SB2784 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 16465 JRC 29858 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2784

Introduced 1/13/2026, by Sen. Doris Turner

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

705 ILCS 35/2f-14
705 ILCS 45/2.6 new

Amends the Circuit Courts Act. Provides that when a vacancy occurs in an at-large judgeship of the 6th judicial circuit, the at-large judgeship shall be converted to a resident judgeship for either Champaign County or Macon County, depending on which of those counties the incumbent at-large circuit judge resided in when the incumbent judge was elected. Requires one additional associate judge to be appointed in the 7th circuit. Effective immediately.

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 Circuit Courts Act is amended by changing Section 2f-14 as follows:

(705 ILCS 35/2f-14)

Sec. 2f-14. 6th judicial circuit; resident judgeships.

(a) The at-large judgeships of the 6th judicial circuit existing on January 7, 2022 shall be converted to resident judgeships as provided in this subsection as those judgeships are or become vacant. When a vacancy occurs in an at-large judgeship of the 6th judicial circuit, the at-large judgeship shall be converted to a resident judgeship for either Champaign County or Macon County, depending on which of those 2 counties the incumbent at-large circuit judge resided in when the incumbent judge was elected. The first 3 that become vacant after January 7, 2022 (the effective date of Public Act 102-693) shall be converted to resident judgeships elected from Champaign County. The remaining two at-large judgeships that become vacant shall be converted to resident judgeships elected from Macon County. Thereafter, persons elected to those resident judgeships shall be residents of the county which elects them.

(b) It is the intent of the General Assembly not to create any additional judgeships in the 6th judicial circuit by Public Act 102-693 and this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the conversion of at-large judgeships to resident judgeships under subsection (a) of this Section shall not entitle the 6th judicial circuit to any additional circuit judgeships elected at-large.

(Source: P.A. 102-693, eff. 1-7-22; 102-1126, eff. 2-10-23.)

Section 10. The Associate Judges Act is amended by adding Section 2.6 as follows:

(705 ILCS 45/2.6 new)

Sec. 2.6. Additional associate judge; 7th circuit. In addition to the number of associate judges authorized under Sections 2 and 2.1, there shall be one additional associate judge appointed in the 7th circuit.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.