Public Act 099-0535
 
SB2459 EnrolledLRB099 15920 RLC 40236 b


  
    AN ACT concerning health.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The Mental Health and Developmental 
Disabilities Code is amended  by adding Section 2-107.4 as 
follows:
 
    (405 ILCS 5/2-107.4 new)
    Sec. 2-107.4. Video conferencing.
    (a)
The Illinois Supreme Court or any circuit court of this 
State may adopt rules permitting the use of video conferencing 
equipment in any hearing under Section 2-107.1 subject to the 
following conditions:
        (1) if the parties, including the respondent, and their 
    attorneys, including the State's Attorney, are at a mental 
    health facility, or some other location to which the 
    respondent may be safely and conveniently transported, and 
    the judge and any court personnel are in another location; 
    or
        (2) if the respondent and his or her attorney are at a 
    mental health facility or some other location to which the 
    respondent may be safely and conveniently transported, and 
    all of the other participants including the judge are in 
    another location, if, and only if, agreed to by the 
    respondent and the respondent's attorney.
    (b)  In any hearing under Section 2-107.1, any court may 
permit any witness, including a psychiatrist, to testify by 
video conferencing equipment from any location in the absence 
of a court rule specifically prohibiting that testimony.