97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
HC0003

 

Introduced 1/12/2011, by Rep. Lou Lang

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
ILCON Art. 1, Sec. 8.1

    Proposes to amend the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution relating to crime victim rights. Provides that a crime victim shall have the right to: (1) notice and to a hearing before a court ruling on an accused's request for access to any of the victim's records, information, or communications which are privileged or confidential by law; (2) be heard in person or in any other reasonable manner convenient to the victim at any proceeding in which a right of the victim is at issue; (3) be heard in person or in any other reasonable manner convenient to the victim at any plea, sentencing, reduction or change in sentence, or other proceeding in which a right of the victim is at issue; (4) timely disposition of the case following the arrest of the accused, including related post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings; (5) be heard in person or in any other reasonable manner convenient to the victim at any proceeding in which a right of the victim is at issue; (6) have the safety of the victim and the victim's family considered in denying or fixing the amount of bail and release conditions for the accused and in deciding any parole or post-judgment release decision; and (7) be informed of the conviction, the sentence, any post-judgment decision, any reduction of the sentence, the imprisonment, and the release of the accused. Effective upon being declared adopted.


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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
5SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the
6electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general
7election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of
8this resolution a proposition to amend Section 8.1 of Article I
9of the Illinois Constitution as follows:
 
10
ARTICLE I
11
BILL OF RIGHTS

12    (ILCON Art. 1, Sec. 8.1)
13SECTION 8.1. CRIME VICTIM'S RIGHTS.
14    (a) To preserve and protect a victim's right to justice and
15due process, a crime victim Crime victims, as defined by law,
16shall have the following rights as provided by law:
17        (1) The right to be treated with fairness and respect
18    for the victim's their dignity and privacy throughout the
19    criminal justice process.
20        (2) The right to timely notification of court
21    proceedings and any related post-judgment proceedings.
22        (3) The right to notice and to a hearing before a court
23    ruling on an accused's request for access to any of the
24    victim's records, information, or communications which are

 

 

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1    privileged or confidential by law.
2        (4) (3) The right to communicate with the prosecution.
3        (5) (4) The right to be heard in person or in any other
4    reasonable manner convenient to the victim at any plea,
5    sentencing, reduction or change in sentence, or other
6    proceeding in which a right of the victim is at issue make
7    a statement to the court at sentencing.
8        (6) (5) The right to review any written description of
9    the offense prepared for sentencing, reduction in
10    sentence, parole, early release or clemency and the
11    accused's prior criminal history information about the
12    conviction, sentence, imprisonment, and release of the
13    accused.
14        (7) The right to be informed of the conviction, the
15    sentence, any post-judgment decision, any reduction of the
16    sentence, the imprisonment, and the release of the accused.
17        (8) (6) The right to timely disposition of the case
18    following the arrest of the accused, including related
19    post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings.
20        (9) (7) The right to be reasonably protected from the
21    accused throughout the criminal justice process.
22        (10) The right to have the safety of the victim and the
23    victim's family considered in denying or fixing the amount
24    of bail and release conditions for the accused and in
25    deciding any parole or post-judgment release decision.
26        (11) (8) The right to be present at the trial and all

 

 

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1    other court proceedings on the same basis as the accused,
2    unless the victim is to testify and the court determines
3    that the victim's testimony would be materially affected if
4    the victim hears other testimony at the trial.
5        (12) (9) The right to have present at all court
6    proceedings, subject to the rules of evidence, an advocate,
7    a victim-witness specialist, or other support person of the
8    victim's choice.
9        (13) (10) The right to restitution.
10    (b) Definition. For the purposes of this Section, the term
11"crime victim" means a person directly and proximately harmed
12as a result of the commission of a criminal offense. In the
13case of a crime victim who is under 18 years of age,
14incompetent, incapacitated, or deceased, the legal guardians
15of the crime victim or the representatives of the crime
16victim's estate, family members, or any other persons appointed
17as suitable by the court may assume the crime victim's rights
18under this Section, but in no event shall the accused be named
19as such guardian or representative.
20    (c) A victim, a lawful representative of the victim
21including the victim's lawyer, or the prosecuting attorney upon
22request of the victim may assert the rights enumerated in
23subsection (a) in any circuit or appellate court with
24jurisdiction over the case as a matter of right. The court
25shall act promptly on such a request.
26    (b) The General Assembly may provide by law for the

 

 

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1enforcement of this Section.
2    (d) (c) The General Assembly may provide for an assessment
3against convicted defendants to pay for crime victims' rights.
4    (e) (d) Nothing in this Section or in any law enacted under
5this Section shall be construed as creating a basis for
6vacating a conviction. This Section does not create any cause
7of action for compensation or damages against the State, any
8political subdivision of the State, any officer, employee, or
9agent of the State or of any of its political subdivisions, or
10any officer or employee of the court or a ground for appellate
11relief in any criminal case.
12(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 3,
131992.)
 
14
SCHEDULE
15    This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
16declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
17Constitutional Amendment Act.