Public Act 0980 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4956 Enrolled LRB095 16009 AJO 42026 b

Public Act 095-0980

AN ACT concerning courts.

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

Section 5. The Clerks of Courts Act is amended by changing Section 27.7 as follows:

(705 ILCS 105/27.7)

Sec. 27.7. Children's waiting room. The expense of establishing and maintaining a children's waiting room for children whose parents or guardians are attending a court hearing as a litigant, witness, or for other court purposes as determined by the court may be borne by the county. To defray that expense in any county having established a children's waiting room or that elects to establish such a system, the county board may require the clerk of the circuit court in the county to charge and collect a children's waiting room fee of not more than $10 $5. The fee shall be paid at the time of filing the first pleading, paper, or other appearance filed by each party in all civil cases. No additional fee shall be required if more than one party is presented in a single pleading, paper, or other appearance. The fee shall be collected in the manner in which all other fees or costs are collected.

Each clerk shall commence the charges and collection upon receipt of written notice from the chairman of the county board together with a certified copy of the board's resolution. The clerk shall file the resolution of record in his or her office.

The fees shall be in addition to all other fees and charges of the clerks, shall be assessable as costs, and may be waived only if the judge specifically provides for the waiver of the children's waiting room fee. The fees shall be remitted monthly by the clerk to the county treasurer, to be retained by the treasurer in a special fund designated as the children's waiting room fund. The fund shall be audited by the county auditor, and the county board shall make expenditure from the fund in payment of any cost related to the establishment and maintenance of the children's waiting room, including personnel, heat, light, telephone, security, rental of space, or any other item in connection with the operation of a children's waiting room.

The fees shall not be charged in any matter coming to the clerk on a change of venue, nor in any proceeding to review the decision of any administrative officer, agency, or body.

(Source: P.A. 89-717, eff. 1-1-98; 90-117, eff. 1-1-98; 90-655, eff. 7-30-98.)

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

Effective Date: 9/22/2008