WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 3627

Relating to funding for disabled veterans; prescribing an effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Court Boice and 8 co-sponsors

Adds a new racial category “Asiatic or Moorish” to Illinois’ classifications, with use for agency reports needed after July 1, 2026 and state-wide adoption by Sept 1, 2025.

In committee upon adjournment.
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 3627

HB 3627 — Uniform Racial Classification (Summary)

Status: Enacted (Governor signed 6/20/2025; effective 9/1/2025)
Statute amended: 20 ILCS 50/5 (Uniform Racial Classification Act)
Introduced: Feb 18, 2025 (Rep. Justin Slaughter) — companion bill SB 1884

Purpose / Intent

The bill updates the State of Illinois’ uniform racial/ethnic categories used for state-required statistical reporting by adding an additional classification, and clarifies when agencies must begin using it for workforce/hiring reports. The stated intent is to standardize the categories that state agencies use when compiling or reporting racial or ethnic statistical data.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new racial/ethnic classification to the list in the Uniform Racial Classification Act: “Asiatic or Moorish.” The statute’s full list (as amended) reads:
    1. White
    2. Black or African American
    3. American Indian or Alaska Native
    4. Asian
    5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
    6. Hispanic or Latino
    7. Middle Eastern or North African
    8. Asiatic or Moorish
  • Preserves an exception: state agencies follow federal law/regulation if that imposes different classification requirements.
  • Implementation timing for workforce/hiring reporting: State agencies are not required to use the newly added “Asiatic or Moorish” classification for workforce or hiring data until after July 1, 2026.
  • Defines “State agency” to include offices of constitutional officers identified in Article V of the Illinois Constitution, executive agencies, and departments, boards, commissions, and authorities under the Governor.

Who is affected

  • All State agencies that are legally required to compile or report racial/ethnic statistical data.
  • Any state-level reporting systems, human resources and payroll data systems, forms, and surveys that capture racial/ethnic categories.
  • Potentially entities that submit data to the State under statutory reporting requirements (e.g., contractors, grantees), if those reporting requirements reference state classifications.

Implementation and timeline

  • Law effective: September 1, 2025.
  • Workforce/hiring reporting requirement for the new classification is deferred until after July 1, 2026 — providing agencies time to update forms, databases, and procedures.
  • Agencies remain subject to any conflicting federal classification requirements.

Practical considerations / potential impacts

  • Administrative updates: databases, HR systems, forms, public surveys and reporting templates will likely need modification to add the new category.
  • Data comparability: adding a new category may affect trend analyses and comparisons with prior years, and with federal datasets that use different classification schemes.
  • Policy and monitoring: the change could affect demographic reporting used for program planning, civil rights monitoring, and workforce diversity metrics.

For legislative status and history: HB 3627 passed both chambers in May 2025, was enrolled and sent to the Governor, signed 6/20/2025, and takes effect 9/1/2025.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.