SB1536 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 09271 RLC 19329 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1536

Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

705 ILCS 405/5-601
705 ILCS 405/5-602 new

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that if the minor has multiple delinquency petitions filed against him or her, remaining petitions pending against the minor respondent shall be adjudicated within 120 (rather than 160) days from the date on which a finding relative to the first petition prosecuted is rendered. Restructures the provisions concerning alleged delinquent minors and pretrial detention of alleged delinquent minors. Provides that if the court determines that the State, without success, has exercised due diligence to timely obtain the results of DNA testing that is material to the case, and that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the results may be obtained at a later date, the court may extend the period of detention of the minor to not more than 70 days, only for any matter for which the minor may be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Provides that nothing in the trial and pretrial detention provisions of the Act prevents the minor from exercising the minor's rights to waive the time limits set forth in these provisions. Deletes provision that time needed to prepare a defense to a State motion such as an extended juvenile jurisdiction petition or a transfer petition shall not be considered a delay occasioned by the minor. Makes technical changes in the trial and pretrial detention provisions of the Act.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning courts.

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

Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by changing Section 5-601 and by adding Section 5-602 as follows:

(705 ILCS 405/5-601)

Sec. 5-601. Trial.

(1) When a petition has been filed alleging that the minor is a delinquent, a trial must be held within 120 days of a written demand for such hearing made by any party, except that when the State, without success, has exercised due diligence to obtain evidence material to the case and there are reasonable grounds to believe that the evidence may be obtained at a later date, the court may, upon motion by the State, continue the trial for not more than 30 additional days.

(2) If a minor respondent has multiple delinquency petitions pending against the minor in the same county and simultaneously demands a trial upon more than one delinquency petition pending against the minor in the same county, the minor shall receive a trial or have a finding, after waiver of trial, upon at least one such petition before expiration relative to any of the pending petitions of the period described by this Section. All remaining petitions thus pending against the minor respondent shall be adjudicated within 120 160 days from the date on which a finding relative to the first petition prosecuted is rendered under Section 5-620 of this Article, or, if the trial upon the first petition is terminated without a finding and there is no subsequent trial, or adjudication after waiver of trial, on the first petition within a reasonable time, the minor shall receive a trial upon all of the remaining petitions within 120 160 days from the date on which the trial, or finding after waiver of trial, on the first petition is concluded. If either such period of 120 160 days expires without the commencement of trial, or adjudication after waiver of trial, of any of the remaining pending petitions, the petition or petitions shall be dismissed and barred for want of prosecution unless the delay is occasioned by any of the reasons described in this Section.

(3) When no such trial is held within the time required by subsections (1) and (2) of this Section, the court shall, upon motion by any party, dismiss the petition with prejudice.

(3.5) The period in which a trial shall be held as prescribed by this Section is tolled by: (i) delay occasioned by the minor; (ii) a continuance allowed pursuant to Section 114-4 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 after the court's determination of the minor's incapacity for trial; (iii) an interlocutory appeal; (iv) an examination of fitness ordered pursuant to Section 104-13 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963; (v) a fitness hearing; or (vi) an adjudication of unfitness for trial. Any such delay shall temporarily suspend, for the time of the delay, the period within which a trial must be held as prescribed by this Section. On the day of expiration of the delays, the period shall continue at the point at which the time was suspended.

(4) (Blank). Without affecting the applicability of the tolling and multiple prosecution provisions of subsections (8) and (2) of this Section when a petition has been filed alleging that the minor is a delinquent and the minor is in detention or shelter care, the trial shall be held within 30 calendar days after the date of the order directing detention or shelter care, or the earliest possible date in compliance with the provisions of Section 5-525 as to the custodial parent, guardian, or legal custodian, but no later than 45 calendar days from the date of the order of the court directing detention or shelter care. When the petition alleges the minor has committed an offense involving a controlled substance as defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act or methamphetamine as defined in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act, the court may, upon motion of the State, continue the trial for receipt of a confirmatory laboratory report for up to 45 days after the date of the order directing detention or shelter care. When the petition alleges the minor committed an offense that involves the death of, great bodily harm to or sexual assault or aggravated criminal sexual abuse on a victim, the court may, upon motion of the State, continue the trial for not more than 70 calendar days after the date of the order directing detention or shelter care.

Any failure to comply with the time limits of this Section shall require the immediate release of the minor from detention, and the time limits set forth in subsections (1) and (2) shall apply.

(4.5) Agreeing to a continuance for trial or status based on the failure of the State to complete discovery shall not be considered a delay occasioned by the minor for purposes of subsection (3.5). Further, demanding trial under subsection (1) or (2) does not relieve the State of its ongoing duty to tender discovery.

(5) If the court determines that the State, without success, has exercised due diligence to timely obtain the results of DNA testing that is material to the case, and that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the results may be obtained at a later date, the court may continue the cause on application of the State for not more than 60 120 additional days, except if the petition alleges that the minor has committed the offense of first degree murder in violation of Section 9-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 or aggravated criminal sexual assault in violation of Section 11-1.30 of the Criminal Code of 2012, the court may continue the cause on application of the State for not more than 120 days. The court may also extend the period of detention of the minor for not more than 120 additional days.

(6) (Blank). If the State's Attorney makes a written request that a proceeding be designated an extended juvenile jurisdiction prosecution, and the minor is in detention, the period the minor can be held in detention pursuant to subsection (4), shall be extended an additional 30 days after the court determines whether the proceeding will be designated an extended juvenile jurisdiction prosecution or the State's Attorney withdraws the request for extended juvenile jurisdiction prosecution.

(7) (Blank). When the State's Attorney files a motion for waiver of jurisdiction pursuant to Section 5-805, and the minor is in detention, the period the minor can be held in detention pursuant to subsection (4), shall be extended an additional 30 days if the court denies motion for waiver of jurisdiction or the State's Attorney withdraws the motion for waiver of jurisdiction.

(8) (Blank). The period in which a trial shall be held as prescribed by subsection (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7) of this Section is tolled by: (i) delay occasioned by the minor; (ii) a continuance allowed pursuant to Section 114-4 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 after the court's determination of the minor's incapacity for trial; (iii) an interlocutory appeal; (iv) an examination of fitness ordered pursuant to Section 104-13 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963; (v) a fitness hearing; or (vi) an adjudication of unfitness for trial. Any such delay shall temporarily suspend, for the time of the delay, the period within which a trial must be held as prescribed by subsections (1), (2), (4), (5), and (6) of this Section. On the day of expiration of the delays, the period shall continue at the point at which the time was suspended.

(9) Nothing in this Section prevents the minor or the minor's parents, guardian, or legal custodian from exercising the minor's their respective rights to waive the time limits set forth in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 103-22, eff. 8-8-23; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.)

(705 ILCS 405/5-602 new)

Sec. 5-602. Pretrial detention.

(1) When a petition has been filed alleging that the minor is a delinquent and the minor is in detention or shelter care, the trial shall be held within 30 calendar days after the date of the order directing detention or shelter care, or the earliest possible date in compliance with the provisions of Section 5-525 as to the custodial parent, guardian, or legal custodian, but no later than 45 calendar days from the date of the order of the court directing detention or shelter care. This time includes any time a minor spends in custody on a release upon request to Department of Children and Family Services status. When the petition alleges the minor committed an offense that involves the death of or great bodily harm to a victim, the court may, upon motion of the State, continue the period of detention for not more than 70 calendar days after the date of the order directing detention or shelter care.

(2) Any failure to comply with the time limits of this Section shall require the immediate release of the minor from detention.

(3) As the speedy trial provisions outlined in Section 5-601 and this Section are distinctly separate statute Sections, a minor need not demand trial for this Section to apply.

(4) The detention provisions of this Section govern a minor who has multiple delinquency petitions filed against him or her. A minor shall not be held longer than the times described in this Section while awaiting trial. If immediate and urgent necessity has been found pursuant to Section 5-501 ordering a minor to be held, the hold shall be on all pending cases.

(5) If the State's Attorney makes a written request that a proceeding be designated an extended juvenile jurisdiction prosecution, and the minor is in detention, the period the minor may be held in detention may be extended an additional 30 days. A pending extended juvenile jurisdiction petition shall not be a basis for detention past the prescribed time periods in this Section.

(6) When the State's Attorney files a motion for waiver of jurisdiction pursuant to Section 5-805, and the minor is in detention, the period the minor may be held in detention may be extended an additional 30 days. A pending transfer petition shall not be a basis for detention past the prescribed time periods in this Section.

(6.5) If the court determines that the State, without success, has exercised due diligence to timely obtain the results of DNA testing that is material to the case, and that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the results may be obtained at a later date, the court may extend the period of detention of the minor to not more than 70 days, only for any matter for which the minor may be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(7) The period in which a minor may be detained as prescribed by this Section is tolled by: (i) delay occasioned by the minor; (ii) a continuance allowed pursuant to Section 114-4 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 after the court's determination of the minor's incapacity for trial; (iii) an interlocutory appeal; (iv) an examination of fitness ordered pursuant to Section 104-13 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963; (v) a fitness hearing; or (vi) an adjudication of unfitness for trial. Any such delay shall temporarily suspend, for the time of the delay, the period within which a minor may be detained as prescribed by this Section.

(8) Agreeing to a continuance for trial or status based on the failure of the State to complete discovery shall not be considered a delay occasioned by the minor for purposes of this Section.

(9) Nothing in this Section prevents the minor from exercising the minor's rights to waive the time limits set forth in this Section.