(730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-95)
    Sec. 5-4.5-95. GENERAL RECIDIVISM PROVISIONS.
    (a) HABITUAL CRIMINALS.
        (1) Every person who has been twice convicted in any
    
state or federal court of an offense that contains the same elements as an offense now (the date of the offense committed after the 2 prior convictions) classified in Illinois as a Class X felony, criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, or first degree murder, and who is thereafter convicted of a Class X felony, criminal sexual assault, or first degree murder, committed after the 2 prior convictions, shall be adjudged an habitual criminal.
        (2) The 2 prior convictions need not have been for
    
the same offense.
        (3) Any convictions that result from or are
    
connected with the same transaction, or result from offenses committed at the same time, shall be counted for the purposes of this Section as one conviction.
        (4) This Section does not apply unless each of the
    
following requirements are satisfied:
            (A) The third offense was committed after July 3,
        
1980.
            (B) The third offense was committed within 20
        
years of the date that judgment was entered on the first conviction; provided, however, that time spent in custody shall not be counted.
            (C) The third offense was committed after
        
conviction on the second offense.
            (D) The second offense was committed after
        
conviction on the first offense.
            (E) The first offense was committed when the
        
person was 21 years of age or older.
        (5) Anyone who is adjudged an habitual criminal shall
    
be sentenced to a term of natural life imprisonment.
        (6) A prior conviction shall not be alleged in the
    
indictment, and no evidence or other disclosure of that conviction shall be presented to the court or the jury during the trial of an offense set forth in this Section unless otherwise permitted by the issues properly raised in that trial. After a plea or verdict or finding of guilty and before sentence is imposed, the prosecutor may file with the court a verified written statement signed by the State's Attorney concerning any former conviction of an offense set forth in this Section rendered against the defendant. The court shall then cause the defendant to be brought before it; shall inform the defendant of the allegations of the statement so filed, and of his or her right to a hearing before the court on the issue of that former conviction and of his or her right to counsel at that hearing; and unless the defendant admits such conviction, shall hear and determine the issue, and shall make a written finding thereon. If a sentence has previously been imposed, the court may vacate that sentence and impose a new sentence in accordance with this Section.
        (7) A duly authenticated copy of the record of any
    
alleged former conviction of an offense set forth in this Section shall be prima facie evidence of that former conviction; and a duly authenticated copy of the record of the defendant's final release or discharge from probation granted, or from sentence and parole supervision (if any) imposed pursuant to that former conviction, shall be prima facie evidence of that release or discharge.
        (8) Any claim that a previous conviction offered by
    
the prosecution is not a former conviction of an offense set forth in this Section because of the existence of any exceptions described in this Section, is waived unless duly raised at the hearing on that conviction, or unless the prosecution's proof shows the existence of the exceptions described in this Section.
        (9) If the person so convicted shows to the
    
satisfaction of the court before whom that conviction was had that he or she was released from imprisonment, upon either of the sentences upon a pardon granted for the reason that he or she was innocent, that conviction and sentence shall not be considered under this Section.
    (b) When a defendant, over the age of 21 years, is convicted of a Class 1 or Class 2 forcible felony after having twice been convicted in any state or federal court of an offense that contains the same elements as an offense now (the date the Class 1 or Class 2 forcible felony was committed) classified in Illinois as a Class 2 or greater Class forcible felony and those charges are separately brought and tried and arise out of different series of acts, that defendant shall be sentenced as a Class X offender. This subsection does not apply unless:
        (1) the first forcible felony was committed after
    
February 1, 1978 (the effective date of Public Act 80-1099);
        (2) the second forcible felony was committed after
    
conviction on the first;
        (3) the third forcible felony was committed after
    
conviction on the second; and
        (4) the first offense was committed when the person
    
was 21 years of age or older.
    (c) (Blank).
    A person sentenced as a Class X offender under this subsection (b) is not eligible to apply for treatment as a condition of probation as provided by Section 40-10 of the Substance Use Disorder Act (20 ILCS 301/40-10).
(Source: P.A. 100-3, eff. 1-1-18; 100-759, eff. 1-1-19; 101-652, eff. 7-1-21.)