Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Exempts from an eavesdropping violation, electronic recordings made of a custodial interrogation of an individual by a law enforcement officer at a police station or other place of detention in investigations for homicide and certain sex offenses. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that statements made by a suspect at a custodial interrogation at a police station or other place of detention in investigations for homicide and certain sex offenses are presumed inadmissible unless electronically recorded. Provides that the presumption may be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence that the statements were voluntary and reliable based upon the totality of the circumstances. Provides exceptions. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board must conduct a training program for police officers on the methods and technical aspects of electronic recording of interrogations. Amends the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act. Provides that the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, from appropriations made to it for that purpose, shall make grants to local law enforcement agencies for the purpose of purchasing equipment for electronic recording of interrogations. Amends the State Mandates Act. Exempts provisions of the bill from the reimbursement requirements of the State Mandates Act. Some provisions take effect immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that harassment through electronic communications by reason of the harassed person's actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin is a hate crime. Effective immediately.
Amends the Attorney General Act. Creates the Office of Immigrant Assistance within the Office of the Attorney General to provide education and outreach services to the resident immigrant community of the State. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Defines "unavailability as a witness" to include circumstances in which the declarant: (1) is exempted by ruling of the court on the ground of privilege from testifying concerning the subject matter of the declarant's statement; (2) persists in refusing to testify concerning the subject matter of the declarant's statement despite an order of the court to do so; (3) testifies to a lack of memory of the subject matter of the declarant's statement; (4) is unable to be present or to testify at the hearing because of health or then existing physical or mental illness or infirmity; (5) is absent from the hearing and the proponent of the statement has been unable to procure the declarant's attendance by process or other reasonable means; or (6) is a crime victim as defined in the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act and the failure of the declarant to testify is caused by the defendant's intimidation of the declarant. Presently, unavailability is limited to the situation in which the declarant persists in refusing to testify concerning the subject matter of the declarant's statement despite an order of the court to do so. Effective immediately.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the definition of "conviction".
Amends the School Code and the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act. Requires the State Board of Education, regional superintendents of schools, school boards (and their schools), and nonpublic schools that receive funds for free or reduced-price lunches under the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act to agree in writing with the Department of Public Aid to share with the Department information on applicants for free or reduced-price lunches. Provides that the sharing of information shall be for the sole purpose of helping the Department identify and enroll children in the State Medical Assistance Program or the State Children's Health Insurance Program or both as allowed and under the restrictions set forth in federal law. Provides that before an entity shares with the Department of Public Aid information on an applicant, that entity must obtain the consent of the applicant's parent or legal guardian. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Permits the clerk of the circuit court to accept credit card payments over the Internet for fines, penalties, or costs from offenders on voluntary electronic pleas of guilty in minor traffic and conservation offenses.
Amends the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act and the Hypodermic Syringes and Needles Act. Authorizes a person who is at least 18 years of age to purchase up to 20 sterile hypodermic syringes or needles at a pharmacy without a prescription. Authorizes a pharmacist to sell up to 20 sterile hypodermic syringes or needles to a person who is at least 18 years of age. Provides that the Illinois Department of Public Health must develop educational materials regarding safer injection, HIV prevention, syringe disposal, and drug treatment and make copies of those materials available to pharmacists. Provides that pharmacists must make those educational materials available to persons who purchase syringes. Repeals the Section in the Hypodermic Syringes and Needles Act requiring a person who sells a syringe, needle, or instrument to keep a record of the sale. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning child care for TANF recipients, provides that the Department of Human Services must annually establish income thresholds for determining eligibility for child care benefits. Provides that the thresholds must be no less than 50% of the then-current State median income for each family size, and deletes a provision requiring such a 50% threshold only for FY 1998. Provides that in determining a family's income, the Department must disregard 10% of the family's gross wages and salary.