HB4124 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 09964 RLC 22534 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB4124

Introduced 2/27/2009, by Rep. Cynthia Soto

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

730 ILCS 5/3-3-2	from Ch. 38, par. 1003-3-2
730 ILCS 5/3-3-4	from Ch. 38, par. 1003-3-4

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board or one who has allegedly violated the conditions of his or her parole or mandatory supervised release may require by subpoena the production of physical evidence, electronic evidence, computer files, DVD's, audio or tape recordings, or any other evidence relating to any matter under investigation or hearing. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board shall not release any material to the inmate, the inmate's attorney, any third party, or any other person containing any information from the victim or from a person related to the victim by blood, adoption, or marriage who has written objections, testified at any hearing, or submitted audio or visual objections to the inmate's parole, unless provided with a waiver from that objecting party. Effective immediately.

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 Sections 3-3-2 and 3-3-4 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/3-3-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-3-2)

Sec. 3-3-2. Powers and Duties.

(a) The Parole and Pardon Board is abolished and the term "Parole and Pardon Board" as used in any law of Illinois, shall read "Prisoner Review Board." After the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1977, the Prisoner Review Board shall provide by rule for the orderly transition of all files, records, and documents of the Parole and Pardon Board and for such other steps as may be necessary to effect an orderly transition and shall:

(1) hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members decide, cases of prisoners who were sentenced under the law in effect prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1977, and who are eligible for parole;

(2) hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members decide, the conditions of parole and the time of discharge from parole, impose sanctions for violations of parole, and revoke parole for those sentenced under the law in effect prior to this amendatory Act of 1977; provided that the decision to parole and the conditions of parole for all prisoners who were sentenced for first degree murder or who received a minimum sentence of 20 years or more under the law in effect prior to February 1, 1978 shall be determined by a majority vote of the Prisoner Review Board;

(3) hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members decide, the conditions of mandatory supervised release and the time of discharge from mandatory supervised release, impose sanctions for violations of mandatory supervised release, and revoke mandatory supervised release for those sentenced under the law in effect after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1977;

(3.5) hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members decide, the conditions of mandatory supervised release and the time of discharge from mandatory supervised release, to impose sanctions for violations of mandatory supervised release and revoke mandatory supervised release for those serving extended supervised release terms pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection (d) of Section 5-8-1;

(4) hear by at least 1 member and through a panel of at least 3 members, decide cases brought by the Department of Corrections against a prisoner in the custody of the Department for alleged violation of Department rules with respect to good conduct credits pursuant to Section 3-6-3 of this Code in which the Department seeks to revoke good conduct credits, if the amount of time at issue exceeds 30 days or when, during any 12 month period, the cumulative amount of credit revoked exceeds 30 days except where the infraction is committed or discovered within 60 days of scheduled release. In such cases, the Department of Corrections may revoke up to 30 days of good conduct credit. The Board may subsequently approve the revocation of additional good conduct credit, if the Department seeks to revoke good conduct credit in excess of thirty days. However, the Board shall not be empowered to review the Department's decision with respect to the loss of 30 days of good conduct credit for any prisoner or to increase any penalty beyond the length requested by the Department;

(5) hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members decide, the release dates for certain prisoners sentenced under the law in existence prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1977, in accordance with Section 3-3-2.1 of this Code;

(6) hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members decide, all requests for pardon, reprieve or commutation, and make confidential recommendations to the Governor;

(7) comply with the requirements of the Open Parole Hearings Act;

(8) hear by at least one member and, through a panel of at least 3 members, decide cases brought by the Department of Corrections against a prisoner in the custody of the Department for court dismissal of a frivolous lawsuit pursuant to Section 3-6-3(d) of this Code in which the Department seeks to revoke up to 180 days of good conduct credit, and if the prisoner has not accumulated 180 days of good conduct credit at the time of the dismissal, then all good conduct credit accumulated by the prisoner shall be revoked; and

(9) hear by at least 3 members, and, through a panel of at least 3 members, decide whether to grant certificates of relief from disabilities or certificates of good conduct as provided in Article 5.5 of Chapter V.

(a-5) The Prisoner Review Board, with the cooperation of and in coordination with the Department of Corrections and the Department of Central Management Services, shall implement a pilot project in 3 correctional institutions providing for the conduct of hearings under paragraphs (1) and (4) of subsection (a) of this Section through interactive video conferences. The project shall be implemented within 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996. Within 6 months after the implementation of the pilot project, the Prisoner Review Board, with the cooperation of and in coordination with the Department of Corrections and the Department of Central Management Services, shall report to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding the use, costs, effectiveness, and future viability of interactive video conferences for Prisoner Review Board hearings.

(b) Upon recommendation of the Department the Board may restore good conduct credit previously revoked.

(c) The Board shall cooperate with the Department in promoting an effective system of parole and mandatory supervised release.

(d) The Board shall promulgate rules for the conduct of its work, and the Chairman shall file a copy of such rules and any amendments thereto with the Director and with the Secretary of State.

(e) The Board shall keep records of all of its official actions and shall make them accessible in accordance with law and the rules of the Board.

(f) The Board or one who has allegedly violated the conditions of his parole or mandatory supervised release may require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence, physical evidence, electronic evidence, computer files, DVD's, audio or tape recordings, or any other evidence relating to any matter under investigation or hearing. The Chairman of the Board may sign subpoenas which shall be served by any agent or public official authorized by the Chairman of the Board, or by any person lawfully authorized to serve a subpoena under the laws of the State of Illinois. The attendance of witnesses, and the production of documentary evidence, physical evidence, electronic evidence, computer files, DVD's, audio or tape recordings, or any other evidence may be required from any place in the State to a hearing location in the State before the Chairman of the Board or his designated agent or agents or any duly constituted Committee or Subcommittee of the Board. Witnesses so summoned shall be paid the same fees and mileage that are paid witnesses in the circuit courts of the State, and witnesses whose depositions are taken and the persons taking those depositions are each entitled to the same fees as are paid for like services in actions in the circuit courts of the State. Fees and mileage shall be vouchered for payment when the witness is discharged from further attendance.

In case of disobedience to a subpoena, the Board may petition any circuit court of the State for an order requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses or the production of documentary evidence, physical evidence, electronic evidence, computer files, DVD's, audio or tape recordings, or any other evidence or both. A copy of such petition shall be served by personal service or by registered or certified mail upon the person who has failed to obey the subpoena, and such person shall be advised in writing that a hearing upon the petition will be requested in a court room to be designated in such notice before the judge hearing motions or extraordinary remedies at a specified time, on a specified date, not less than 10 nor more than 15 days after the deposit of the copy of the written notice and petition in the U.S. mails addressed to the person at his last known address or after the personal service of the copy of the notice and petition upon such person. The court upon the filing of such a petition, may order the person refusing to obey the subpoena to appear at an investigation or hearing, or to there produce documentary evidence, or any evidence requested if so ordered, or to give evidence relative to the subject matter of that investigation or hearing. Any failure to obey such order of the circuit court may be punished by that court as a contempt of court.

Each member of the Board and any hearing officer designated by the Board shall have the power to administer oaths and to take the testimony of persons under oath.

(g) Except under subsection (a) of this Section, a majority of the members then appointed to the Prisoner Review Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business of the Board.

(h) The Prisoner Review Board shall annually transmit to the Director a detailed report of its work for the preceding calendar year. The annual report shall also be transmitted to the Governor for submission to the Legislature.

(Source: P.A. 93-207, eff. 1-1-04; 94-165, eff. 7-11-05.)

(730 ILCS 5/3-3-4) (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-3-4)

Sec. 3-3-4. Preparation for Parole Hearing.

(a) The Prisoner Review Board shall consider the parole of each eligible person committed to the Adult Division at least 30 days prior to the date he shall first become eligible for parole, and shall consider the parole of each person committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice as a delinquent at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the first year of confinement.

(b) A person eligible for parole shall, in advance of his parole hearing, prepare a parole plan in accordance with the rules of the Prisoner Review Board. The person shall be assisted in preparing his parole plan by personnel of the Department of Corrections, or the Department of Juvenile Justice in the case of a person committed to that Department, and may, for this purpose, be released on furlough under Article 11 or on authorized absence under Section 3-9-4. The appropriate Department shall also provide assistance in obtaining information and records helpful to the individual for his parole hearing.

(c) The members of the Board shall have access at all reasonable times to any committed person and to his master record file within the Department, and the Department shall furnish such reports to the Board as the Board may require concerning the conduct and character of any such person.

(d) In making its determination of parole, the Board shall consider:

(1) material transmitted to the Department of Juvenile Justice by the clerk of the committing court under Section 5-4-1 or Section 5-10 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 5-750 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987;

(2) the report under Section 3-8-2 or 3-10-2;

(3) a report by the Department and any report by the chief administrative officer of the institution or facility;

(4) a parole progress report;

(5) a medical and psychological report, if requested by the Board;

(6) material in writing, or on film, video tape or other electronic means in the form of a recording submitted by the person whose parole is being considered; and

(7) material in writing, or on film, video tape or other electronic means in the form of a recording or testimony submitted by the State's Attorney and the victim pursuant to the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act.

(e) The prosecuting State's Attorney's office shall receive reasonable written notice not less than 15 days prior to the parole hearing and may submit relevant information in writing, or on film, video tape or other electronic means or in the form of a recording to the Board for its consideration. The State's Attorney may waive the written notice.

(f) The victim of the violent crime for which the prisoner has been sentenced shall receive notice of a parole hearing as provided in paragraph (4) of subsection (d) of Section 4.5 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act.

(g) Any recording considered under the provisions of subsection (d)(6), (d)(7) or (e) of this Section shall be in the form designated by the Board. Such recording shall be both visual and aural. Every voice on the recording and person present shall be identified and the recording shall contain either a visual or aural statement of the person submitting such recording, the date of the recording and the name of the person whose parole eligibility is being considered. Such recordings, if retained by the Board shall be deemed to be submitted at any subsequent parole hearing if the victim or State's Attorney submits in writing a declaration clearly identifying such recording as representing the present position of the victim or State's Attorney regarding the issues to be considered at the parole hearing.

(h) The Board shall not release any material to the inmate, the inmate's attorney, any third party, or any other person containing any information from the victim or from a person related to the victim by blood, adoption, or marriage who has written objections, testified at any hearing, or submitted audio or visual objections to the inmate's parole, unless provided with a waiver from that objecting party.

(Source: P.A. 94-696, eff. 6-1-06.)

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