Public Act 0896 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5101 Enrolled LRB095 18111 RLC 44194 b

Public Act 095-0896

AN ACT concerning victim notification.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act is amended by changing Section 4.5 as follows:

(725 ILCS 120/4.5)

Sec. 4.5. Procedures to implement the rights of crime victims. To afford crime victims their rights, law enforcement, prosecutors, judges and corrections will provide information, as appropriate of the following procedures:

(a) At the request of the crime victim, law enforcement authorities investigating the case shall provide notice of the status of the investigation, except where the State's Attorney determines that disclosure of such information would unreasonably interfere with the investigation, until such time as the alleged assailant is apprehended or the investigation is closed.

(b) The office of the State's Attorney:

(1) shall provide notice of the filing of information, the return of an indictment by which a prosecution for any violent crime is commenced, or the filing of a petition to adjudicate a minor as a delinquent for a violent crime;

(2) shall provide notice of the date, time, and place of trial;

(3) or victim advocate personnel shall provide information of social services and financial assistance available for victims of crime, including information of how to apply for these services and assistance;

(4) shall assist in having any stolen or other personal property held by law enforcement authorities for evidentiary or other purposes returned as expeditiously as possible, pursuant to the procedures set out in Section 115-9 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963;

(5) or victim advocate personnel shall provide appropriate employer intercession services to ensure that employers of victims will cooperate with the criminal justice system in order to minimize an employee's loss of pay and other benefits resulting from court appearances;

(6) shall provide information whenever possible, of a secure waiting area during court proceedings that does not require victims to be in close proximity to defendant or juveniles accused of a violent crime, and their families and friends;

(7) shall provide notice to the crime victim of the right to have a translator present at all court proceedings;

(8) in the case of the death of a person, which death occurred in the same transaction or occurrence in which acts occurred for which a defendant is charged with an offense, shall notify the spouse, parent, child or sibling of the decedent of the date of the trial of the person or persons allegedly responsible for the death;

(9) shall inform the victim of the right to have present at all court proceedings, subject to the rules of evidence, an advocate or other support person of the victim's choice, and the right to retain an attorney, at the victim's own expense, who, upon written notice filed with the clerk of the court and State's Attorney, is to receive copies of all notices, motions and court orders filed thereafter in the case, in the same manner as if the victim were a named party in the case; and

(10) at the sentencing hearing shall make a good faith attempt to explain the minimum amount of time during which the defendant may actually be physically imprisoned. The Office of the State's Attorney shall further notify the crime victim of the right to request from the Prisoner Review Board information concerning the release of the defendant under subparagraph (d)(1) of this Section; and

(11) shall request restitution at sentencing and shall consider restitution in any plea negotiation, as provided by law.

(c) At the written request of the crime victim, the office of the State's Attorney shall:

(1) provide notice a reasonable time in advance of the following court proceedings: preliminary hearing, any hearing the effect of which may be the release of defendant from custody, or to alter the conditions of bond and the sentencing hearing. The crime victim shall also be notified of the cancellation of the court proceeding in sufficient time, wherever possible, to prevent an unnecessary appearance in court;

(2) provide notice within a reasonable time after receipt of notice from the custodian, of the release of the defendant on bail or personal recognizance or the release from detention of a minor who has been detained for a violent crime;

(3) explain in nontechnical language the details of any plea or verdict of a defendant, or any adjudication of a juvenile as a delinquent for a violent crime;

(4) where practical, consult with the crime victim before the Office of the State's Attorney makes an offer of a plea bargain to the defendant or enters into negotiations with the defendant concerning a possible plea agreement, and shall consider the written victim impact statement, if prepared prior to entering into a plea agreement;

(5) provide notice of the ultimate disposition of the cases arising from an indictment or an information, or a petition to have a juvenile adjudicated as a delinquent for a violent crime;

(6) provide notice of any appeal taken by the defendant and information on how to contact the appropriate agency handling the appeal;

(7) provide notice of any request for post-conviction review filed by the defendant under Article 122 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, and of the date, time and place of any hearing concerning the petition. Whenever possible, notice of the hearing shall be given in advance;

(8) forward a copy of any statement presented under Section 6 to the Prisoner Review Board to be considered by the Board in making its determination under subsection (b) of Section 3-3-8 of the Unified Code of Corrections.

(d) (1) The Prisoner Review Board shall inform a victim or any other concerned citizen, upon written request, of the prisoner's release on parole, mandatory supervised release, electronic detention, work release, international transfer or exchange, or by the custodian of the discharge of any individual who was adjudicated a delinquent for a violent crime from State custody and by the sheriff of the appropriate county of any such person's final discharge from county custody. The Prisoner Review Board, upon written request, shall provide to a victim or any other concerned citizen a recent photograph of any person convicted of a felony, upon his or her release from custody. The Prisoner Review Board, upon written request, shall inform a victim or any other concerned citizen when feasible at least 7 days prior to the prisoner's release on furlough of the times and dates of such furlough. Upon written request by the victim or any other concerned citizen, the State's Attorney shall notify the person once of the times and dates of release of a prisoner sentenced to periodic imprisonment. Notification shall be based on the most recent information as to victim's or other concerned citizen's residence or other location available to the notifying authority. For purposes of this paragraph (1) of subsection (d), "concerned citizen" includes relatives of the victim, friends of the victim, witnesses to the crime, or any other person associated with the victim or prisoner.

(2) When the defendant has been committed to the Department of Human Services pursuant to Section 5-2-4 or any other provision of the Unified Code of Corrections, the victim may request to be notified by the releasing authority of the defendant's discharge from State custody.

(3) In the event of an escape from State custody, the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice immediately shall notify the Prisoner Review Board of the escape and the Prisoner Review Board shall notify the victim. The notification shall be based upon the most recent information as to the victim's residence or other location available to the Board. When no such information is available, the Board shall make all reasonable efforts to obtain the information and make the notification. When the escapee is apprehended, the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice immediately shall notify the Prisoner Review Board and the Board shall notify the victim.

(4) The victim of the crime for which the prisoner has been sentenced shall receive reasonable written notice not less than 15 days prior to the parole hearing and may submit, in writing, on film, videotape or other electronic means or in the form of a recording or in person at the parole hearing or if a victim of a violent crime, by calling the toll-free number established in subsection (f) of this Section, information for consideration by the Prisoner Review Board. The victim shall be notified within 7 days after the prisoner has been granted parole and shall be informed of the right to inspect the registry of parole decisions, established under subsection (g) of Section 3-3-5 of the Unified Code of Corrections. The provisions of this paragraph (4) are subject to the Open Parole Hearings Act.

(5) If a statement is presented under Section 6, the Prisoner Review Board shall inform the victim of any order of discharge entered by the Board pursuant to Section 3-3-8 of the Unified Code of Corrections.

(6) At the written request of the victim of the crime for which the prisoner was sentenced, the Prisoner Review Board shall notify the victim of the death of the prisoner if the prisoner died while on parole or mandatory supervised release.

(7) When a defendant who has been committed to the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, or the Department of Human Services is released or discharged and subsequently committed to the Department of Human Services as a sexually violent person and the victim had requested to be notified by the releasing authority of the defendant's discharge from State custody, the releasing authority shall provide to the Department of Human Services such information that would allow the Department of Human Services to contact the victim.

(8) When a defendant has been convicted of a sex offense as defined in Section 2 of the Sex Offender Registration Act and has been sentenced to the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Prisoner Review Board shall notify the victim of the sex offense of the prisoner's eligibility for release on parole, mandatory supervised release, electronic detention, work release, international transfer or exchange, or by the custodian of the discharge of any individual who was adjudicated a delinquent for a sex offense from State custody and by the sheriff of the appropriate county of any such person's final discharge from county custody. The notification shall be made to the victim at least 30 days, whenever possible, before release of the sex offender.

(e) The officials named in this Section may satisfy some or all of their obligations to provide notices and other information through participation in a statewide victim and witness notification system established by the Attorney General under Section 8.5 of this Act.

(f) To permit a victim of a violent crime to provide information to the Prisoner Review Board for consideration by the Board at a parole hearing of a person who committed the crime against the victim in accordance with clause (d)(4) of this Section or at a proceeding to determine the conditions of mandatory supervised release of a person sentenced to a determinate sentence or at a hearing on revocation of mandatory supervised release of a person sentenced to a determinate sentence, the Board shall establish a toll-free number that may be accessed by the victim of a violent crime to present that information to the Board.

(Source: P.A. 94-696, eff. 6-1-06; 95-317, eff. 8-21-07.)

Section 10. The Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act is amended by changing Section 75 as follows:

(725 ILCS 207/75)

Sec. 75. Notice concerning conditional release, discharge, escape, death, or court-ordered change in the custody status of a detainee or civilly committed sexually violent person.

(a) As used in this Section, the term:

(1) "Act of sexual violence" means an act or attempted act that is a basis for an allegation made in a petition under paragraph (b)(1) of Section 15 of this Act.

(2) "Member of the family" means spouse, child, sibling, parent, or legal guardian.

(3) "Victim" means a person against whom an act of sexual violence has been committed.

(b) If the court places a civilly committed sexually violent person on conditional release under Section 40 or 60 of this Act or discharges a person under Section 65, or if a detainee or civilly committed sexually violent person escapes, dies, or is subject to any court-ordered change in custody status of the detainee or sexually violent person, the Department shall make a reasonable attempt, if he or she can be found, to notify all of the following who have requested notification under this Act or under the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act:

(1) Whichever of the following persons is appropriate in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a)(3):

(A) The victim of the act of sexual violence.

(B) An adult member of the victim's family, if the victim died as a result of the act of sexual violence.

(C) The victim's parent or legal guardian, if the victim is younger than 18 years old.

(2) The Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(c) The notice under subsection (b) of this Section shall inform the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice and the person notified under paragraph (b)(1) of this Section of the name of the person committed under this Act and the date the person is placed on conditional release, discharged, or if a detainee or civilly committed sexually violent person escapes, dies, or is subject to any court-ordered change in the custody status of the detainee or sexually violent person. The Department shall send the notice, postmarked at least 60 7 days before the date the person committed under this Act is placed on conditional release, discharged, or if a detainee or civilly committed sexually violent person escapes, dies, or is subject to any court-ordered change in the custody status of the detainee or sexually violent person, unless unusual circumstances do not permit advance written notification, to the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice and the last-known address of the person notified under paragraph (b)(1) of this Section.

(d) The Department shall design and prepare cards for persons specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this Section to send to the Department. The cards shall have space for these persons to provide their names and addresses, the name of the person committed under this Act and any other information the Department determines is necessary. The Department shall provide the cards, without charge, to the Attorney General and State's Attorneys. The Attorney General and State's Attorneys shall provide the cards, without charge, to persons specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this Section. These persons may send completed cards to the Department. All records or portions of records of the Department that relate to mailing addresses of these persons are not subject to inspection or copying under Section 3 of the Freedom of Information Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-885, eff. 8-6-04; 94-696, eff. 6-1-06.)

Section 15. The Sex Offender Community Notification Law is amended by changing Section 120 as follows:

(730 ILCS 152/120)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 95-640)

Sec. 120. Community notification of sex offenders.

(a) The sheriff of the county, except Cook County, shall disclose to the following the name, address, date of birth, place of employment, school attended, e-mail addresses, instant messaging identities, chat room identities, other Internet communications identities, all Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) registered or used by the sex offender, all blogs and other Internet sites maintained by the sex offender or to which the sex offender has uploaded any content or posted any messages or information, and offense or adjudication of all sex offenders required to register under Section 3 of the Sex Offender Registration Act:

(1) The boards of institutions of higher education or other appropriate administrative offices of each non-public institution of higher education located in the county where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or is attending an institution of higher education;

(2) School boards of public school districts and the principal or other appropriate administrative officer of each nonpublic school located in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed;

(3) Child care facilities located in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed; and

(4) Libraries located in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed; .

(5) (4) Public libraries located in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed;

(6) (5) Public housing agencies located in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed;

(7) (6) The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services;

(8) (7) Social service agencies providing services to minors located in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed; and

(9) (8) Volunteer organizations providing services to minors located in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed; and .

(10) A victim of a sex offense residing in the county where the sex offender is required to register or is employed, who is not otherwise required to be notified under Section 4.5 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act or Section 75 of the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act.

(a-2) The sheriff of Cook County shall disclose to the following the name, address, date of birth, place of employment, school attended, e-mail addresses, instant messaging identities, chat room identities, other Internet communications identities, all Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) registered or used by the sex offender, all blogs and other Internet sites maintained by the sex offender or to which the sex offender has uploaded any content or posted any messages or information, and offense or adjudication of all sex offenders required to register under Section 3 of the Sex Offender Registration Act:

(1) School boards of public school districts and the principal or other appropriate administrative officer of each nonpublic school located within the region of Cook County, as those public school districts and nonpublic schools are identified in LEADS, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register or is employed;

(2) Child care facilities located within the region of Cook County, as those child care facilities are identified in LEADS, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register or is employed;

(3) The boards of institutions of higher education or other appropriate administrative offices of each non-public institution of higher education located in the county, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education; and

(4) Libraries located in the county, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or is attending an institution of higher education; .

(5) (4) Public libraries located in the county, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education;

(6) (5) Public housing agencies located in the county, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education;

(7) (6) The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services;

(8) (7) Social service agencies providing services to minors located in the county, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education; and

(9) (8) Volunteer organizations providing services to minors located in the county, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education; and .

(10) A victim of a sex offense residing in the county, other than the City of Chicago, where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attends an institution of higher education, who is not otherwise required to be notified under Section 4.5 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act or Section 75 of the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act.

(a-3) The Chicago Police Department shall disclose to the following the name, address, date of birth, place of employment, school attended, e-mail addresses, instant messaging identities, chat room identities, other Internet communications identities, all Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) registered or used by the sex offender, all blogs and other Internet sites maintained by the sex offender or to which the sex offender has uploaded any content or posted any messages or information, and offense or adjudication of all sex offenders required to register under Section 3 of the Sex Offender Registration Act:

(1) School boards of public school districts and the principal or other appropriate administrative officer of each nonpublic school located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register or is employed if the offender is required to register or is employed in the City of Chicago;

(2) Child care facilities located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register or is employed if the offender is required to register or is employed in the City of Chicago;

(3) The boards of institutions of higher education or other appropriate administrative offices of each non-public institution of higher education located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education in the City of Chicago; and

(4) Libraries located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register or is employed if the offender is required to register or is employed in the City of Chicago; .

(5) (4) Public libraries located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education in the City of Chicago;

(6) (5) Public housing agencies located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education in the City of Chicago;

(7) (6) The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services;

(8) (7) Social service agencies providing services to minors located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education in the City of Chicago; and

(9) (8) Volunteer organizations providing services to minors located in the police district where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attending an institution of higher education in the City of Chicago; and .

(10) A victim of a sex offense residing in the police district where the sex offender is required to register, resides, is employed, or attends an institution of higher education in the City of Chicago, who is not otherwise required to be notified under Section 4.5 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act or Section 75 of the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act.

(a-4) The Department of State Police shall provide a list of sex offenders required to register to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

(b) The Department of State Police and any law enforcement agency may disclose, in the Department's or agency's discretion, the following information to any person likely to encounter a sex offender, or sexual predator:

(1) The offender's name, address, date of birth, e-mail addresses, instant messaging identities, chat room identities, and other Internet communications identities, all Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) registered or used by the sex offender, and all blogs and other Internet sites maintained by the sex offender or to which the sex offender has uploaded any content or posted any messages or information.

(2) The offense for which the offender was convicted.

(3) Adjudication as a sexually dangerous person.

(4) The offender's photograph or other such information that will help identify the sex offender.

(5) Offender employment information, to protect public safety.

(c) The name, address, date of birth, e-mail addresses, instant messaging identities, chat room identities, other Internet communications identities, all Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) registered or used by the sex offender, all blogs and other Internet sites maintained by the sex offender or to which the sex offender has uploaded any content or posted any messages or information, offense or adjudication, the county of conviction, license plate numbers for every vehicle registered in the name of the sex offender, the age of the sex offender at the time of the commission of the offense, the age of the victim at the time of the commission of the offense, and any distinguishing marks located on the body of the sex offender for sex offenders required to register under Section 3 of the Sex Offender Registration Act shall be open to inspection by the public as provided in this Section. Every municipal police department shall make available at its headquarters the information on all sex offenders who are required to register in the municipality under the Sex Offender Registration Act. The sheriff shall also make available at his or her headquarters the information on all sex offenders who are required to register under that Act and who live in unincorporated areas of the county. Sex offender information must be made available for public inspection to any person, no later than 72 hours or 3 business days from the date of the request. The request must be made in person, in writing, or by telephone. Availability must include giving the inquirer access to a facility where the information may be copied. A department or sheriff may charge a fee, but the fee may not exceed the actual costs of copying the information. An inquirer must be allowed to copy this information in his or her own handwriting. A department or sheriff must allow access to the information during normal public working hours. The sheriff or a municipal police department may publish the photographs of sex offenders where any victim was 13 years of age or younger and who are required to register in the municipality or county under the Sex Offender Registration Act in a newspaper or magazine of general circulation in the municipality or county or may disseminate the photographs of those sex offenders on the Internet or on television. The law enforcement agency may make available the information on all sex offenders residing within any county.

(d) The Department of State Police and any law enforcement agency having jurisdiction may, in the Department's or agency's discretion, place the information specified in subsection (b) on the Internet or in other media.

(e) (Blank).

(f) The administrator of a transitional housing facility for sex offenders shall comply with the notification procedures established in paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of Section 3-17-5 of the Unified Code of Corrections.

(g) A principal or teacher of a public or private elementary or secondary school shall notify the parents of children attending the school during school registration or during parent-teacher conferences that information about sex offenders is available to the public as provided in this Act.

(h) In order to receive notice under paragraph (10) of subsection (a), paragraph (10) of subsection (a-2), or paragraph (10) of subsection (a-3), the victim of the sex offense must notify the appropriate sheriff or the Chicago Police Department in writing, by facsimile transmission, or by e-mail that the victim desires to receive such notice.

(i) For purposes of this Section, "victim of a sex offense" means:

(1) the victim of the sex offense; or

(2) a single representative who may be the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of a person killed during the course of a sex offense perpetrated against the person killed or the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of any victim of a sex offense who is physically or mentally incapable of comprehending or requesting notice.

(Source: P.A. 94-161, eff. 7-11-05; 94-168, eff. 1-1-06; 94-994, eff. 1-1-07; 95-229, eff. 8-16-07; 95-278, eff. 8-17-07; 95-640, eff. 6-1-08; revised 11-19-07.)