Criminal Justice

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes the statute of limitations for grooming to provide that when the victim is under 17 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for grooming may be commenced within 10 years after the victim or the person with a disability attains 17 years of age. Changes the name of the offense of child pornography to child sexual abuse material. Deletes references to criminal transmission of HIV in various statutes. In the Sex Offenses Article of the Criminal Code of 2012, provides a definition for "unable to give knowing consent" and changes the definition of "family member" to include a sibling and an accused who has resided in the household for at least 3 (rather than 6) months. Provides that a person commits sexual exploitation of a child if in the presence or virtual presence, or both, of a child and with knowledge that a child or one whom he or she believes to be a child would view his or her acts, that person knowingly entices, coerces, or persuades a child to participate in the production of the recording or memorializing a sexual act of persons ages 18 or older. Provides that a violation of this provision of sexual exploitation of a child is a Class 4 felony. Provides that a defendant, in order to commit grooming, must be 5 years or more older than the groomed child, or hold a position of trust, authority, or supervision in relation to the child at the time of the offense. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that the court may set any conditions it finds just and appropriate on the taking of testimony of a victim or witness who is under 18 years of age or an intellectually disabled person or a person affected by a developmental disability (rather than a victim who is a child under the age of 18 years or a moderately, severely, or profoundly intellectually disabled person or a person affected by a developmental disability) involving the use of a facility dog in any criminal proceeding. Makes other changes concerning the admissibility of evidence in cases involving involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, and trafficking in persons. Amends various Acts to change references from "child pornography" to "child sexual abuse material".

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that if the minor has multiple delinquency petitions filed against him or her, remaining petitions pending against the minor respondent shall be adjudicated within 120 (rather than 160) days from the date on which a finding relative to the first petition prosecuted is rendered. Restructures the provisions concerning alleged delinquent minors and pretrial detention of alleged delinquent minors.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board shall place no additional restrictions, limitations, or requirements than that provided by the statute creating the procedure for medical release. Provides that upon a determination that the petitioner is eligible for a hearing on medical release, the Prisoner Review Board shall: (1) provide public notice of the petitioner's name, docket number, counsel, and hearing date; and (2) provide a copy of the evaluation and any medical records provided by the Department of Corrections to the petitioner or the petitioner's attorney upon scheduling the institutional hearing. Provides that a hearing on a petitioner's application for medical release is public unless the petitioner requests a non-public hearing. Provides that members of the public shall be permitted to freely attend public hearings on medical release without restriction. Provides that upon denying an eligible petitioner's application for medical release, the Prisoner Review Board shall publish a decision letter outlining the reason for denial. Provides that the decision letter must include an explanation of each statutory factor and the estimated annual cost of the petitioner's continued incarceration, including the petitioner's medical care. Makes technical changes.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. In the provision concerning parole review of persons under the age of 21 at the time of the commission of an offense, provides that any date after serving the minimum term of years to become eligible for parole review or up to 3 years prior to becoming eligible for parole review, the eligible person may file his or her petition for parole review with the Prisoner Review Board. Provides that within 30 days of receipt of this petition, the Prisoner Review Board shall determine whether the petition is appropriately filed, and if so, shall set a date for parole review 3 years from receipt of the petition or the date the person is eligible for parole review, whichever date is sooner, and notify the Department of Corrections within 10 business days. Provides that in no such circumstance shall the hearing be scheduled sooner than one year from the date of the determination that the petition is appropriately filed.

Amends the Firearms Restraining Order Act. Requires the court or allows a State's Attorney to provide simplified forms and clerical assistance to help with the filing (rather than the writing and filing) of a petition for a firearms restraining order by any person not represented by counsel. Requires the clerk to immediately notify the State's Attorney of the filing of each firearms restraining order when it is filed. Gives the State's Attorney legal standing to represent any and all petitioners if the petitioners request the State's Attorney's assistance in filing the pleadings or in conducting the hearings. Requires a verified pleading (rather than an affidavit or verified pleading). Changes references to an intimate partner to references to a specific intimate partner. In provisions regarding ex parte hearings, requires the court to consider specific evidence and changes the burden of proof from probable cause to a preponderance of the evidence. Provides for the issuance of a plenary (rather than 6-month) firearms restraining order after a full hearing. Makes other changes.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that, upon the release of a committed person on parole, mandatory supervised release, final discharge, or pardon, the Department of Corrections shall provide the person with resources to acclimate the person to life outside the correctional institution or facility, including access to social workers, clinical psychologists, and other counselors. Provides that the counselors shall assist the person in obtaining housing, employment, education, healthcare, State identification, and other resources that the counselors deem necessary to assist in the person's adjustment to society and the prevention of recidivism. Provides that the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Corrections, shall provide assistance to the person to achieve the goals of this provision without interference from the person's assigned parole officer.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Illinois Correctional Data and Transparency Act. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that beginning March 1, 2026 and every March 1 thereafter, the Department of Corrections shall submit to the General Assembly a recidivism report which the Department shall post on its website and make publicly available. Establishes the information contained in the report. Provides that the release rates shall be published on a public dashboard. Provides that within 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Corrections must file and post a recidivism IT remediation plan, consisting of timelines, milestones, and responsible staff. Provides that until the first new report is posted, the Department must file monthly status updates with the House Appropriations-Public Safety Committee and the Senate Appropriations-Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall enter into standing memoranda of understanding, which shall be updated at least annually, providing periodic feeds needed to compute recidivism, with privacy protections, between the Department and: (1) the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts concerning court dispositions; (2) the Illinois State Police concerning arrest and identifier data submitted to the Illinois State Police under the Criminal Identification Act; and (3) county sheriffs and jail administrators concerning booking information and returns of persons previously committed to county jails. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall publish aggregate and de-identified data with small-cell suppression. Provides that unit-record identifiable data shall not be disclosed to the public. Provides that research access to the data shall be only available by approved agreements with the Department of Corrections. Provides that if the annual report is filed more than 60 days after the March 1 due date, the Director of Corrections or his or her designee must appear before designated committees of the General Assembly with a remediation plan. Subject to appropriation, the Auditor General may conduct a performance audit of data processes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Requires a law enforcement officer to complete the intimate partner violence risk and lethality assessment instrument if the officer has a reasonable belief that a person has been abused, neglected, or exploited by a family or household member.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that when the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, or trafficking in persons and related offenses may be commenced at any time (rather than within 25 years of the victim attaining the age of 18 years).

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that exhaustion of remedies is not required for any person who files a claim in the court for damages based on the Code of Civil Procedure provisions pertaining to actions for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse. Contains a statement of findings and intent. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act applies to all actions pending or commenced on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and to any action that would not have been time barred under the statute of limitations or statute of repose under the Code of Civil Procedure affecting childhood sexual abuse before the effective date of the amendatory Act.