HB5016 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 15429 RLC 28584 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5016

Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Tony M. McCombie - John M. Cabello

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-95

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Restores the general recidivism provisions of the Code before the effective date of Public Act 101-652. Provides that the third-time offender provisions resulting in a sentence of natural life imprisonment apply when the defendant has attained the age of 18 at the time of the third offense (rather than 21 years of age or older when the first offense was committed). In the provision that when a defendant, over the age of 21 years, is convicted of a Class 1 or Class 2 forcible felony after having twice been convicted in any state or federal court of an offense that contains the same elements as an offense now (the date the Class 1 or Class 2 forcible felony was committed) classified in Illinois as a Class 2 or greater Class forcible felony and those charges are separately brought and tried and arise out of different series of acts, that defendant shall be sentenced as a Class X offender, provides that the 3 offenses may be felonies rather than forcible felonies. Provides that the Class X sentencing provision does not apply to Class 1 or Class 2 felony convictions for theft.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning criminal law.

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

Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by changing Section 5-4.5-95 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-95)

Sec. 5-4.5-95. GENERAL RECIDIVISM PROVISIONS.

(a) HABITUAL CRIMINALS.

(1) Every person who has been twice convicted in any state or federal court of an offense that contains the same elements as an offense now (the date of the offense committed after the 2 prior convictions) classified in Illinois as a Class X felony, criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, or first degree murder, and who is thereafter convicted of a Class X felony, criminal sexual assault, or first degree murder, committed after the 2 prior convictions, shall be adjudged an habitual criminal.

(2) The 2 prior convictions need not have been for the same offense.

(3) Any convictions that result from or are connected with the same transaction, or result from offenses committed at the same time, shall be counted for the purposes of this Section as one conviction.

(4) This Section does not apply unless each of the following requirements are satisfied:

(A) The third offense was committed after July 3, 1980.

(B) The third offense was committed within 20 years of the date that judgment was entered on the first conviction; provided, however, that time spent in custody shall not be counted.

(C) The third offense was committed after conviction on the second offense.

(D) The second offense was committed after conviction on the first offense.

(E) (Blank). The first offense was committed when the person was 21 years of age or older.

(5) Anyone who, having attained the age of 18 at the time of the third offense, is adjudged an habitual criminal shall be sentenced to a term of natural life imprisonment.

(6) A prior conviction shall not be alleged in the indictment, and no evidence or other disclosure of that conviction shall be presented to the court or the jury during the trial of an offense set forth in this Section unless otherwise permitted by the issues properly raised in that trial. After a plea or verdict or finding of guilty and before sentence is imposed, the prosecutor may file with the court a verified written statement signed by the State's Attorney concerning any former conviction of an offense set forth in this Section rendered against the defendant. The court shall then cause the defendant to be brought before it; shall inform the defendant of the allegations of the statement so filed, and of his or her right to a hearing before the court on the issue of that former conviction and of his or her right to counsel at that hearing; and unless the defendant admits such conviction, shall hear and determine the issue, and shall make a written finding thereon. If a sentence has previously been imposed, the court may vacate that sentence and impose a new sentence in accordance with this Section.

(7) A duly authenticated copy of the record of any alleged former conviction of an offense set forth in this Section shall be prima facie evidence of that former conviction; and a duly authenticated copy of the record of the defendant's final release or discharge from probation granted, or from sentence and parole supervision (if any) imposed pursuant to that former conviction, shall be prima facie evidence of that release or discharge.

(8) Any claim that a previous conviction offered by the prosecution is not a former conviction of an offense set forth in this Section because of the existence of any exceptions described in this Section, is waived unless duly raised at the hearing on that conviction, or unless the prosecution's proof shows the existence of the exceptions described in this Section.

(9) If the person so convicted shows to the satisfaction of the court before whom that conviction was had that he or she was released from imprisonment, upon either of the sentences upon a pardon granted for the reason that he or she was innocent, that conviction and sentence shall not be considered under this Section.

(b) When a defendant, over the age of 21 years, is convicted of a Class 1 or Class 2 forcible felony, except for an offense listed in subsection (c-1) of this Section, after having twice been convicted in any state or federal court of an offense that contains the same elements as an offense now (the date the Class 1 or Class 2 forcible felony was committed) classified in Illinois as a Class 2 or greater Class forcible felony, except for an offense listed in subsection (c-1) of this Section, and those charges are separately brought and tried and arise out of different series of acts, that defendant shall be sentenced as a Class X offender. This subsection does not apply unless:

(1) the first forcible felony was committed after February 1, 1978 (the effective date of Public Act 80-1099);

(2) the second forcible felony was committed after conviction on the first; and

(3) the third forcible felony was committed after conviction on the second. ; and

(4) the first offense was committed when the person was 21 years of age or older.

(c) (Blank).

(c-1) Subsection (b) of this Section does not apply to Class 1 or Class 2 felony convictions for a violation of Section 16-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012.

A person sentenced as a Class X offender under this subsection (b) is not eligible to apply for treatment as a condition of probation as provided by Section 40-10 of the Substance Use Disorder Act (20 ILCS 301/40-10).

(Source: P.A. 100-3, eff. 1-1-18; 100-759, eff. 1-1-19; 101-652, eff. 7-1-21.)