HB4384 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 15304 RLC 41292 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB4384

Introduced , by Rep. Robert S. Molaro

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

730 ILCS 5/3-3-3	from Ch. 38, par. 1003-3-3
730 ILCS 5/3-6-3	from Ch. 38, par. 1003-6-3

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person who has been sentenced to life without possibility of parole for a crime committed when he or she was under 18 years of age may, after serving 10 years of his or her sentence, submit an Application for Review and Assessment. Provides that the application shall be submitted to the applicant's Illinois Department of Corrections counselor, who shall, within 30 days after receipt of the application, forward the application to the Prisoner Review Board together with the applicant's criminal history sheet, mittimus, disciplinary history, supplementary program considerations, mental health evaluations, social evaluations, evidence of physical abuse and drug abuse prior to the offense, and any other documents the counselor considers relevant. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board, acting through a committee of at least 3 members, shall undertake a review and assessment of the applicant and shall determine, by majority vote, whether the applicant should be certified as eligible to seek release to parole from the Prisoner Review Board. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board, after consideration of information from the State's Attorney, may require a prisoner who has satisfactorily met the conditions for release to serve a reasonable parole term. Provides that the Application for Review and Assessment shall be prescribed by the Prisoner Review Board. Provides that the application may be submitted every 2 years.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning criminal law.

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

Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by changing Sections 3-3-3 and 3-6-3 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/3-3-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-3-3)

Sec. 3-3-3. Eligibility for Parole or Release.

(a) Except for those offenders who accept the fixed release date established by the Prisoner Review Board under Section 3-3-2.1, every person serving a term of imprisonment under the law in effect prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1977 shall be eligible for parole when he has served:

(1) the minimum term of an indeterminate sentence less time credit for good behavior, or 20 years less time credit for good behavior, whichever is less; or

(2) 20 years of a life sentence less time credit for good behavior; or

(3) 20 years or one-third of a determinate sentence, whichever is less, less time credit for good behavior.

(b) No person sentenced under this amendatory Act of 1977 or who accepts a release date under Section 3-3-2.1 shall be eligible for parole.

(c) Except for those sentenced to a term of natural life imprisonment, every person sentenced to imprisonment under this amendatory Act of 1977 or given a release date under Section 3-3-2.1 of this Act shall serve the full term of a determinate sentence less time credit for good behavior and shall then be released under the mandatory supervised release provisions of paragraph (d) of Section 5-8-1 of this Code.

(d) No person serving a term of natural life imprisonment may be paroled or released except through executive clemency, and except as provided in paragraph (2.2-1) of subsection (a) of Section 3-6-3 of this Code.

(e) Every person committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice under Section 5-10 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 5-750 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 or Section 5-8-6 of this Code and confined in the State correctional institutions or facilities if such juvenile has not been tried as an adult shall be eligible for parole without regard to the length of time the person has been confined or whether the person has served any minimum term imposed. However, if a juvenile has been tried as an adult he shall only be eligible for parole or mandatory supervised release as an adult under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 94-696, eff. 6-1-06.)

(730 ILCS 5/3-6-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-6-3)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 95-585, 95-625, and 95-640)

Sec. 3-6-3. Rules and Regulations for Early Release.

(a) (1) The Department of Corrections shall prescribe rules and regulations for the early release on account of good conduct of persons committed to the Department which shall be subject to review by the Prisoner Review Board.

(2) The rules and regulations on early release shall provide, with respect to offenses listed in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of this paragraph (2) committed on or after June 19, 1998 or with respect to the offense listed in clause (iv) of this paragraph (2) committed on or after June 23, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 94-71) or with respect to offense listed in clause (vi) (v) committed on or after June 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-625) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly or with respect to the offense of being an armed habitual criminal committed on or after August 2, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 94-398) or with respect to the offenses listed in clause (v) of this paragraph (2) committed on or after August 13, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 95-134) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the following:

(i) that a prisoner who is serving a term of imprisonment for first degree murder or for the offense of terrorism shall receive no good conduct credit and shall serve the entire sentence imposed by the court;

(ii) that a prisoner serving a sentence for attempt to commit first degree murder, solicitation of murder, solicitation of murder for hire, intentional homicide of an unborn child, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery with a firearm, heinous battery, being an armed habitual criminal, aggravated battery of a senior citizen, or aggravated battery of a child shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment;

(iii) that a prisoner serving a sentence for home invasion, armed robbery, aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated discharge of a firearm, or armed violence with a category I weapon or category II weapon, when the court has made and entered a finding, pursuant to subsection (c-1) of Section 5-4-1 of this Code, that the conduct leading to conviction for the enumerated offense resulted in great bodily harm to a victim, shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment;

(iv) that a prisoner serving a sentence for aggravated discharge of a firearm, whether or not the conduct leading to conviction for the offense resulted in great bodily harm to the victim, shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment; and

(v) that a person serving a sentence for gunrunning, narcotics racketeering, controlled substance trafficking, methamphetamine trafficking, drug-induced homicide, aggravated methamphetamine-related child endangerment, money laundering pursuant to clause (c) (4) or (5) of Section 29B-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961, or a Class X felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture or deliver, calculated criminal drug conspiracy, criminal drug conspiracy, street gang criminal drug conspiracy, participation in methamphetamine manufacturing, aggravated participation in methamphetamine manufacturing, delivery of methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, aggravated delivery of methamphetamine, aggravated possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, methamphetamine conspiracy when the substance containing the controlled substance or methamphetamine is 100 grams or more shall receive no more than 7.5 days good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment; and .

(vi) (v) that a prisoner serving a sentence for a second or subsequent offense of luring a minor shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment.

(2.1) For all offenses, other than those enumerated in subdivision (a)(2)(i), (ii), or (iii) committed on or after June 19, 1998 or subdivision (a)(2)(iv) committed on or after June 23, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 94-71) or subdivision (a)(2)(v) committed on or after August 13, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 95-134) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly or subdivision (a)(2)(vi) (v) committed on or after June 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-625) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, and other than the offense of reckless homicide as defined in subsection (e) of Section 9-3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 committed on or after January 1, 1999, or aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof as defined in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, the rules and regulations shall provide that a prisoner who is serving a term of imprisonment shall receive one day of good conduct credit for each day of his or her sentence of imprisonment or recommitment under Section 3-3-9. Each day of good conduct credit shall reduce by one day the prisoner's period of imprisonment or recommitment under Section 3-3-9.

(2.2) A prisoner serving a term of natural life imprisonment or a prisoner who has been sentenced to death shall receive no good conduct credit, except as provided in paragraph (2.2-1) of this subsection (a).

(2.2-1)(A) Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in this Section, a person who has been sentenced to life without possibility of parole for a crime committed when he or she was under 18 years of age, may, after serving 10 years of his or her sentence, submit an Application for Review and Assessment. The application may be submitted every 2 years.

(B) The application shall be submitted to the applicant's Illinois Department of Corrections counselor, who shall, within 30 days after receipt of the application, forward the application to the Prisoner Review Board together with the applicant's criminal history sheet, mittimus, disciplinary history, supplementary program considerations, mental health evaluations, social evaluations pursuant to Section 3-8-2, evidence of physical abuse and drug abuse prior to the offense, and any other documents the counselor considers relevant. After a prisoner submits his or her initial application, subsequent applications require that the Illinois Department of Corrections update information submitted to the Prisoner Review Board. The Prisoner Review Board, acting through a committee of at least 3 members, shall undertake a review and assessment of the applicant and shall determine, by majority vote, whether the applicant should be certified as eligible to seek release to parole from the Prisoner Review Board. In determining whether the applicant should be certified as eligible to seek release to parole under this paragraph (2.2-1), the committee shall consider the following: (i) the applicant's age and level of maturity at the time of the offense; (ii) the applicant's susceptibility to outside pressure, including peer pressure or negative influences; (iii) the applicant's potential for rehabilitation; (iv) the nature and severity of the offense; (v) the applicant's degree of participation in the offense; (vi) the applicant's prior juvenile or criminal history; (vii) the applicant's overall record of behavior while incarcerated, including disciplinary history, participation in educational and vocational programs, including, but not limited to participation in a restorative justice program, and extent of cooperation with staff, as documented in counselors' and other staff members' reports; (viii) the applicant's likelihood to commit further offenses; and (ix) any other information the committee considers relevant. If the committee certifies the applicant as eligible for release to parole under this paragraph, the Prisoner Review Board shall set the matter for a hearing and shall consider the applicant for release under conditions set by the Prisoner Review Board, pursuant to the procedures used in considering the parole of prisoners convicted of crimes committed before 1978, pursuant to Section 3-3-4, including but not limited to:

(I) providing the prosecuting State's Attorney's office reasonable written notice not less than 15 days prior to the parole hearing and permitting that office to submit relevant information in writing, or on film, video tape or other electronic means or in the form of a recording to the Board for its consideration. The State's Attorney may waive the written notice;

(II) providing the victim or victims of the violent crime for which the prisoner has been sentenced notice of a parole hearing as provided in paragraph (4) of subsection (d) of Section 4.5 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act;

provided that no member of the committee that makes the review and assessment of the applicant shall conduct the institutional hearing. The Prisoner Review Board, after consideration of information from the State's Attorney, may require a prisoner who it finds has satisfactorily met the conditions for release to serve a reasonable parole term. The Application for Review and Assessment shall be prescribed by the Prisoner Review Board.

(2.3) The rules and regulations on early release shall provide that a prisoner who is serving a sentence for reckless homicide as defined in subsection (e) of Section 9-3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 committed on or after January 1, 1999, or aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof as defined in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment.

(2.4) The rules and regulations on early release shall provide with respect to the offenses of aggravated battery with a machine gun or a firearm equipped with any device or attachment designed or used for silencing the report of a firearm or aggravated discharge of a machine gun or a firearm equipped with any device or attachment designed or used for silencing the report of a firearm, committed on or after July 15, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-121), that a prisoner serving a sentence for any of these offenses shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment.

(2.5) The rules and regulations on early release shall provide that a prisoner who is serving a sentence for aggravated arson committed on or after July 27, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-176) shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment.

(3) The rules and regulations shall also provide that the Director may award up to 180 days additional good conduct credit for meritorious service in specific instances as the Director deems proper; except that no more than 90 days of good conduct credit for meritorious service shall be awarded to any prisoner who is serving a sentence for conviction of first degree murder, reckless homicide while under the influence of alcohol or any other drug, or aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof as defined in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, deviate sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, indecent liberties with a child, child pornography, heinous battery, aggravated battery of a spouse, aggravated battery of a spouse with a firearm, stalking, aggravated stalking, aggravated battery of a child, endangering the life or health of a child, or cruelty to a child. Notwithstanding the foregoing, good conduct credit for meritorious service shall not be awarded on a sentence of imprisonment imposed for conviction of: (i) one of the offenses enumerated in subdivision (a)(2)(i), (ii), or (iii) when the offense is committed on or after June 19, 1998 or subdivision (a)(2)(iv) when the offense is committed on or after June 23, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 94-71) or subdivision (a)(2)(v) when the offense is committed on or after August 13, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 95-134) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly or subdivision (a)(2)(vi) (v) when the offense is committed on or after June 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-625) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, (ii) reckless homicide as defined in subsection (e) of Section 9-3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 when the offense is committed on or after January 1, 1999, or aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof as defined in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, (iii) one of the offenses enumerated in subdivision (a)(2.4) when the offense is committed on or after July 15, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-121), or (iv) aggravated arson when the offense is committed on or after July 27, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-176).

(4) The rules and regulations shall also provide that the good conduct credit accumulated and retained under paragraph (2.1) of subsection (a) of this Section by any inmate during specific periods of time in which such inmate is engaged full-time in substance abuse programs, correctional industry assignments, or educational programs provided by the Department under this paragraph (4) and satisfactorily completes the assigned program as determined by the standards of the Department, shall be multiplied by a factor of 1.25 for program participation before August 11, 1993 and 1.50 for program participation on or after that date. However, no inmate shall be eligible for the additional good conduct credit under this paragraph (4) or (4.1) of this subsection (a) while assigned to a boot camp or electronic detention, or if convicted of an offense enumerated in subdivision (a)(2)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this Section that is committed on or after June 19, 1998 or subdivision (a)(2)(iv) of this Section that is committed on or after June 23, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 94-71) or subdivision (a)(2)(v) of this Section that is committed on or after August 13, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 95-134) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly or subdivision (a)(2)(vi) (v) when the offense is committed on or after June 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-625) this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, or if convicted of reckless homicide as defined in subsection (e) of Section 9-3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 if the offense is committed on or after January 1, 1999, or aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof as defined in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, or if convicted of an offense enumerated in paragraph (a)(2.4) of this Section that is committed on or after July 15, 1999 (the effective date of Public Act 91-121), or first degree murder, a Class X felony, criminal sexual assault, felony criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery with a firearm, or any predecessor or successor offenses with the same or substantially the same elements, or any inchoate offenses relating to the foregoing offenses. No inmate shall be eligible for the additional good conduct credit under this paragraph (4) who (i) has previously received increased good conduct credit under this paragraph (4) and has subsequently been convicted of a felony, or (ii) has previously served more than one prior sentence of imprisonment for a felony in an adult correctional facility.

Educational, vocational, substance abuse and correctional industry programs under which good conduct credit may be increased under this paragraph (4) and paragraph (4.1) of this subsection (a) shall be evaluated by the Department on the basis of documented standards. The Department shall report the results of these evaluations to the Governor and the General Assembly by September 30th of each year. The reports shall include data relating to the recidivism rate among program participants.

Availability of these programs shall be subject to the limits of fiscal resources appropriated by the General Assembly for these purposes. Eligible inmates who are denied immediate admission shall be placed on a waiting list under criteria established by the Department. The inability of any inmate to become engaged in any such programs by reason of insufficient program resources or for any other reason established under the rules and regulations of the Department shall not be deemed a cause of action under which the Department or any employee or agent of the Department shall be liable for damages to the inmate.

(4.1) The rules and regulations shall also provide that an additional 60 days of good conduct credit shall be awarded to any prisoner who passes the high school level Test of General Educational Development (GED) while the prisoner is incarcerated. The good conduct credit awarded under this paragraph (4.1) shall be in addition to, and shall not affect, the award of good conduct under any other paragraph of this Section, but shall also be pursuant to the guidelines and restrictions set forth in paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of this Section. The good conduct credit provided for in this paragraph shall be available only to those prisoners who have not previously earned a high school diploma or a GED. If, after an award of the GED good conduct credit has been made and the Department determines that the prisoner was not eligible, then the award shall be revoked.

(4.5) The rules and regulations on early release shall also provide that when the court's sentencing order recommends a prisoner for substance abuse treatment and the crime was committed on or after September 1, 2003 (the effective date of Public Act 93-354), the prisoner shall receive no good conduct credit awarded under clause (3) of this subsection (a) unless he or she participates in and completes a substance abuse treatment program. The Director may waive the requirement to participate in or complete a substance abuse treatment program and award the good conduct credit in specific instances if the prisoner is not a good candidate for a substance abuse treatment program for medical, programming, or operational reasons. Availability of substance abuse treatment shall be subject to the limits of fiscal resources appropriated by the General Assembly for these purposes. If treatment is not available and the requirement to participate and complete the treatment has not been waived by the Director, the prisoner shall be placed on a waiting list under criteria established by the Department. The Director may allow a prisoner placed on a waiting list to participate in and complete a substance abuse education class or attend substance abuse self-help meetings in lieu of a substance abuse treatment program. A prisoner on a waiting list who is not placed in a substance abuse program prior to release may be eligible for a waiver and receive good conduct credit under clause (3) of this subsection (a) at the discretion of the Director.

(4.6) The rules and regulations on early release shall also provide that a prisoner who has been convicted of a sex offense as defined in Section 2 of the Sex Offender Registration Act shall receive no good conduct credit unless he or she either has successfully completed or is participating in sex offender treatment as defined by the Sex Offender Management Board. However, prisoners who are waiting to receive such treatment, but who are unable to do so due solely to the lack of resources on the part of the Department, may, at the Director's sole discretion, be awarded good conduct credit at such rate as the Director shall determine.

(5) Whenever the Department is to release any inmate earlier than it otherwise would because of a grant of good conduct credit for meritorious service given at any time during the term, the Department shall give reasonable advance notice of the impending release to the State's Attorney of the county where the prosecution of the inmate took place.

(b) Whenever a person is or has been committed under several convictions, with separate sentences, the sentences shall be construed under Section 5-8-4 in granting and forfeiting of good time.

(c) The Department shall prescribe rules and regulations for revoking good conduct credit, or suspending or reducing the rate of accumulation of good conduct credit for specific rule violations, during imprisonment. These rules and regulations shall provide that no inmate may be penalized more than one year of good conduct credit for any one infraction.

When the Department seeks to revoke, suspend or reduce the rate of accumulation of any good conduct credits for an alleged infraction of its rules, it shall bring charges therefor against the prisoner sought to be so deprived of good conduct credits before the Prisoner Review Board as provided in subparagraph (a)(4) of Section 3-3-2 of this Code, if the amount of credit at issue exceeds 30 days or when during any 12 month period, the cumulative amount of credit revoked exceeds 30 days except where the infraction is committed or discovered within 60 days of scheduled release. In those cases, the Department of Corrections may revoke up to 30 days of good conduct credit. The Board may subsequently approve the revocation of additional good conduct credit, if the Department seeks to revoke good conduct credit in excess of 30 days. However, the Board shall not be empowered to review the Department's decision with respect to the loss of 30 days of good conduct credit within any calendar year for any prisoner or to increase any penalty beyond the length requested by the Department.

The Director of the Department of Corrections, in appropriate cases, may restore up to 30 days good conduct credits which have been revoked, suspended or reduced. Any restoration of good conduct credits in excess of 30 days shall be subject to review by the Prisoner Review Board. However, the Board may not restore good conduct credit in excess of the amount requested by the Director.

Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the Prisoner Review Board from ordering, pursuant to Section 3-3-9(a)(3)(i)(B), that a prisoner serve up to one year of the sentence imposed by the court that was not served due to the accumulation of good conduct credit.

(d) If a lawsuit is filed by a prisoner in an Illinois or federal court against the State, the Department of Corrections, or the Prisoner Review Board, or against any of their officers or employees, and the court makes a specific finding that a pleading, motion, or other paper filed by the prisoner is frivolous, the Department of Corrections shall conduct a hearing to revoke up to 180 days of good conduct credit by bringing charges against the prisoner sought to be deprived of the good conduct credits before the Prisoner Review Board as provided in subparagraph (a)(8) of Section 3-3-2 of this Code. If the prisoner has not accumulated 180 days of good conduct credit at the time of the finding, then the Prisoner Review Board may revoke all good conduct credit accumulated by the prisoner.

For purposes of this subsection (d):

(1) "Frivolous" means that a pleading, motion, or other filing which purports to be a legal document filed by a prisoner in his or her lawsuit meets any or all of the following criteria:

(A) it lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact;

(B) it is being presented for any improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation;

(C) the claims, defenses, and other legal contentions therein are not warranted by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law or the establishment of new law;

(D) the allegations and other factual contentions do not have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, are not likely to have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery; or

(E) the denials of factual contentions are not warranted on the evidence, or if specifically so identified, are not reasonably based on a lack of information or belief.

(2) "Lawsuit" means a motion pursuant to Section 116-3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, a habeas corpus action under Article X of the Code of Civil Procedure or under federal law (28 U.S.C. 2254), a petition for claim under the Court of Claims Act, an action under the federal Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 1983), or a second or subsequent petition for post-conviction relief under Article 122 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 whether filed with or without leave of court or a second or subsequent petition for relief from judgment under Section 2-1401 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(e) Nothing in Public Act 90-592 or 90-593 affects the validity of Public Act 89-404.

(Source: P.A. 94-71, eff. 6-23-05; 94-128, eff. 7-7-05; 94-156, eff. 7-8-05; 94-398, eff. 8-2-05; 94-491, eff. 8-8-05; 94-744, eff. 5-8-06; 95-134, eff. 8-13-07; 95-585, eff. 6-1-08; 95-625, eff. 6-1-08; 95-640, eff. 6-1-08; revised 11-19-07.)