CHICAGO – An Illinois House panel Wednesday approved a measure that would make it illegal to deny housing or employment based on sexual orientation.

The bill now moves to the full House, where it will face opposition from some business and religious interests who say it will increase the number of lawsuits already clogging the court system.

State Rep. Larry McKeon, D-Chicago, told members of the House Human Services committee that his sexual-orientation bill would not provide "special treatment." The bill would add the phrase "sexual orientation" to the list of factors that cannot be legally used to deny housing, employment, credit or public accommodations.

The factors now listed are race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, marital status and religion. Parties found guilty of discrimination can face fines under the state's Human Rights Act.

"It is perfectly legal [currently] to fire someone ... or deny them housing, just because you believe they are homosexual," said McKeon, the Illinois Legislature's only openly gay lawmaker.

Opponents to McKeon's bill include business organizations that say it would give them one more litigation danger to worry about in hiring, firing and other transactions. And a Chicago area Baptist minister told committee members that churches, too, would face that danger.

The Rev. Robert Vanden Bosch of Concerned Christian Americans said the bill also could lay the groundwork for legal attacks on groups that oppose homosexuality.

"Across the nation, you find the Boy Scouts are under attack" for voicing anti-gay policies, said Vanden Bosch. "This is a First Amendment issue for many of the people of faith ... in Illinois."

McKeon maintains that existing language in the Human Rights Act would exempt religious groups from the requirements of his legislation.

The committee passed the bill on a 5-3 vote. A vote by the full House could come as early as next week.

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