State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB0845eng

      705 ILCS 105/27.7 new
          Amends the Clerks of  Courts  Act.   Permits  the  county
      board,   in   counties   over  400,000  and  under  3,000,000
      population,  to  establish  a  children's  waiting  room  for
      children whose parents or guardians  are  attending  a  court
      hearing  as  a litigant or witness.  Permits the county board
      to require the clerk of  the  circuit  court  to  charge  and
      collect a children's waiting room fee of not less than $2 nor
      more  than  $5.  Provides that the fees shall be paid by each
      party in a civil case.  Permits the court to waive  the  fee.
      Provides  that  the fees shall be deposited in a special fund
      designated as the Children's Waiting Room Fund.
                                                     LRB9002979PTcw
HB0845 Engrossed                               LRB9002979PTcw
 1        AN ACT to amend  the  Clerks  of  Courts  Act  by  adding
 2    Section 27.7.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.  The Clerks of Courts Act is amended by adding
 6    Section 27.7 as follows:
 7        (705 ILCS 105/27.7 new)
 8        Sec.  27.7.  Children's  waiting  room.  The  expense  of
 9    establishing and maintaining a children's  waiting  room  for
10    children  whose  parents  or  guardians are attending a court
11    hearing as a litigant or witness in counties over 180,000 and
12    under 3,000,000 in population shall be borne by  the  county.
13    To  defray  that  expense  in any county having established a
14    children's waiting room or that elects to  establish  such  a
15    system, the county board may require the clerk of the circuit
16    court  in  the  county  to  charge  and  collect a children's
17    waiting room fee of not less than $2 nor more  than  $5.  The
18    fee  shall  be paid at the time of filing the first pleading,
19    paper, or other appearance filed by each party in  all  civil
20    cases.  No  additional fee shall be required if more than one
21    party is presented in a  single  pleading,  paper,  or  other
22    appearance.   The  fee  shall  be  collected in the manner in
23    which all other fees or costs are collected.
24        Each clerk shall commence the charges and collection upon
25    receipt of written notice from the  chairman  of  the  county
26    board   together   with  a  certified  copy  of  the  board's
27    resolution.  The clerk shall file the resolution of record in
28    his or her office.
29        The fees shall be in  addition  to  all  other  fees  and
30    charges  of the clerks, shall be assessable as costs, and may
31    be waived only if the judge  specifically  provides  for  the
HB0845 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9002979PTcw
 1    waiver of the children's waiting room fee.  The fees shall be
 2    remitted  monthly by the clerk to the county treasurer, to be
 3    retained by the treasurer in a special fund designated as the
 4    Children's Waiting Room Fund.  The fund shall be  audited  by
 5    the   county   auditor,  and  the  county  board  shall  make
 6    expenditure from the fund in payment of any cost  related  to
 7    the  establishment  and maintenance of the children's waiting
 8    room, including personnel, heat, light, telephone,  security,
 9    rental  of  space,  or  any other item in connection with the
10    operation of a children's waiting room.
11        The fees shall not be charged in any matter coming to the
12    clerk on a change of venue, nor in any proceeding  to  review
13    the decision of any administrative officer, agency, or body.

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