HB5351enr 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5351 Enrolled LRB096 19873 KTG 35332 b

AN ACT concerning health.

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

Section 5. The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code is amended by adding Section 3-806.1 as follows:

(405 ILCS 5/3-806.1 new)

Sec. 3-806.1. Video conferencing.

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions in Section 3-806, the Illinois Supreme Court or any circuit court of this State may adopt rules permitting the use of video conferencing equipment in all hearings under this Chapter subject to the following provisions:

(1) Such hearings are permitted if the parties, including the respondent, and their lawyers, including the State's Attorney, are at a mental health facility, or some other location to which the respondent may be safely and conveniently transported, and the judge and any court personnel are in another location.

(2) Such hearings are permitted if the respondent and his or her counsel are at a mental health facility or some other location to which the respondent may be safely and conveniently transported, and all of the other participants including the judge are in another location, if, and only if, agreed to by the respondent and the respondent's counsel.

(3) Video conferencing under this subsection (a) shall not be permitted in a jury trial under Section 3-802 of this Article.

(b) Notwithstanding the above provisions, any court may permit any witness, including a psychiatrist, to testify by video conferencing equipment from any location in the absence of a court rule specifically prohibiting such testimony.