Department of Family and Support Services and Department of Public Health required to annually collect race and ethnicity data of city residents using subcategories for Asian or Pacific Islander

Votes › Health and Human Relations › 11th Ward: Nicole T. Lee

Record number: SO2025-0021028
Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
Status: Final
Sponsor: Nicole T. Lee (11th Ward)
Co-sponsors (7): Pat Dowell (3rd Ward), James M. Gardiner (45th Ward), Maria E. Hadden (49th Ward), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward), Julia M. Ramirez (12th Ward), Byron Sigcho-López (25th Ward), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40th Ward)
Committee: Committee on Health and Human Relations
Introduction Date: Nov 14, 2025
Final Action Date: May 20, 2026
Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed May 20, 2026

50 yea, 0 nay. On motion of Alderperson Ramirez, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of May 20, 2026.

Yea (50): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (claude-opus-5-5) from the ordinance text only: SO2025-0021028 Substitute Ordinance.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This ordinance requires the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to collect race and ethnicity data from people in certain city programs and break it down into specific Asian and Pacific Islander groups, starting August 1, 2026. Starting July 1, 2027, the departments must post this data on their websites each year and hold public meetings with community groups that serve Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander residents. The data must be handled in a way that protects people's personal and health information.

Starting August 1, 2026, DFSS and CDPH must collect race and ethnicity data in the Out-of-School Time Enrichment Program, the mental health part of the Healthy Chicago Survey, and the Healthy Chicago Mental Health Collective.
Data must be broken into specific Asian groups (such as Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Mongolian, Nepalese) and Pacific Islander groups (such as Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Marshallese), plus any other subgroup.
By July 1 each year starting in 2027, results must be posted online, including service type, preferred language, progress on improving programs, and an action plan for public awareness.
Within 60 days of posting the data, DFSS and CDPH must hold at least one public meeting with community organizations that mainly serve AANHPI residents.
The Department of Technology and Innovation will help handle the data, which must protect personal demographic and health information and follow privacy laws.

Who: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander participants in the covered city programs, the community organizations that serve them, and the city departments (DFSS, CDPH, and the Department of Technology and Innovation) that must collect and report the data.

Where: Citywide (Chicago)

Impact report

Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

The City's family services and public health departments would have to collect race and ethnicity data from people in three programs, break it into specific Asian and Pacific Islander groups, and post it publicly each year.

Who it affects

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) residents: Their data in certain City programs would be recorded by specific ethnic group, such as Filipino, Mongolian, or Samoan, instead of one single category.
Participants in the Out-of-School Time Enrichment Program: DFSS would collect their race and ethnicity data and break it down into Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups.
People in the Healthy Chicago Survey mental health indicator and the Healthy Chicago Mental Health Collective: CDPH would collect their race and ethnicity data using detailed Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups.
Community-based organizations that mainly serve AANHPI residents: They would be invited to at least one public meeting each year to give advice on how the data is collected and analyzed.
City departments (DFSS, CDPH, and the Department of Technology and Innovation): They would have to collect, protect, and post the data, and DFSS and CDPH would have to report progress and action plans.

What changes

Starting August 1, 2026, three City programs would ask participants about race and ethnicity using detailed Asian and Pacific Islander groups.
Starting July 1, 2027, and every July 1 after, DFSS and CDPH would post the data on their websites by ethnicity, type of service used, and preferred language.
Each yearly report would include a summary of progress toward better serving these groups and an action plan to raise public awareness of the City's diverse residents.
Within 60 days of posting the data, DFSS and CDPH would hold at least one public meeting with AANHPI community organizations.
Personal and health information collected would have to be protected from disclosure and follow privacy laws.

When: Takes effect upon passage and approval; data collection begins August 1, 2026, and public reporting begins July 1, 2027.

Timeline

Nov 14, 2025: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
May 7, 2026: Substituted, Committee on Health and Human Relations. Substituted in Committee.
May 7, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Health and Human Relations. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
May 20, 2026: Passed, City Council (50 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Ramirez, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.

Documents

w11 - o21028.pdf (Legislation)
SO2025-0021028 Substitute Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)

Lobbying and money

Computed links; money near a vote is not evidence that it influenced the vote.

Who lobbied on it

Chinese American Service League, Inc.: INTRODUCTION AND SUPPORT FOR ORDINANCE O2025-0021028 (1 filing, Oct 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025; Lisa Wright; matched by record number)
Chinese American Service League, Inc.: PUBLIC HEARING REQUEST FOR ORDINANCE O2025-0021028 (1 filing, Oct 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025; Lisa Wright; matched by record number)

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