Public Act 100-0283
 
HB0698 EnrolledLRB100 07831 RLC 17899 b

    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by
adding Article 12.5 to Chapter III as follows:
 
    (730 ILCS 5/Ch. III Art. 12.5 heading new)
ARTICLE 12.5. PRISONER ENTREPRENEUR EDUCATION PROGRAM

 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-1 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as
the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program Law.
 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-5 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-5. Purpose; Program. The Prisoner Entrepreneur
Education Program shall be established as a 5-year pilot
project to be instituted within the Department of Corrections.
The goal of the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program is to
provide inmates with useful business skills for use after
release from prison in an effort to reduce recidivism rates for
self-motivated individuals. The Prisoner Entrepreneur
Education Program shall consist of a rigorous curriculum, and
participants shall be taught business skills, such as computer
skills, budgeting, creating a business plan, public speaking,
and realistic goal setting. Inmates who successfully complete
the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall be awarded a
Certificate of Completion.
 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-10 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-10. Selection. Inmates may be selected to
participate in the pre-release Prisoner Entrepreneur Education
Program only if all of the following conditions are met:
    (1) the inmate is within 3 years of being released from
custody of the Department of Corrections;
    (2) the inmate has not been disciplined by the Department
of Corrections within the past year;
    (3) the inmate has a high school diploma or GED;
    (4) the inmate has never been convicted of an offense
described in Subdivision 5 of Article 11 of the Criminal Code
of 2012 (major sex offenses), Subdivision 10 of Article 11 of
the Criminal Code of 2012 (vulnerable victim sex offenses),
Section 11-20.1 of Subdivision 20 of Article 11 of the Criminal
Code of 2012 (child pornography offenses), or similar offenses
under the Criminal Code of 1961;
    (5) the inmate is not currently affiliated with a gang; and
    (6) the inmate is committed to personal change.
 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-11 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-11. Curriculum; employment; retention of
rights; certificate of completion.
    (a) The Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall
consist of a rigorous curriculum, and participants shall be
taught business skills, such as computer skills, budgeting,
creating a business plan, public speaking, and realistic goal
setting.
    (b) The curriculum shall not include the employment of
participants as employees under the Department of Corrections
or any for-profit or not-for-profit organization unless:
        (1) the employment is reasonably related to the purpose
    and curriculum of the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education
    Program; and
        (2) the participant consents in writing to the terms,
    provisions, working conditions, and wages of the
    employment.
    (c) Participants shall retain rights, control, and
possession of all products created by the participant during
the course of the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program. Such
rights shall include intellectual property rights and rights in
trade secrets. Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 100th
General Assembly shall be construed to give the Department of
Corrections any right to sell, use, distribute, market,
possess, or otherwise control any product created by a
participant during the course of the Prisoner Entrepreneur
Education Program, without the participant's written consent.
    (d) Participants who successfully complete the Prisoner
Entrepreneur Education Program shall be awarded a Certificate
of Completion.
 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-15 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-15. Post-release assistance. Subject to
appropriation by the General Assembly, the Prisoner
Entrepreneur Education Program may establish post-release
assistance to individuals awarded a Certificate of Completion.
Post-release assistance may include drafting a resume and cover
letter, searching for employment, networking events, or mock
interviews.
 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-20 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-20. Power of Department. The Department of
Corrections shall adopt rules as the Director deems necessary
to carry out the purposes of this Article.
 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-25 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-25. Funding. The funding for the Prisoner
Entrepreneur Education Program shall be subject to
appropriation by the General Assembly.
 
    (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-30 new)
    Sec. 3-12.5-30. Repeal. This Article is repealed 5 years
after its effective date.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.
INDEX
Statutes amended in order of appearance
    730 ILCS 5/Art. Ch. III
    Art. 12.5 heading new
    730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-1 new
    730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-5 new
    730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-10 new
    730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-15 new
    730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-20 new
    730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-25 new
    730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-30 new

Effective Date: 08/24/2017