A new bill aims to force Illinois' largely white, male corporate boards to diversify. Some say it's unconstitutional

Some of Illinois' largest companies would have to take a critical look at who's calling the shots in their boardrooms if a bill making its way through the state legislature becomes reality.

The legislation, which narrowly passed the House last month, would require any publicly traded company with an Illinois headquarters to have at least one woman and one African-American on its board of directors by the end of 2020 or face a fine of $100,000. Last week, the Senate version of the bill added an amendment requiring a Latino board member.

The legislation, which experts say could face a legal challenge if it becomes law, comes on the heels of a bill passed last year in California that required public companies headquartered in the state to have at least one woman on their boards by year's end. While some companies are taking