HB0097eng 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0097 Engrossed LRB101 02985 LNS 47993 b

AN ACT concerning courts.

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

Section 5. The Circuit Courts Act is amended by changing Sections 1 and 2a and by adding Section 2f-12 as follows:

(705 ILCS 35/1) (from Ch. 37, par. 72.1)

Sec. 1. Judicial circuits created. The county of Cook shall be one judicial circuit and the State of Illinois, exclusive of the county of Cook, shall be and is divided into judicial circuits as follows:

First Circuit--The counties of Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, Johnson, Union, Jackson, Williamson and Saline.

Second Circuit--The counties of Hardin, Gallatin, White, Hamilton, Franklin, Wabash, Edwards, Wayne, Jefferson, Richland, Lawrence and Crawford.

Third Circuit--The counties of Madison and Bond.

Fourth Circuit--The counties of Clinton, Marion, Clay, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Montgomery, Shelby and Christian.

Fifth Circuit--The counties of Vermilion, Edgar, Clark, Cumberland and Coles.

Sixth Circuit--Before December 7, 2020, the counties of Champaign, Douglas, Moultrie, Macon, DeWitt and Piatt. On and after December 7, 2020, the county of Champaign The counties of Champaign, Douglas, Moultrie, Macon, DeWitt and Piatt.

Seventh Circuit--The counties of Sangamon, Macoupin, Morgan, Scott, Greene and Jersey.

Eighth Circuit--The counties of Adams, Schuyler, Mason, Cass, Brown, Pike, Calhoun and Menard.

Ninth Circuit--The counties of Knox, Warren, Henderson, Hancock, McDonough and Fulton.

Tenth Circuit--The counties of Peoria, Marshall, Putnam, Stark and Tazewell.

Eleventh Circuit--The counties of McLean, Livingston, Logan, Ford and Woodford.

Twelfth Circuit--The county of Will.

Thirteenth Circuit--The counties of Bureau, LaSalle and Grundy.

Fourteenth Circuit--The counties of Rock Island, Mercer, Whiteside and Henry.

Fifteenth Circuit--The counties of Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Ogle and Lee.

Sixteenth Circuit--Before December 3, 2012, the counties of Kane, DeKalb, and Kendall. On and after December 3, 2012, the County of Kane.

Seventeenth Circuit--The counties of Winnebago and Boone.

Eighteenth Circuit--The county of DuPage.

Nineteenth Circuit--Before December 4, 2006, the counties of Lake and McHenry. On and after December 4, 2006, the County of Lake.

Twentieth Circuit--The counties of Randolph, Monroe, St. Clair, Washington and Perry.

Twenty-first Circuit--The counties of Iroquois and Kankakee.

Twenty-second Circuit--On and after December 4, 2006, the County of McHenry.

Twenty-third Circuit--On and after December 3, 2012, the counties of DeKalb and Kendall.

Twenty-fourth Circuit--On and after December 7, 2020, the counties of Douglas, Moultrie, Macon, DeWitt and Piatt.

(Source: P.A. 97-585, eff. 8-26-11; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14.)

(705 ILCS 35/2a) (from Ch. 37, par. 72.2a)

Sec. 2a. In any circuit, other than Cook County, the 6th circuit, and the 23rd circuit, in which is situated any State institution providing educational or welfare facilities for more than 25,000 persons, 4 circuit judges shall be elected unless that circuit is entitled to a greater number under Section 2.

(Source: P.A. 97-1069, eff. 8-24-12.)

(705 ILCS 35/2f-12 new)

Sec. 2f-12. 6th and 24th judicial circuits.

(a) On December 7, 2020, the 6th judicial circuit is divided into the 6th and 24th judicial circuits as provided in Section 1 of the Circuit Courts Act. This division does not invalidate any action taken by the 6th judicial circuit or any of its judges, officers, employees, or agents before December 7, 2020. This division does not affect any person's rights, obligations, or duties, including applicable civil and criminal penalties, arising out of any action taken by the 6th judicial circuit or any of its judges, officers, employees, or agents before December 7, 2020.

(b) Of the 5 circuit judgeships elected at large in the 6th circuit before the general election in 2020, the Supreme Court shall assign 3 to the 6th circuit and 2 to the 24th circuit, based on residency of the circuit judges then holding those judgeships. The 2 assigned to the 24th circuit shall continue to be elected at large. The 3 resident judgeships elected from Champaign County before the 2020 general election shall become at large circuit judgeships for the 6th circuit on December 7, 2020.

(c) An individual seeking election or retention during the 2020 general election to one of the 6 at large judgeships assigned to the 6th circuit as provided in subsection (b) shall seek election or retention solely within the boundaries of Champaign County. An individual seeking election or retention during the 2020 general election to one of the 2 at large judgeships assigned to the 24th circuit as provided in subsection (b) shall seek election or retention solely within the boundaries of DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, and Piatt counties.

(d) The 2 resident judgeships elected from Macon County before or at the 2020 general election shall become resident judgeships from Macon County in the 24th circuit on December 7, 2020. The one resident judgeship elected from Moultrie County before or at the 2020 general election shall become a resident judgeship from Moultrie County in the 24th circuit on December 7, 2020. The one resident judgeship elected from Douglas County before or at the 2020 general election shall become a resident judgeship from Douglas County in the 24th circuit on December 7, 2020. The one resident judgeship elected from DeWitt County before or at the 2020 general election shall become a resident judgeship from DeWitt County in the 24th circuit on December 7, 2020. The one resident judgeship elected from Piatt County before or at the 2020 general election shall become a resident judgeship from Piatt County in the 24th circuit on December 7, 2020.

(e) Before December 7, 2020, the Supreme Court shall allocate the associate judgeships of the 6th circuit between the 6th and 24th circuits. The number of associate judges allocated to the 6th circuit shall be no less than 5.

(f) Before December 7, 2020, the Supreme Court shall allocate personnel, books, records, documents, property (real and personal), funds, assets, liabilities, and pending matters concerning the 6th circuit between the 6th and 24th circuits based on the population and staffing needs of those circuits and the efficient and proper administration of the judicial system. The rights of employees under applicable collective bargaining agreements are not affected by this Section.

(g) The judgeships set forth in this Section include the judgeships authorized under Section 2i. The judgeships authorized in that Section are not in addition to those set forth in this Section.

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