HB5966eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5966 Engrossed LRB096 18865 RLC 35780 b

AN ACT concerning criminal law.

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

Section 5. The Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act is amended by changing Section 6 as follows:

(725 ILCS 120/6) (from Ch. 38, par. 1406)

Sec. 6. Rights to present victim impact statement.

(a) In any case where a defendant has been convicted of a violent crime or a juvenile has been adjudicated a delinquent for a violent crime and a victim of the violent crime or the victim's spouse, guardian, parent, grandparent, or other immediate family or household member is present in the courtroom at the time of the sentencing or the disposition hearing, the victim or his or her representative shall have the right and the victim's spouse, guardian, parent, grandparent, and other immediate family or household member upon his, her, or their request shall may be permitted by the court to orally address the court regarding the impact that the defendant's criminal conduct or the juvenile's delinquent conduct has had upon them and the victim. The court has discretion to determine the number of oral presentations of victim impact statements. Any impact statement must have been prepared in writing in conjunction with the Office of the State's Attorney prior to the initial hearing or sentencing, before it can be presented orally or in writing at the sentencing hearing. In conjunction with the Office of the State's Attorney, a victim impact statement that is presented orally may be done so by the victim or the victim's spouse, guardian, parent, grandparent, or other immediate family or household member or his, her, or their representative. At the sentencing hearing, the prosecution may introduce that evidence either in its case in chief or in rebuttal. The court shall consider any impact statement admitted along with all other appropriate factors in determining the sentence of the defendant or disposition of such juvenile.

(a-5) In any case where a defendant has been found not guilty by reason of insanity of a violent crime and a hearing has been ordered by the court under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code to determine if the defendant is: (1) in need of mental health services on an inpatient basis; (2) in need of mental health services on an outpatient basis; or (3) not in need of mental health services and a victim of the violent crime or the victim's spouse, guardian, parent, grandparent, or other immediate family or household member is present in the courtroom at the time of the initial commitment hearing, the victim or his or her representative shall have the right and the victim's spouse, guardian, parent, grandparent, and other immediate family or household members upon their request may be permitted by the court to address the court regarding the impact that the defendant's criminal conduct has had upon them and the victim. The court has discretion to determine the number of oral presentations of victim impact statements. Any impact statement must have been prepared in writing in conjunction with the Office of the State's Attorney prior to the initial commitment hearing, before it may be presented orally or in writing at the commitment hearing. In conjunction with the Office of the State's Attorney, a victim impact statement that is presented orally may be presented so by the victim or the victim's spouse, guardian, parent, grandparent, or other immediate family or household member or his or her representative. At the initial commitment hearing, the State's Attorney may introduce the statement either in its case in chief or in rebuttal. The court may only consider the impact statement along with all other appropriate factors in determining the: (1) threat of serious physical harm poised by the respondent to himself or herself, or to another person; (2) location of inpatient or outpatient mental health services ordered by the court, but only after complying with all other applicable administrative, rule, and statutory requirements; (3) maximum period of commitment for inpatient mental health services; and (4) conditions of release for outpatient mental health services ordered by the court.

(b) The crime victim has the right to prepare a victim impact statement and present it to the Office of the State's Attorney at any time during the proceedings. Any written victim impact statement submitted to the Office of the State's Attorney shall be considered by the court during its consideration of aggravation and mitigation in plea proceedings under Supreme Court Rule 402.

(c) This Section shall apply to any victims of a violent crime during any dispositional hearing under Section 5-705 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 which takes place pursuant to an adjudication or trial or plea of delinquency for any such offense.

(Source: P.A. 95-591, eff. 6-1-08; 96-117, eff. 1-1-10.)