96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB3910

 

Introduced 2/26/2009, by Rep. Sandra M. Pihos - Michael P. McAuliffe, Mark H. Beaubien, Jr., Mike Fortner, Michael G. Connelly, et al.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
210 ILCS 80/1.05 new
720 ILCS 5/26-1   from Ch. 38, par. 26-1

    Amends the Hospital Emergency Service Act and the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that if an emergency room staff member has reasonable cause to believe that (i) an individual known to him or her in the course of performing his or her duties as an emergency room staff member is a victim of domestic violence and (ii) the individual has not reported the domestic violence to a law enforcement agency, the emergency room staff member must immediately report the suspected domestic violence to a law enforcement agency. Provides that an individual or entity participating in good faith in the making of a report is immune from liability. Provides that a person who violates these provisions commits disorderly conduct, and provides criminal penalties for violations. Requires hospitals to report to the Department of Public Health by January 1, 2011 concerning their implementation of these provisions. Effective immediately.


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CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Hospital Emergency Service Act is amended by
5 adding Section 1.05 as follows:
 
6     (210 ILCS 80/1.05 new)
7     Sec. 1.05. Mandatory reporting of suspected domestic
8 violence.
9     (a) In this Section:
10     "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
11     "Domestic violence" means abuse by a family or household
12 member, as "abuse" and "family or household members" are
13 defined in Section 103 of the Domestic Violence Act of 1986.
14     "Emergency room staff member" means any physician,
15 resident, intern, nurse, or other person engaged in the
16 examination, care, or treatment of persons in a hospital
17 emergency room.
18     (b) If an emergency room staff member has reasonable cause
19 to believe that (i) an individual known to him or her in the
20 course of performing his or her duties as an emergency room
21 staff member is a victim of domestic violence and (ii) the
22 individual has not reported the domestic violence to a law
23 enforcement agency, the emergency room staff member must

 

 

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1 immediately report the suspected domestic violence to a law
2 enforcement agency or cause such a report to be made. The
3 emergency room staff member may also notify his or her
4 supervisor or other person in charge of the emergency room. The
5 privileged quality of communication between any professional
6 person required to report and his or her patient does not apply
7 to situations involving victims of domestic violence for
8 purposes of this Section and does not constitute grounds for
9 failure to report as required by this Section.
10     (c) Any person, institution, or agency participating in
11 good faith in the making of a report, or in the investigation
12 of such a report, or in the taking of photographs or x-rays, or
13 in making a disclosure of information concerning reports of
14 suspected domestic violence in compliance with this Section,
15 shall have immunity from any civil, criminal, or other
16 liability that otherwise might result by reason of those
17 actions. For the purpose of any civil or criminal proceedings,
18 the good faith of any persons required to report cases of
19 suspected domestic violence under this Section shall be
20 presumed.
21     (d) Any person who enters into employment on or after the
22 effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General
23 Assembly and is mandated by virtue of that employment to report
24 under this Section must sign a statement on a form prescribed
25 by the Department, to the effect that the employee has
26 knowledge and understanding of the reporting requirements of

 

 

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1 this Section. The person must sign the statement before
2 commencing employment. The employer must retain the signed
3 statement. The employer shall bear the cost of printing,
4 distributing, and filing the statement.
5     (e) A person who knowingly transmits a false report to a
6 law enforcement agency under this Section commits the offense
7 of disorderly conduct under subdivision (a)(7.5) of Section
8 26-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961. A person who violates this
9 provision a second or subsequent time is guilty of a Class 3
10 felony.
11     A person who knowingly and willfully violates any provision
12 of this Section, other than a second or subsequent violation of
13 transmitting a false report as described in the preceding
14 paragraph, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first
15 violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent
16 violation; except that if the person acted as part of a plan or
17 scheme having as its object the prevention of discovery of a
18 victim of domestic violence by lawful authorities for the
19 purpose of protecting or insulating any person or entity from
20 arrest or prosecution, the person is guilty of a Class 4 felony
21 for a first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or
22 subsequent offense (regardless of whether the second or
23 subsequent offense involves any of the same facts or persons as
24 the first or other prior offense).
25     (f) The Department shall provide copies of this Section,
26 upon request, to every hospital in this State that operates an

 

 

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1 emergency room.
2     (g) No later than January 1, 2011, every hospital that
3 operates an emergency room shall submit a report to the
4 Department that describes the hospital's implementation of
5 this Section. The Department shall prescribe the form and
6 manner of submitting the report.
 
7     Section 10. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by
8 changing Section 26-1 as follows:
 
9     (720 ILCS 5/26-1)  (from Ch. 38, par. 26-1)
10     Sec. 26-1. Elements of the Offense.
11     (a) A person commits disorderly conduct when he knowingly:
12         (1) Does any act in such unreasonable manner as to
13     alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the
14     peace; or
15         (2) Transmits or causes to be transmitted in any manner
16     to the fire department of any city, town, village or fire
17     protection district a false alarm of fire, knowing at the
18     time of such transmission that there is no reasonable
19     ground for believing that such fire exists; or
20         (3) Transmits or causes to be transmitted in any manner
21     to another a false alarm to the effect that a bomb or other
22     explosive of any nature or a container holding poison gas,
23     a deadly biological or chemical contaminant, or
24     radioactive substance is concealed in such place that its

 

 

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1     explosion or release would endanger human life, knowing at
2     the time of such transmission that there is no reasonable
3     ground for believing that such bomb, explosive or a
4     container holding poison gas, a deadly biological or
5     chemical contaminant, or radioactive substance is
6     concealed in such place; or
7         (4) Transmits or causes to be transmitted in any manner
8     to any peace officer, public officer or public employee a
9     report to the effect that an offense will be committed, is
10     being committed, or has been committed, knowing at the time
11     of such transmission that there is no reasonable ground for
12     believing that such an offense will be committed, is being
13     committed, or has been committed; or
14         (5) Enters upon the property of another and for a lewd
15     or unlawful purpose deliberately looks into a dwelling on
16     the property through any window or other opening in it; or
17         (6) While acting as a collection agency as defined in
18     the "Collection Agency Act" or as an employee of such
19     collection agency, and while attempting to collect an
20     alleged debt, makes a telephone call to the alleged debtor
21     which is designed to harass, annoy or intimidate the
22     alleged debtor; or
23         (7) Transmits or causes to be transmitted a false
24     report to the Department of Children and Family Services
25     under Section 4 of the "Abused and Neglected Child
26     Reporting Act"; or

 

 

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1         (7.5) Transmits or causes to be transmitted a false
2     report to a law enforcement agency under Section 1.05 of
3     the Hospital Emergency Service Act; or
4         (8) Transmits or causes to be transmitted a false
5     report to the Department of Public Health under the Nursing
6     Home Care Act; or
7         (9) Transmits or causes to be transmitted in any manner
8     to the police department or fire department of any
9     municipality or fire protection district, or any privately
10     owned and operated ambulance service, a false request for
11     an ambulance, emergency medical technician-ambulance or
12     emergency medical technician-paramedic knowing at the time
13     there is no reasonable ground for believing that such
14     assistance is required; or
15         (10) Transmits or causes to be transmitted a false
16     report under Article II of "An Act in relation to victims
17     of violence and abuse", approved September 16, 1984, as
18     amended; or
19         (11) Transmits or causes to be transmitted a false
20     report to any public safety agency without the reasonable
21     grounds necessary to believe that transmitting such a
22     report is necessary for the safety and welfare of the
23     public; or
24         (12) Calls the number "911" for the purpose of making
25     or transmitting a false alarm or complaint and reporting
26     information when, at the time the call or transmission is

 

 

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1     made, the person knows there is no reasonable ground for
2     making the call or transmission and further knows that the
3     call or transmission could result in the emergency response
4     of any public safety agency.
5     (b) Sentence. A violation of subsection (a)(1) of this
6 Section is a Class C misdemeanor. A violation of subsection
7 (a)(5), (a)(11), or (a)(12) of this Section is a Class A
8 misdemeanor. A violation of subsection (a)(8) or (a)(10) of
9 this Section is a Class B misdemeanor. A violation of
10 subsection (a)(2), (a)(4), (a)(7), or (a)(9) of this Section is
11 a Class 4 felony. A violation of subsection (a)(3) of this
12 Section is a Class 3 felony, for which a fine of not less than
13 $3,000 and no more than $10,000 shall be assessed in addition
14 to any other penalty imposed.
15     A violation of subsection (a)(6) of this Section is a
16 Business Offense and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed
17 $3,000. A second or subsequent violation of subsection (a)(7),
18 (a)(11), or (a)(12) of this Section is a Class 4 felony. A
19 third or subsequent violation of subsection (a)(5) of this
20 Section is a Class 4 felony.
21     (c) In addition to any other sentence that may be imposed,
22 a court shall order any person convicted of disorderly conduct
23 to perform community service for not less than 30 and not more
24 than 120 hours, if community service is available in the
25 jurisdiction and is funded and approved by the county board of
26 the county where the offense was committed. In addition,

 

 

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1 whenever any person is placed on supervision for an alleged
2 offense under this Section, the supervision shall be
3 conditioned upon the performance of the community service.
4     This subsection does not apply when the court imposes a
5 sentence of incarceration.
6 (Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01; 92-502, eff. 12-19-01;
7 93-431, eff. 8-5-03.)
 
8     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9 becoming law.