SB3113 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB3113

Introduced 2/6/2004, by Wendell E. Jones

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

70 ILCS 1205/8-23

Amends the Park District Code. Regarding criminal history background investigations of prospective park district job applicants, provides that these investigations are not required for minors under the age of 17 or previously investigated employees rehired within 18 months. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning the public welfare and safety.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 3. The Park District Code is amended by changing Section 8-23 as follows:

(70 ILCS 1205/8-23)

Sec. 8-23. Criminal background investigations.

(a) An applicant for employment with a park district is required as a condition of employment to authorize an investigation to determine if the applicant has been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) of this Section or has been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the park district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State. Authorization for the investigation shall be furnished by the applicant to the park district. Upon receipt of this authorization, the park district shall submit the applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, and social security number to the Department of State Police on forms prescribed by the Department of State Police. Upon submission the The Department of State Police shall conduct a search of the Illinois criminal history records database to ascertain if the applicant being considered for employment has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) of this Section or has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit, within 7 years of the application for employment with the park district, any other felony under the laws of this State. The Department of State Police shall charge the park district a fee for conducting the investigation, which fee shall be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and shall not exceed the cost of the inquiry. The applicant shall not be charged a fee by the park district for the investigation.

(b) If the search of the Illinois criminal history record database indicates that the applicant has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) or has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit, within 7 years of the application for employment with the park district, any other felony under the laws of this State, the Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint based background check, records of convictions, until expunged, to the president of the park district or his or her designee. Any information concerning the record of convictions obtained by the president or his or her designee shall be confidential and may only be transmitted to those persons who are necessary to the decision on whether to hire the applicant for employment. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from the Department of State Police shall be provided to the applicant for employment. Any person who releases any confidential information concerning any criminal convictions of an applicant for employment shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, unless the release of such information is authorized by this Section.

(c) No park district that has authorized an investigation shall knowingly employ a person who has been convicted for committing attempted first degree murder or for committing or attempting to commit first degree murder, a Class X felony, or any one or more of the following offenses: (i) those defined in Sections 11-6, 11-9, 11-14, 11-15, 11-15.1, 11-16, 11-17, 11-18, 11-19, 11-19.1, 11-19.2, 11-20, 11-20.1, 11-21, 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, and 12-16 of the Criminal Code of 1961; (ii) those defined in the Cannabis Control Act, except those defined in Sections 4(a), 4(b), and 5(a) of that Act; (iii) those defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act; and (iv) any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States, which, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of the foregoing offenses. Further, no park district that has authorized an investigation shall knowingly employ a person who has been found to be the perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of any minor under 18 years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. In no event is a park district required to conduct an investigation on any individual who is (1) under 17 years of age or (2) an employee rehired within an 18-month period upon whom an investigation has been previously conducted. No park district shall knowingly employ a person for whom a criminal background investigation has not been initiated.

(Source: P.A. 93-418, eff. 1-1-04.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.