
forth in Sections 2-102, 2-103, 2-105, 3-102, 3-102.1, 3-103,
26
3-102.10, 3-104.1, 3-105, 3-105.1, 4-102, 4-103, 5-102,

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
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5A-102, 6-101, 6-101.5, and 6-102 of this Act.
2

(E) Commission. "Commission" means the Human Rights
3
Commission created by this Act.
4

(F) Complaint. "Complaint" means the formal pleading filed
5
by the Department with the Commission following an
6
investigation and finding of substantial evidence of a civil
7
rights violation.
8

(G) Complainant. "Complainant" means a person including
9
the Department who files a charge of civil rights violation
10
with the Department or the Commission.
11

(G-5) Conviction record. "Conviction record" means
12
information indicating that a person has been convicted of a
13
felony, misdemeanor or other criminal offense, placed on
14
probation, fined, imprisoned, or paroled pursuant to any law
15
enforcement or military authority.
16

(H) Department. "Department" means the Department of Human
17
Rights created by this Act.
18

(I) Disability.
19

(1) "Disability" means a determinable physical or mental
20
characteristic of a person, including, but not limited to, a
21
determinable physical characteristic which necessitates the
22
person's use of a guide, hearing or support dog, the history of
23
such characteristic, or the perception of such characteristic
24
by the person complained against, which may result from
25
disease, injury, congenital condition of birth or functional
26
disorder and which characteristic:

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1

(a) For purposes of Article 2, is unrelated to the
2

person's ability to perform the duties of a particular job
3

or position and, pursuant to Section 2-104 of this Act, a
4

person's illegal use of drugs or alcohol is not a
5

disability;
6

(b) For purposes of Article 3, is unrelated to the
7

person's ability to acquire, rent, or maintain a housing
8

accommodation;
9

(c) For purposes of Article 4, is unrelated to a
10

person's ability to repay;
11

(d) For purposes of Article 5, is unrelated to a
12

person's ability to utilize and benefit from a place of
13

public accommodation;
14

(e) For purposes of Article 5, also includes any
15

mental, psychological, or developmental disability,
16

including autism spectrum disorders.
17

(2) Discrimination based on disability includes unlawful
18
discrimination against an individual because of the
19
individual's association with a person with a disability.
20

(J) Marital status. "Marital status" means the legal
21
status of being married, single, separated, divorced, or
22
widowed.
23

(J-1) Military status. "Military status" means a person's
24
status on active duty in or status as a veteran of the armed
25
forces of the United States, status as a current member or
26
veteran of any reserve component of the armed forces of the

HB4820
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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1
United States, including the United States Army Reserve,
2
United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States Navy
3
Reserve, United States Air Force Reserve, and United States
4
Coast Guard Reserve, or status as a current member or veteran
5
of the Illinois Army National Guard or Illinois Air National
6
Guard.
7

(K) National origin. "National origin" means the place in
8
which a person or one of his or her ancestors was born.
9

(K-5) "Order of protection status" means a person's status
10
as being a person protected under an order of protection
11
issued pursuant to the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986,
12
Article 112A of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, the
13
Stalking No Contact Order Act, or the Civil No Contact Order
14
Act, or an order of protection issued by a court of another
15
state.
16

(L) Person. "Person" includes one or more individuals,
17
partnerships, associations or organizations, labor
18
organizations, labor unions, joint apprenticeship committees,
19
or union labor associations, corporations, the State of
20
Illinois and its instrumentalities, political subdivisions,
21
units of local government, legal representatives, trustees in
22
bankruptcy or receivers.
23

(L-5) Pregnancy. "Pregnancy" means pregnancy, childbirth,
24
or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or
25
childbirth.
26

(M) Public contract. "Public contract" includes every

HB4820
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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1
contract to which the State, any of its political
2
subdivisions, or any municipal corporation is a party.
3

(M-5) Race. "Race" includes traits associated with race,
4
including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective
5
hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists.
6

(N) Religion. "Religion" includes all aspects of religious
7
observance and practice, as well as belief, except that with
8
respect to employers, for the purposes of Article 2,
9
"religion" has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph (F) of
10
Section 2-101.
11

(O) Sex. "Sex" means the status of being male or female.
12

(O-1) Sexual orientation. "Sexual orientation" means
13
actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality,
14
bisexuality, or gender-related identity, whether or not
15
traditionally associated with the person's designated sex at
16
birth. "Sexual orientation" does not include a physical or
17
sexual attraction to a minor by an adult.
18

(O-2) Reproductive Health Decisions. "Reproductive Health
19
Decisions" means a person's decisions regarding the person's
20
use of: contraception; fertility or sterilization care;
21
assisted reproductive technologies; miscarriage management
22
care; healthcare related to the continuation or termination of
23
pregnancy; or prenatal, intranatal, or postnatal care.
24

(O-5) Source of income. "Source of income" means the
25
lawful manner by which an individual supports himself or
26
herself and his or her dependents.
"Source of income" includes

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1
any lawful, verifiable income paid directly to a veteran, or
2
to a representative of a veteran, or paid to a housing owner or
3
landlord on behalf of a veteran, including federal, State, or
4
local public assistance, and federal, State, or local housing
5
subsidies, including, but not limited to, federal Department
6
of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive
7
Housing vouchers, rental assistance under the Supportive
8
Services for Veterans Families program, and veterans' benefits
9
disbursed under the VA Fiduciary Program.

10

(P) Unfavorable military discharge. "Unfavorable military
11
discharge" includes discharges from the Armed Forces of the
12
United States, their Reserve components, or any National Guard
13
or Naval Militia which are classified as RE-3 or the
14
equivalent thereof, but does not include those characterized
15
as RE-4 or "Dishonorable".
16

(Q) Unlawful discrimination. "Unlawful discrimination"
17
means discrimination against a person because of his or her
18
actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin,
19
ancestry, age, sex, marital status, order of protection
20
status, disability, military status, sexual orientation,
21
pregnancy, reproductive health decisions, or unfavorable
22
discharge from military service as those terms are defined in
23
this Section.
24

(R) "Veteran" means an individual who has served in or is a
25
current member of (i) the armed forces of the United States,
26
(ii) any reserve component of the armed forces of the United

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LRB104 18446 KTG 31888 b
1
States, or (iii) the Illinois Army National Guard or Illinois
2
Air National Guard.

3
(Source: P.A. 102-362, eff. 1-1-22; 102-419, eff. 1-1-22;
4
102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-896, eff.
5
1-1-23; 102-1102, eff. 1-1-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-785,
6
eff. 1-1-25
.)

7

(775 ILCS 5/3-102.2 new)
8

Sec. 3-102.2.
Veterans' criminal, credit, or eviction
9
history.
It is a civil rights violation to refuse to sell or
10
rent or to otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any
11
buyer or renter who is a veteran because of the results of a
12
criminal, credit, or eviction history records check.
13

The prohibition against the use of the results of a
14
veteran's criminal history records check shall not preclude an
15
owner or any other person engaging in a real estate
16
transaction, or a real estate broker or salesman, from
17
prohibiting the veteran, a member of the veteran's household,
18
or a guest of the veteran from engaging in unlawful activity on
19
the premises.

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