On Friday, September 13, 2024, Janel Gomez, Community Relations Manager & Compliance Officer in E&E, along with Human Rights Staff from 3 other central Illinois municipalities got the chance to meet with Illinois Department of Human Rights Director, Jim Bennett, and IDHR legal staff in Springfield . IDHR is releasing a hate crimes hotline called “Help Stop Hate” that will go live in October and is looking for municipal support in the rollout. Additionally, Mr. Bennett spoke about threats to the EEOC from the federal government including recent supreme court decisions and how the State of Illinois continues to protect civil and human rights. IDHR legal staff have recently released IDHR Guides for Fair Housing and Implications of Nuisance in Crime Free Housing Ordinances that can be found at www.dhr.illinois.gov