Criminal Justice

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person charged with involuntary sexual servitude of a minor or trafficking in persons if the victim is under 18 years of age shall not be permitted to plead down to lesser offenses. Provides that no person charged with grooming shall be permitted to plead down to lesser offenses. Provides that prosecutors are prohibited from offering plea bargains to lesser offenses to those individuals charged with grooming. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to knowingly operate, manage, be employed by, volunteer at, be associated with, or knowingly be present at any facility providing entertainment exclusively directed toward persons under the age of 18.

Creates the Reentry Financial Empowerment Act. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to oversee the Illinois Reentry Account program to provide no-fee, federally insured debit accounts to reentering citizens who have been released from an Illinois correctional facility for fewer than 12 months. Requires accounts for reentering citizens to include no monthly maintenance fees, overdraft fees, or minimum balance requirements; access to a network of ATMs for cash withdrawals created in partnership with a financial administrator or financial administrators partnered with the state; a secure debit card for account access; and online and mobile banking options. Provides that the Department shall work with the Illinois Department of Corrections to ensure eligible reentering citizens are informed of the program upon release, and the Illinois Department of Corrections shall facilitate enrollment into the program. Requires the Department to contract with one or more financial institutions to administer accounts under the program and provides standards for the institutions. Establishes monitoring responsibilities for the Department and requires reporting of the program's progress to the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a minor found to be guilty may be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice if the minor is at least 14 (rather than 13) years and under 20 years of age, provided that the commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be made only if the minor was found guilty of a felony offense or first degree murder. Provides that when a minor of the age of at least 14 (rather than 13) years is adjudged delinquent for the offense of first degree murder, the court shall declare the minor a ward of the court and order the minor committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice until the minor's 21st birthday, without the possibility of aftercare release, furlough, or nonemergency authorized absence for a period of 5 years from the date the minor was committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that on or after July 1, 2026 and before July 1, 2027, any minor 12 years of age or older arrested pursuant to the Act if there is probable cause to believe that the minor is a delinquent minor and that secure custody is a matter of immediate and urgent necessity, in light of a serious threat to the physical safety of a person or persons in the community or in order to secure the presence of the minor at the next hearing, as evidenced by a demonstrable record of willful failure to appear at a scheduled court hearing within the past 12 months, may be kept or detained in an authorized detention facility. Provides that on or after July 1, 2027, minors age 12 years of age and under 13 years of age and charged with first degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated battery in which a firearm was used in the offense, or aggravated vehicular hijacking, may be kept or detained in an authorized detention facility. Provides that no minor under 13 (rather than under 12) years of age shall be detained in a county jail or a municipal lockup for more than 6 hours. Provides that instead of detention, minors under the age of 13 who are in conflict with the law may be held accountable through a petition under the Minors Requiring Authoritative Intervention Article of the Act, or may be held accountable through a community mediation program.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for a consumer reporting agency to make, create, or furnish any consumer report or credit report containing, incorporating, or reflecting any adverse information that the consumer reporting agency knows or should know was expunged or sealed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that upon verified petition by the State, the court shall hold a hearing and may deny a defendant pretrial release if: (1) the defendant is charged with a felony offense (rather than specified felonies) and it is alleged that the defendant's pretrial release poses a real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community, based on the specific articulable facts of the case; (2) the defendant is charged with a felony offense (rather than specific felonies) and has a high likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution; or (3) the defendant has been convicted of 2 or more of the same felonies or misdemeanors and either: (i) it is alleged that the defendant's pretrial release poses a real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community, based on the specific articulable facts of the case; or (ii) the defendant has a high likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution. Changes the State's burden of proof in a pretrial detention hearing seeking the defendant's detention from clear and convincing evidence to a preponderance of the evidence.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that if a continuance is requested and granted for a hearing on pretrial detention, the hearing shall be held within 72 (rather than 48) hours of the defendant's first appearance if the defendant is charged with first degree murder or a Class X, Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3 felony.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that all institutions and facilities of the Department of Corrections shall not deny the distribution of original physical mail to committed persons after such incoming mail has undergone inspection and it has been determined that the mail does not pose a threat to the security or safety of the institution or facility, personnel of the Department, or committed persons. Defines "threat to the security or safety of the institution or facility".

Creates the Public Official Conflict of Interest and Natural Resource Misuse Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, for personal gain, to offer, propose, or allow the use or allocation of a city's natural resource as a condition for settlement or compensation for damage caused to a resident's personal property, with a Class 3 felony that includes a fine not to exceed $250,000 and restitution to the resident, as well as removal from office in the case the public official is an elected official. Provides for powers of investigation and enforcement for the Attorney General, as well as for local law enforcement agencies in consultation with the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides for protection for whistleblowers. Declares a purpose. Defines terms.

Amends the Arsonist Registry Act, the Sex Offender Registration Act, and the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police, or any other law enforcement or registering agency, shall not impose a fee for registration on any person subject to those Acts.

Creates the Securing All Futures through Equitable Reinvestment (SAFER) Communities Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall create a program to award grants to Navigators for specified purposes, including wage reimbursements for employers that employ certain formerly incarcerated individuals. Contains provisions concerning requirements for wage reimbursements. Provides that "Navigator" means an entity that has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in administering workforce development programs for formerly incarcerated participants and is certified by the Department as a Navigator. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to adopt emergency rules to implement the Securing All Futures through Equitable Reinvestment (SAFER) Communities Act. Effective immediately.