HB 2731 Illinois House · 104th Regular Session

VICTIM CENTERED APPROACH ACT

Summary
Creates the Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act. Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall develop a program to represent noncitizen victims of violent crimes in the filing of victim remedies before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office administrative body. Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall use any funding provided to the pilot program to represent or give counsel to 50 noncitizen victims annually for the next 5 years who were victimized by violent crimes in Lake County. Provides that the to be eligible for assistance under the program, an individual must: (1) be a noncitizen victim, who has never been placed in removal proceedings; (2) have suffered a violent crime in Lake County; and (3) not be barred from the immigration remedies before the administrative body. Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in counties with a population of more than 500,000, a State's Attorney may act, without fee or appointment, as an attorney to a noncitizen victim in an immigration case only if the noncitizen victim was victimized within the county the State's Attorney serves and is located within the geographic boundaries of the county served by the State's Attorney.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 10, 2026 Last action Apr 10, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 5 edits · Apr 8, 2026
MODERATE
The bill was renamed from the 'Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act' to the 'Equal Justice for Immigrant Crime Victims Pilot Program Act' to better reflect its goals. The program's scope was expanded to include victims of 'qualifying criminal activity' rather than just violent crimes, and the Lake County State's Attorney is now authorized to represent up to 50 noncitizen victims annually for five years. A new definition was added referencing the VOICES Act, and the program's expiration date was set to December 31, 2031.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from representing only victims of 'violent crimes' to victims of 'qualifying criminal activity' as defined by the VOICES Act.
SCOPE

The bill title was changed from 'Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act' to 'Equal Justice for Immigrant Crime Victims Pilot Program Act'.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility criteria were updated to include victims of 'qualifying criminal activity' instead of being limited strictly to 'violent crimes'.

DEFINITION

A new definition section was added to define 'victim of qualifying criminal activity' by referencing the Voices of Immigrant Communities Empowering Survivors (VOICES) Act.

TIMELINE

The Lake County State's Attorney is authorized to initiate representation on or before December 31, 2031, with existing representations continuing beyond that date.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for the Lake County State's Attorney to develop a program was changed to 'may represent', indicating a shift from a mandatory program development to authorized representation.

Floor votes · House Apr 8, 2026

How they voted

7137
Passed · 8 other
Total votes 116
Apr 8, 2026
D Democratic76
71 Yea 5
93% Yea
R Republican40
37 Nay 3
92% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
29
Key actions
4
Committee
8
Amendments
2
Apr 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to Assignments
upper
Apr 10, 2026
Introduced
Arrive in Senate
upper
Apr 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 073-037-000
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Immigration & Human Rights Committee; 008-003-000
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Immigration & Human Rights Committee; by Voice Vote
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Immigration & Human Rights Committee
lower
Feb 26, 2026
Committee
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Feb 26, 2026
Introduced
House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Daniel Didech
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Immigration & Human Rights Committee
lower
Mar 21, 2025
Committee
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
Assigned to Immigration & Human Rights Committee
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules Committee
lower
2 primary · 9 co-sponsors

Sponsors