Public Act 095-0970
 
HB0230 Enrolled LRB095 04122 RLC 24549 b

    AN ACT concerning imprisonment.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Public Employment Office Act is amended by
adding Section 2 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 1015/2 new)
    Sec. 2. Persons unjustly imprisoned; job search and
placement services. Each local office of the Department shall
provide each person to whom this Section applies with job
search and placement services, including assessment, resume
assistance, interview preparation, occupational and labor
market information, referral to employers with job openings to
which the person is suited and referral to such job training
and education program providers as may be appropriate and
available through the partnering agencies with which the local
office is affiliated. This Section applies to a person who has
been discharged from a prison of this State if the person
received a pardon from the Governor stating that such pardon is
issued on the ground of innocence of the crime for which he or
she was imprisoned or he or she has received a certificate of
innocence from the Circuit Court as provided in Section 2-702
of the Code of Civil Procedure.
 
    Section 10. The Court of Claims Act is amended by changing
Sections 8, 11, 22, and 24 and by adding Section 24.5 as
follows:
 
    (705 ILCS 505/8)   (from Ch. 37, par. 439.8)
    Sec. 8. Court of Claims jurisdiction. The court shall have
exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine the following
matters:
    (a) All claims against the State founded upon any law of
the State of Illinois or upon any regulation adopted thereunder
by an executive or administrative officer or agency; provided,
however, the court shall not have jurisdiction (i) to hear or
determine claims arising under the Workers' Compensation Act or
the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act, or claims for expenses
in civil litigation, or (ii) to review administrative decisions
for which a statute provides that review shall be in the
circuit or appellate court.
    (b) All claims against the State founded upon any contract
entered into with the State of Illinois.
    (c) All claims against the State for time unjustly served
in prisons of this State when where the person persons
imprisoned received shall receive a pardon from the governor
stating that such pardon is issued on the ground of innocence
of the crime for which he or she was they were imprisoned or he
or she received a certificate of innocence from the Circuit
Court as provided in Section 2-702 of the Code of Civil
Procedure; provided, the amount of the award is at the
discretion of the court; and provided, the court shall make no
award in excess of the following amounts: for imprisonment of 5
years or less, not more than $85,350 $15,000; for imprisonment
of 14 years or less but over 5 years, not more than $170,000
$30,000; for imprisonment of over 14 years, not more than
$199,150 $35,000; and provided further, the court shall fix
attorney's fees not to exceed 25% of the award granted. On or
after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th
General Assembly, On December 31, 1996, the court shall make a
one-time adjustment in the maximum awards authorized by this
subsection (c), to reflect the increase in the cost of living
from the year in which these maximum awards were last adjusted
until 1996, but with no annual increment exceeding 5%.
Thereafter, the court shall annually adjust the maximum awards
authorized by this subsection (c) to reflect the increase, if
any, in the Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers for
the previous calendar year, as determined by the United States
Department of Labor, except that no annual increment may exceed
5%. For both the one-time adjustment and the subsequent annual
adjustments, if the Consumer Price Index decreases during a
calendar year, there shall be no adjustment for that calendar
year. The transmission by the Prisoner Review Board or the
clerk of the circuit court of the information described in
Section 11(b) to the clerk of the Court of Claims is conclusive
evidence of the validity of the claim. The changes made by this
amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly apply to all claims
pending on or filed on or after the effective date. The changes
made by Public Act 89-689 apply to all claims filed on or after
January 1, 1995 that are pending on December 31, 1996 and all
claims filed on or after December 31, 1996.
    (d) All claims against the State for damages in cases
sounding in tort, if a like cause of action would lie against a
private person or corporation in a civil suit, and all like
claims sounding in tort against the Medical Center Commission,
the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, the Board
of Trustees of Southern Illinois University, the Board of
Trustees of Chicago State University, the Board of Trustees of
Eastern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Governors
State University, the Board of Trustees of Illinois State
University, the Board of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois
University, the Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois
University, the Board of Trustees of Western Illinois
University, or the Board of Trustees of the Illinois
Mathematics and Science Academy; provided, that an award for
damages in a case sounding in tort, other than certain cases
involving the operation of a State vehicle described in this
paragraph, shall not exceed the sum of $100,000 to or for the
benefit of any claimant. The $100,000 limit prescribed by this
Section does not apply to an award of damages in any case
sounding in tort arising out of the operation by a State
employee of a vehicle owned, leased or controlled by the State.
The defense that the State or the Medical Center Commission or
the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, the Board
of Trustees of Southern Illinois University, the Board of
Trustees of Chicago State University, the Board of Trustees of
Eastern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Governors
State University, the Board of Trustees of Illinois State
University, the Board of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois
University, the Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois
University, the Board of Trustees of Western Illinois
University, or the Board of Trustees of the Illinois
Mathematics and Science Academy is not liable for the
negligence of its officers, agents, and employees in the course
of their employment is not applicable to the hearing and
determination of such claims.
    (e) All claims for recoupment made by the State of Illinois
against any claimant.
    (f) All claims pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation
Act.
    (g) All claims filed pursuant to the Crime Victims
Compensation Act.
    (h) All claims pursuant to the Illinois National
Guardsman's Compensation Act.
    (i) All claims authorized by subsection (a) of Section
10-55 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act for the
expenses incurred by a party in a contested case on the
administrative level.
(Source: P.A. 93-1047, eff. 10-18-04.)
 
    (705 ILCS 505/11)  (from Ch. 37, par. 439.11)
    Sec. 11. Filing claims.
    (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this
Section and subsection (3) of Section 24, the claimant shall in
all cases set forth fully in his petition the claim, the action
thereon, if any, on behalf of the State, what persons are
owners thereof or interested therein, when and upon what
consideration such persons became so interested; that no
assignment or transfer of the claim or any part thereof or
interest therein has been made, except as stated in the
petition; that the claimant is justly entitled to the amount
therein claimed from the State of Illinois, after allowing all
just credits; and that claimant believes the facts stated in
the petition to be true. The petition shall be verified, as to
statements of facts, by the affidavit of the claimant, his
agent, or attorney.
    (b) Whenever a person has served a term of imprisonment and
has received a pardon by the Governor stating that such pardon
was issued on the ground of innocence of the crime for which he
or she was imprisoned, the Prisoner Review Board shall transmit
this information to the clerk of the Court of Claims, together
with the claimant's current address. Whenever a person has
served a term of imprisonment and has received a certificate of
innocence from the Circuit Court as provided in Section 2-702
of the Code of Civil Procedure, the clerk of the issuing
Circuit Court shall transmit this information to the clerk of
the Court of Claims, together with the claimant's current
address. The clerk of the Court of Claims shall immediately
docket the case for consideration by the Court of Claims, and
shall provide notice to the claimant of such docketing together
with all hearing dates and applicable deadlines. The Court of
Claims shall hear the case and render a decision within 90 days
after its docketing.
(Source: Laws 1945, p. 660.)
 
    (705 ILCS 505/22)  (from Ch. 37, par. 439.22)
    Sec. 22. Every claim cognizable by the Court and not
otherwise sooner barred by law shall be forever barred from
prosecution therein unless it is filed with the Clerk of the
Court within the time set forth as follows:
    (a) All claims arising out of a contract must be filed
within 5 years after it first accrues, saving to minors, and
persons under legal disability at the time the claim accrues,
in which cases the claim must be filed within 5 years from the
time the disability ceases.
    (b) All claims cognizable against the State by vendors of
goods or services under "The Illinois Public Aid Code",
approved April 11, 1967, as amended, must file within one year
after the accrual of the cause of action, as provided in
Section 11-13 of that Code.
    (c) All claims arising under paragraph (c) of Section 8 of
this Act must be automatically heard by the court filed within
120 days 2 years after the person asserting such claim is
either issued a certificate of innocence from the Circuit Court
as provided in Section 2-702 of the Code of Civil Procedure
discharged from prison, or is granted a pardon by the Governor,
whichever occurs later, without the person asserting the claim
being required to file a petition under Section 11 of this Act,
except as otherwise provided by the Crime Victims Compensation
Act. Any claims filed by the claimant under paragraph (c) of
Section 8 of this Act must be filed within 2 years after the
person asserting such claim is either issued a certificate of
innocence as provided in Section 2-702 of the Code of Civil
Procedure, or is granted a pardon by the Governor, whichever
occurs later.
    (d) All claims arising under paragraph (f) of Section 8 of
this Act must be filed within one year of the date of the death
of the law enforcement officer or fireman as provided in
Section 3 of the "Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen
Compensation Act", approved September 30, 1969, as amended.
    (e) All claims arising under paragraph (h) of Section 8 of
this Act must be filed within one year of the date of the death
of the guardsman or militiaman as provided in Section 3 of the
"Illinois National Guardsman's and Naval Militiaman's
Compensation Act", approved August 12, 1971, as amended.
    (f) All claims arising under paragraph (g) of Section 8 of
this Act must be filed within one year of the crime on which a
claim is based as provided in Section 6.1 of the "Crime Victims
Compensation Act", approved August 23, 1973, as amended.
    (g) All claims arising from the Comptroller's refusal to
issue a replacement warrant pursuant to Section 10.10 of the
State Comptroller Act must be filed within 5 years after the
issue date of such warrant.
    (h) All other claims must be filed within 2 years after it
first accrues, saving to minors, and persons under legal
disability at the time the claim accrues, in which case the
claim must be filed within 2 years from the time the disability
ceases.
    (i) The changes made by this amendatory Act of 1989 shall
apply to all warrants issued within the 5 year period preceding
the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1989.
    (j) All time limitations established under this Act and the
rules promulgated under this Act shall be binding and
jurisdictional, except upon extension authorized by law or rule
and granted pursuant to a motion timely filed.
(Source: P.A. 86-458.)
 
    (705 ILCS 505/24)  (from Ch. 37, par. 439.24)
    Sec. 24. Payment of awards.
    (1) From funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the
purposes of this Section the Court may direct immediate payment
of:
        (a) All claims arising solely as a result of the
    lapsing of an appropriation out of which the obligation
    could have been paid.
        (b) All claims pursuant to the "Law Enforcement
    Officers and Firemen Compensation Act", approved September
    30, 1969, as amended.
        (c) All claims pursuant to the "Illinois National
    Guardsman's and Naval Militiaman's Compensation Act",
    approved August 12, 1971, as amended.
        (d) All claims pursuant to the "Crime Victims
    Compensation Act", approved August 23, 1973, as amended.
        (e) All other claims wherein the amount of the award of
    the Court is less than $5,000.
    (2) The court may, from funds specifically appropriated
from the General Revenue Fund for this purpose, direct the
payment of awards less than $50,000 solely as a result of the
lapsing of an appropriation originally made from any fund held
by the State Treasurer. For any such award paid from the
General Revenue Fund, the court shall thereafter seek an
appropriation from the fund from which the liability originally
accrued in reimbursement of the General Revenue Fund.
    (3) From funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the
purposes of paying claims under paragraph (c) of Section 8, the
court must direct payment of each claim and the payment must be
received by the claimant within 60 days after the date that the
funds are appropriated for that purpose.
(Source: P.A. 92-357, eff. 8-15-01.)
 
    (705 ILCS 505/24.5 new)
    Sec. 24.5. Applicability. This amendatory Act of the 95th
General Assembly shall apply to causes of action filed on or
after its effective date.
 
    Section 15. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by
adding Section 2-702 as follows:
 
    (735 ILCS 5/2-702 new)
    Sec. 2-702. Petition for a certificate of innocence that
the petitioner was innocent of all offenses for which he or she
was incarcerated.
    (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that innocent
persons who have been wrongly convicted of crimes in Illinois
and subsequently imprisoned have been frustrated in seeking
legal redress due to a variety of substantive and technical
obstacles in the law and that such persons should have an
available avenue to obtain a finding of innocence so that they
may obtain relief through a petition in the Court of Claims.
The General Assembly further finds misleading the current legal
nomenclature which compels an innocent person to seek a pardon
for being wrongfully incarcerated. It is the intent of the
General Assembly that the court, in exercising its discretion
as permitted by law regarding the weight and admissibility of
evidence submitted pursuant to this Section, shall, in the
interest of justice, give due consideration to difficulties of
proof caused by the passage of time, the death or
unavailability of witnesses, the destruction of evidence or
other factors not caused by such persons or those acting on
their behalf.
    (b) Any person convicted and subsequently imprisoned for
one or more felonies by the State of Illinois which he or she
did not commit may, under the conditions hereinafter provided,
file a petition for certificate of innocence in the circuit
court of the county in which the person was convicted. The
petition shall request a certificate of innocence finding that
the petitioner was innocent of all offenses for which he or she
was incarcerated.
    (c) In order to present the claim for certificate of
innocence of an unjust conviction and imprisonment, the
petitioner must attach to his or her petition documentation
demonstrating that:
        (1) he or she has been convicted of one or more
    felonies by the State of Illinois and subsequently
    sentenced to a term of imprisonment, and has served all or
    any part of the sentence; and
        (2) his or her judgment of conviction was reversed or
    vacated, and the indictment or information dismissed or, if
    a new trial was ordered, either he or she was found not
    guilty at the new trial or he or she was not retried and
    the indictment or information dismissed; or the statute, or
    application thereof, on which the indictment or
    information was based violated the Constitution of the
    United States or the State of Illinois; and
        (3) his or her claim is not time barred by the
    provisions of subsection (i) of this Section.
    (d) The petition shall state facts in sufficient detail to
permit the court to find that the petitioner is likely to
succeed at trial in proving that the petitioner is innocent of
the offenses charged in the indictment or information or his or
her acts or omissions charged in the indictment or information
did not constitute a felony or misdemeanor against the State of
Illinois, and the petitioner did not by his or her own conduct
voluntarily cause or bring about his or her conviction. The
petition shall be verified by the petitioner.
    (e) A copy of the petition shall be served on the Attorney
General and the State's Attorney of the county where the
conviction was had. The Attorney General and the State's
Attorney of the county where the conviction was had shall have
the right to intervene as parties.
    (f) In any hearing seeking a certificate of innocence, the
court may take judicial notice of prior sworn testimony or
evidence admitted in the criminal proceedings related to the
convictions which resulted in the alleged wrongful
incarceration, if the petitioner was either represented by
counsel at such prior proceedings or the right to counsel was
knowingly waived.
    (g) In order to obtain a certificate of innocence the
petitioner must prove by a preponderance of evidence that:
        (1) the petitioner was convicted of one or more
    felonies by the State of Illinois and subsequently
    sentenced to a term of imprisonment, and has served all or
    any part of the sentence;
        (2)(A) the judgment of conviction was reversed or
    vacated, and the indictment or information dismissed or, if
    a new trial was ordered, either the petitioner was found
    not guilty at the new trial or the petitioner was not
    retried and the indictment or information dismissed; or (B)
    the statute, or application thereof, on which the
    indictment or information was based violated the
    Constitution of the United States or the State of Illinois;
        (3) the petitioner is innocent of the offenses charged
    in the indictment or information or his or her acts or
    omissions charged in the indictment or information did not
    constitute a felony or misdemeanor against the State; and
        (4) the petitioner did not by his or her own conduct
    voluntarily cause or bring about his or her conviction.
    (h) If the court finds that the petitioner is entitled to a
judgment, it shall enter a certificate of innocence finding
that the petitioner was innocent of all offenses for which he
or she was incarcerated. Upon entry of the certificate of
innocence, the clerk of the court shall transmit a copy of the
certificate of innocence to the clerk of the Court of Claims,
together with the claimant's current address.
    (i) Any person seeking a certificate of innocence under
this Section based on the dismissal of an indictment or
information or acquittal that occurred before the effective
date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly shall
file his or her petition within 2 years after the effective
date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly. Any
person seeking a certificate of innocence under this Section
based on the dismissal of an indictment or information or
acquittal that occurred on or after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly shall file his or
her petition within 2 years after the dismissal.
    (j) The decision to grant or deny a certificate of
innocence shall be binding only with respect to claims filed in
the Court of Claims and shall not have a res judicata effect on
any other proceedings.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.