Public Act 097-0443
 
HB0298 EnrolledLRB097 06264 RLJ 46340 b

    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Criminal Identification Act is amended by
changing Section 5.2 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2630/5.2)
    Sec. 5.2. Expungement and sealing.
    (a) General Provisions.
        (1) Definitions. In this Act, words and phrases have
    the meanings set forth in this subsection, except when a
    particular context clearly requires a different meaning.
            (A) The following terms shall have the meanings
        ascribed to them in the Unified Code of Corrections,
        730 ILCS 5/5-1-2 through 5/5-1-22:
                (i) Business Offense (730 ILCS 5/5-1-2),
                (ii) Charge (730 ILCS 5/5-1-3),
                (iii) Court (730 ILCS 5/5-1-6),
                (iv) Defendant (730 ILCS 5/5-1-7),
                (v) Felony (730 ILCS 5/5-1-9),
                (vi) Imprisonment (730 ILCS 5/5-1-10),
                (vii) Judgment (730 ILCS 5/5-1-12),
                (viii) Misdemeanor (730 ILCS 5/5-1-14),
                (ix) Offense (730 ILCS 5/5-1-15),
                (x) Parole (730 ILCS 5/5-1-16),
                (xi) Petty Offense (730 ILCS 5/5-1-17),
                (xii) Probation (730 ILCS 5/5-1-18),
                (xiii) Sentence (730 ILCS 5/5-1-19),
                (xiv) Supervision (730 ILCS 5/5-1-21), and
                (xv) Victim (730 ILCS 5/5-1-22).
            (B) As used in this Section, "charge not initiated
        by arrest" means a charge (as defined by 730 ILCS
        5/5-1-3) brought against a defendant where the
        defendant is not arrested prior to or as a direct
        result of the charge.
            (C) "Conviction" means a judgment of conviction or
        sentence entered upon a plea of guilty or upon a
        verdict or finding of guilty of an offense, rendered by
        a legally constituted jury or by a court of competent
        jurisdiction authorized to try the case without a jury.
        An order of supervision successfully completed by the
        petitioner is not a conviction. An order of qualified
        probation (as defined in subsection (a)(1)(J))
        successfully completed by the petitioner is not a
        conviction. An order of supervision or an order of
        qualified probation that is terminated
        unsatisfactorily is a conviction, unless the
        unsatisfactory termination is reversed, vacated, or
        modified and the judgment of conviction, if any, is
        reversed or vacated.
            (D) "Criminal offense" means a petty offense,
        business offense, misdemeanor, felony, or municipal
        ordinance violation (as defined in subsection
        (a)(1)(H)). As used in this Section, a minor traffic
        offense (as defined in subsection (a)(1)(G)) shall not
        be considered a criminal offense.
            (E) "Expunge" means to physically destroy the
        records or return them to the petitioner and to
        obliterate the petitioner's name from any official
        index or public record, or both. Nothing in this Act
        shall require the physical destruction of the circuit
        court file, but such records relating to arrests or
        charges, or both, ordered expunged shall be impounded
        as required by subsections (d)(9)(A)(ii) and
        (d)(9)(B)(ii).
            (F) As used in this Section, "last sentence" means
        the sentence, order of supervision, or order of
        qualified probation (as defined by subsection
        (a)(1)(J)), for a criminal offense (as defined by
        subsection (a)(1)(D)) that terminates last in time in
        any jurisdiction, regardless of whether the petitioner
        has included the criminal offense for which the
        sentence or order of supervision or qualified
        probation was imposed in his or her petition. If
        multiple sentences, orders of supervision, or orders
        of qualified probation terminate on the same day and
        are last in time, they shall be collectively considered
        the "last sentence" regardless of whether they were
        ordered to run concurrently.
            (G) "Minor traffic offense" means a petty offense,
        business offense, or Class C misdemeanor under the
        Illinois Vehicle Code or a similar provision of a
        municipal or local ordinance.
            (H) "Municipal ordinance violation" means an
        offense defined by a municipal or local ordinance that
        is criminal in nature and with which the petitioner was
        charged or for which the petitioner was arrested and
        released without charging.
            (I) "Petitioner" means an adult or a minor
        prosecuted as an adult who has applied for relief under
        this Section.
            (J) "Qualified probation" means an order of
        probation under Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act,
        Section 410 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act,
        Section 70 of the Methamphetamine Control and
        Community Protection Act, Section 12-4.3(b)(1) and (2)
        of the Criminal Code of 1961 (as those provisions
        existed before their deletion by Public Act 89-313),
        Section 10-102 of the Illinois Alcoholism and Other
        Drug Dependency Act, Section 40-10 of the Alcoholism
        and Other Drug Abuse and Dependency Act, or Section 10
        of the Steroid Control Act. For the purpose of this
        Section, "successful completion" of an order of
        qualified probation under Section 10-102 of the
        Illinois Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependency Act and
        Section 40-10 of the Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse
        and Dependency Act means that the probation was
        terminated satisfactorily and the judgment of
        conviction was vacated.
            (K) "Seal" means to physically and electronically
        maintain the records, unless the records would
        otherwise be destroyed due to age, but to make the
        records unavailable without a court order, subject to
        the exceptions in Sections 12 and 13 of this Act. The
        petitioner's name shall also be obliterated from the
        official index required to be kept by the circuit court
        clerk under Section 16 of the Clerks of Courts Act, but
        any index issued by the circuit court clerk before the
        entry of the order to seal shall not be affected.
            (L) "Sexual offense committed against a minor"
        includes but is not limited to the offenses of indecent
        solicitation of a child or criminal sexual abuse when
        the victim of such offense is under 18 years of age.
            (M) "Terminate" as it relates to a sentence or
        order of supervision or qualified probation includes
        either satisfactory or unsatisfactory termination of
        the sentence, unless otherwise specified in this
        Section.
        (2) Minor Traffic Offenses. Orders of supervision or
    convictions for minor traffic offenses shall not affect a
    petitioner's eligibility to expunge or seal records
    pursuant to this Section.
        (3) Exclusions. Except as otherwise provided in
    subsections (b)(5), (b)(6), and (e) of this Section, the
    court shall not order:
            (A) the sealing or expungement of the records of
        arrests or charges not initiated by arrest that result
        in an order of supervision for or conviction of: (i)
        any sexual offense committed against a minor; (ii)
        Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code or a
        similar provision of a local ordinance; or (iii)
        Section 11-503 of the Illinois Vehicle Code or a
        similar provision of a local ordinance.
            (B) the sealing or expungement of records of minor
        traffic offenses (as defined in subsection (a)(1)(G)),
        unless the petitioner was arrested and released
        without charging.
            (C) the sealing of the records of arrests or
        charges not initiated by arrest which result in an
        order of supervision, an order of qualified probation
        (as defined in subsection (a)(1)(J)), or a conviction
        for the following offenses:
                (i) offenses included in Article 11 of the
            Criminal Code of 1961 or a similar provision of a
            local ordinance, except Section 11-14 of the
            Criminal Code of 1961 or a similar provision of a
            local ordinance;
                (ii) Section 12-15, 12-30, or 26-5 of the
            Criminal Code of 1961 or a similar provision of a
            local ordinance;
                (iii) offenses defined as "crimes of violence"
            in Section 2 of the Crime Victims Compensation Act
            or a similar provision of a local ordinance;
                (iv) offenses which are Class A misdemeanors
            under the Humane Care for Animals Act; or
                (v) any offense or attempted offense that
            would subject a person to registration under the
            Sex Offender Registration Act.
            (D) the sealing of the records of an arrest which
        results in the petitioner being charged with a felony
        offense or records of a charge not initiated by arrest
        for a felony offense, regardless of the disposition,
        unless:
                (i) the charge is amended to a misdemeanor and
            is otherwise eligible to be sealed pursuant to
            subsection (c);
                (ii) the charge is brought along with another
            charge as a part of one case and the charge results
            in acquittal, dismissal, or conviction when the
            conviction was reversed or vacated, and another
            charge brought in the same case results in a
            disposition for a misdemeanor offense that is
            eligible to be sealed pursuant to subsection (c) or
            a disposition listed in paragraph (i), (iii), or
            (iv) of this subsection;
                (iii) the charge results in first offender
            probation as set forth in subsection (c)(2)(E); or
                (iv) the charge is for a Class 4 felony offense
            listed in subsection (c)(2)(F) or the charge is
            amended to a Class 4 felony offense listed in
            subsection (c)(2)(F). Records of arrests which
            result in the petitioner being charged with a Class
            4 felony offense listed in subsection (c)(2)(F),
            records of charges not initiated by arrest for
            Class 4 felony offenses listed in subsection
            (c)(2)(F), and records of charges amended to a
            Class 4 felony offense listed in (c)(2)(F) may be
            sealed, regardless of the disposition, subject to
            any waiting periods set forth in subsection
            (c)(3); .
                (v) the charge results in acquittal,
            dismissal, or the petitioner's release without
            conviction; or
                (vi) the charge results in a conviction, but
            the conviction was reversed or vacated.
    (b) Expungement.
        (1) A petitioner may petition the circuit court to
    expunge the records of his or her arrests and charges not
    initiated by arrest when:
            (A) He or she has never been convicted of a
        criminal offense; and
            (B) Each arrest or charge not initiated by arrest
        sought to be expunged resulted in: (i) acquittal,
        dismissal, or the petitioner's release without
        charging, unless excluded by subsection (a)(3)(B);
        (ii) a conviction which was vacated or reversed, unless
        excluded by subsection (a)(3)(B); (iii) an order of
        supervision and such supervision was successfully
        completed by the petitioner, unless excluded by
        subsection (a)(3)(A) or (a)(3)(B); or (iv) an order of
        qualified probation (as defined in subsection
        (a)(1)(J)) and such probation was successfully
        completed by the petitioner.
        (2) Time frame for filing a petition to expunge.
            (A) When the arrest or charge not initiated by
        arrest sought to be expunged resulted in an acquittal,
        dismissal, the petitioner's release without charging,
        or the reversal or vacation of a conviction, there is
        no waiting period to petition for the expungement of
        such records.
            (B) When the arrest or charge not initiated by
        arrest sought to be expunged resulted in an order of
        supervision, successfully completed by the petitioner,
        the following time frames will apply:
                (i) Those arrests or charges that resulted in
            orders of supervision under Section 3-707, 3-708,
            3-710, or 5-401.3 of the Illinois Vehicle Code or a
            similar provision of a local ordinance, or under
            Section 12-3.2, 12-15 or 16A-3 of the Criminal Code
            of 1961 or a similar provision of a local
            ordinance, shall not be eligible for expungement
            until 5 years have passed following the
            satisfactory termination of the supervision.
                (ii) Those arrests or charges that resulted in
            orders of supervision for any other offenses shall
            not be eligible for expungement until 2 years have
            passed following the satisfactory termination of
            the supervision.
            (C) When the arrest or charge not initiated by
        arrest sought to be expunged resulted in an order of
        qualified probation, successfully completed by the
        petitioner, such records shall not be eligible for
        expungement until 5 years have passed following the
        satisfactory termination of the probation.
        (3) Those records maintained by the Department for
    persons arrested prior to their 17th birthday shall be
    expunged as provided in Section 5-915 of the Juvenile Court
    Act of 1987.
        (4) Whenever a person has been arrested for or
    convicted of any offense, in the name of a person whose
    identity he or she has stolen or otherwise come into
    possession of, the aggrieved person from whom the identity
    was stolen or otherwise obtained without authorization,
    upon learning of the person having been arrested using his
    or her identity, may, upon verified petition to the chief
    judge of the circuit wherein the arrest was made, have a
    court order entered nunc pro tunc by the Chief Judge to
    correct the arrest record, conviction record, if any, and
    all official records of the arresting authority, the
    Department, other criminal justice agencies, the
    prosecutor, and the trial court concerning such arrest, if
    any, by removing his or her name from all such records in
    connection with the arrest and conviction, if any, and by
    inserting in the records the name of the offender, if known
    or ascertainable, in lieu of the aggrieved's name. The
    records of the circuit court clerk shall be sealed until
    further order of the court upon good cause shown and the
    name of the aggrieved person obliterated on the official
    index required to be kept by the circuit court clerk under
    Section 16 of the Clerks of Courts Act, but the order shall
    not affect any index issued by the circuit court clerk
    before the entry of the order. Nothing in this Section
    shall limit the Department of State Police or other
    criminal justice agencies or prosecutors from listing
    under an offender's name the false names he or she has
    used.
        (5) Whenever a person has been convicted of criminal
    sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault,
    predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal
    sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse, the
    victim of that offense may request that the State's
    Attorney of the county in which the conviction occurred
    file a verified petition with the presiding trial judge at
    the petitioner's trial to have a court order entered to
    seal the records of the circuit court clerk in connection
    with the proceedings of the trial court concerning that
    offense. However, the records of the arresting authority
    and the Department of State Police concerning the offense
    shall not be sealed. The court, upon good cause shown,
    shall make the records of the circuit court clerk in
    connection with the proceedings of the trial court
    concerning the offense available for public inspection.
        (6) If a conviction has been set aside on direct review
    or on collateral attack and the court determines by clear
    and convincing evidence that the petitioner was factually
    innocent of the charge, the court shall enter an
    expungement order as provided in subsection (b) of Section
    5-5-4 of the Unified Code of Corrections.
        (7) Nothing in this Section shall prevent the
    Department of State Police from maintaining all records of
    any person who is admitted to probation upon terms and
    conditions and who fulfills those terms and conditions
    pursuant to Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act, Section
    410 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, Section 70
    of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection
    Act, Section 12-4.3 of the Criminal Code of 1961, Section
    10-102 of the Illinois Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependency
    Act, Section 40-10 of the Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse
    and Dependency Act, or Section 10 of the Steroid Control
    Act.
    (c) Sealing.
        (1) Applicability. Notwithstanding any other provision
    of this Act to the contrary, and cumulative with any rights
    to expungement of criminal records, this subsection
    authorizes the sealing of criminal records of adults and of
    minors prosecuted as adults.
        (2) Eligible Records. The following records may be
    sealed:
            (A) All arrests resulting in release without
        charging;
            (B) Arrests or charges not initiated by arrest
        resulting in acquittal, dismissal, or conviction when
        the conviction was reversed or vacated, except as
        excluded by subsection (a)(3)(B) or (a)(3)(D);
            (C) Arrests or charges not initiated by arrest
        resulting in orders of supervision successfully
        completed by the petitioner, unless excluded by
        subsection (a)(3);
            (D) Arrests or charges not initiated by arrest
        resulting in convictions unless excluded by subsection
        (a)(3);
            (E) Arrests or charges not initiated by arrest
        resulting in orders of first offender probation under
        Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act, Section 410 of
        the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or Section 70
        of the Methamphetamine Control and Community
        Protection Act; and
            (F) Arrests or charges not initiated by arrest
        resulting in Class 4 felony convictions for the
        following offenses:
                (i) Section 11-14 of the Criminal Code of 1961;
                (ii) Section 4 of the Cannabis Control Act;
                (iii) Section 402 of the Illinois Controlled
            Substances Act;
                (iv) the Methamphetamine Precursor Control
            Act; and
                (v) the Steroid Control Act.
        (3) When Records Are Eligible to Be Sealed. Records
    identified as eligible under subsection (c)(2) may be
    sealed as follows:
            (A) Records identified as eligible under
        subsection (c)(2)(A) and (c)(2)(B) may be sealed at any
        time.
            (B) Records identified as eligible under
        subsection (c)(2)(C) may be sealed (i) 3 years after
        the termination of petitioner's last sentence (as
        defined in subsection (a)(1)(F)) if the petitioner has
        never been convicted of a criminal offense (as defined
        in subsection (a)(1)(D)); or (ii) 4 years after the
        termination of the petitioner's last sentence (as
        defined in subsection (a)(1)(F)) if the petitioner has
        ever been convicted of a criminal offense (as defined
        in subsection (a)(1)(D)).
            (C) Records identified as eligible under
        subsections (c)(2)(D), (c)(2)(E), and (c)(2)(F) may be
        sealed 4 years after the termination of the
        petitioner's last sentence (as defined in subsection
        (a)(1)(F)).
        (4) Subsequent felony convictions. A person may not
    have subsequent felony conviction records sealed as
    provided in this subsection (c) if he or she is convicted
    of any felony offense after the date of the sealing of
    prior felony convictions as provided in this subsection
    (c). The court may, upon conviction for a subsequent felony
    offense, order the unsealing of prior felony conviction
    records previously ordered sealed by the court.
        (5) Notice of eligibility for sealing. Upon entry of a
    disposition for an eligible record under this subsection
    (c), the petitioner shall be informed by the court of the
    right to have the records sealed and the procedures for the
    sealing of the records.
    (d) Procedure. The following procedures apply to
expungement under subsections (b) and (e), and sealing under
subsection (c):
        (1) Filing the petition. Upon becoming eligible to
    petition for the expungement or sealing of records under
    this Section, the petitioner shall file a petition
    requesting the expungement or sealing of records with the
    clerk of the court where the arrests occurred or the
    charges were brought, or both. If arrests occurred or
    charges were brought in multiple jurisdictions, a petition
    must be filed in each such jurisdiction. The petitioner
    shall pay the applicable fee, if not waived.
        (2) Contents of petition. The petition shall be
    verified and shall contain the petitioner's name, date of
    birth, current address and, for each arrest or charge not
    initiated by arrest sought to be sealed or expunged, the
    case number, the date of arrest (if any), the identity of
    the arresting authority, and such other information as the
    court may require. During the pendency of the proceeding,
    the petitioner shall promptly notify the circuit court
    clerk of any change of his or her address.
        (3) Drug test. The petitioner must attach to the
    petition proof that the petitioner has passed a test taken
    within 30 days before the filing of the petition showing
    the absence within his or her body of all illegal
    substances as defined by the Illinois Controlled
    Substances Act, the Methamphetamine Control and Community
    Protection Act, and the Cannabis Control Act if he or she
    is petitioning to seal felony records pursuant to clause
    (c)(2)(E) or (c)(2)(F)(ii)-(v) or if he or she is
    petitioning to expunge felony records of a qualified
    probation pursuant to clause (b)(1)(B)(iv).
        (4) Service of petition. The circuit court clerk shall
    promptly serve a copy of the petition on the State's
    Attorney or prosecutor charged with the duty of prosecuting
    the offense, the Department of State Police, the arresting
    agency and the chief legal officer of the unit of local
    government effecting the arrest.
        (5) Objections.
            (A) Any party entitled to notice of the petition
        may file an objection to the petition. All objections
        shall be in writing, shall be filed with the circuit
        court clerk, and shall state with specificity the basis
        of the objection.
            (B) Objections to a petition to expunge or seal
        must be filed within 60 days of the date of service of
        the petition.
        (6) Entry of order.
            (A) The Chief Judge of the circuit wherein the
        charge was brought, any judge of that circuit
        designated by the Chief Judge, or in counties of less
        than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the presiding trial judge
        at the petitioner's trial, if any, shall rule on the
        petition to expunge or seal as set forth in this
        subsection (d)(6).
            (B) Unless the State's Attorney or prosecutor, the
        Department of State Police, the arresting agency, or
        the chief legal officer files an objection to the
        petition to expunge or seal within 60 days from the
        date of service of the petition, the court shall enter
        an order granting or denying the petition.
        (7) Hearings. If an objection is filed, the court shall
    set a date for a hearing and notify the petitioner and all
    parties entitled to notice of the petition of the hearing
    date at least 30 days prior to the hearing, and shall hear
    evidence on whether the petition should or should not be
    granted, and shall grant or deny the petition to expunge or
    seal the records based on the evidence presented at the
    hearing.
        (8) Service of order. After entering an order to
    expunge or seal records, the court must provide copies of
    the order to the Department, in a form and manner
    prescribed by the Department, to the petitioner, to the
    State's Attorney or prosecutor charged with the duty of
    prosecuting the offense, to the arresting agency, to the
    chief legal officer of the unit of local government
    effecting the arrest, and to such other criminal justice
    agencies as may be ordered by the court.
        (9) Effect of order.
            (A) Upon entry of an order to expunge records
        pursuant to (b)(2)(A) or (b)(2)(B)(ii), or both:
                (i) the records shall be expunged (as defined
            in subsection (a)(1)(E)) by the arresting agency,
            the Department, and any other agency as ordered by
            the court, within 60 days of the date of service of
            the order, unless a motion to vacate, modify, or
            reconsider the order is filed pursuant to
            paragraph (12) of subsection (d) of this Section;
                (ii) the records of the circuit court clerk
            shall be impounded until further order of the court
            upon good cause shown and the name of the
            petitioner obliterated on the official index
            required to be kept by the circuit court clerk
            under Section 16 of the Clerks of Courts Act, but
            the order shall not affect any index issued by the
            circuit court clerk before the entry of the order;
            and
                (iii) in response to an inquiry for expunged
            records, the court, the Department, or the agency
            receiving such inquiry, shall reply as it does in
            response to inquiries when no records ever
            existed.
            (B) Upon entry of an order to expunge records
        pursuant to (b)(2)(B)(i) or (b)(2)(C), or both:
                (i) the records shall be expunged (as defined
            in subsection (a)(1)(E)) by the arresting agency
            and any other agency as ordered by the court,
            within 60 days of the date of service of the order,
            unless a motion to vacate, modify, or reconsider
            the order is filed pursuant to paragraph (12) of
            subsection (d) of this Section;
                (ii) the records of the circuit court clerk
            shall be impounded until further order of the court
            upon good cause shown and the name of the
            petitioner obliterated on the official index
            required to be kept by the circuit court clerk
            under Section 16 of the Clerks of Courts Act, but
            the order shall not affect any index issued by the
            circuit court clerk before the entry of the order;
                (iii) the records shall be impounded by the
            Department within 60 days of the date of service of
            the order as ordered by the court, unless a motion
            to vacate, modify, or reconsider the order is filed
            pursuant to paragraph (12) of subsection (d) of
            this Section;
                (iv) records impounded by the Department may
            be disseminated by the Department only as required
            by law or to the arresting authority, the State's
            Attorney, and the court upon a later arrest for the
            same or a similar offense or for the purpose of
            sentencing for any subsequent felony, and to the
            Department of Corrections upon conviction for any
            offense; and
                (v) in response to an inquiry for such records
            from anyone not authorized by law to access such
            records the court, the Department, or the agency
            receiving such inquiry shall reply as it does in
            response to inquiries when no records ever
            existed.
            (C) Upon entry of an order to seal records under
        subsection (c), the arresting agency, any other agency
        as ordered by the court, the Department, and the court
        shall seal the records (as defined in subsection
        (a)(1)(K)). In response to an inquiry for such records
        from anyone not authorized by law to access such
        records the court, the Department, or the agency
        receiving such inquiry shall reply as it does in
        response to inquiries when no records ever existed.
        (10) Fees. The Department may charge the petitioner a
    fee equivalent to the cost of processing any order to
    expunge or seal records. Notwithstanding any provision of
    the Clerks of Courts Act to the contrary, the circuit court
    clerk may charge a fee equivalent to the cost associated
    with the sealing or expungement of records by the circuit
    court clerk. From the total filing fee collected for the
    petition to seal or expunge, the circuit court clerk shall
    deposit $10 into the Circuit Court Clerk Operation and
    Administrative Fund, to be used to offset the costs
    incurred by the circuit court clerk in performing the
    additional duties required to serve the petition to seal or
    expunge on all parties. The circuit court clerk shall
    collect and forward the Department of State Police portion
    of the fee to the Department and it shall be deposited in
    the State Police Services Fund.
        (11) Final Order. No court order issued under the
    expungement or sealing provisions of this Section shall
    become final for purposes of appeal until 30 days after
    service of the order on the petitioner and all parties
    entitled to notice of the petition.
        (12) Motion to Vacate, Modify, or Reconsider. The
    petitioner or any party entitled to notice may file a
    motion to vacate, modify, or reconsider the order granting
    or denying the petition to expunge or seal within 60 days
    of service of the order.
    (e) Whenever a person who has been convicted of an offense
is granted a pardon by the Governor which specifically
authorizes expungement, he or she may, upon verified petition
to the Chief Judge of the circuit where the person had been
convicted, any judge of the circuit designated by the Chief
Judge, or in counties of less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the
presiding trial judge at the defendant's trial, have a court
order entered expunging the record of arrest from the official
records of the arresting authority and order that the records
of the circuit court clerk and the Department be sealed until
further order of the court upon good cause shown or as
otherwise provided herein, and the name of the defendant
obliterated from the official index requested to be kept by the
circuit court clerk under Section 16 of the Clerks of Courts
Act in connection with the arrest and conviction for the
offense for which he or she had been pardoned but the order
shall not affect any index issued by the circuit court clerk
before the entry of the order. All records sealed by the
Department may be disseminated by the Department only as
required by law or to the arresting authority, the State's
Attorney, and the court upon a later arrest for the same or
similar offense or for the purpose of sentencing for any
subsequent felony. Upon conviction for any subsequent offense,
the Department of Corrections shall have access to all sealed
records of the Department pertaining to that individual. Upon
entry of the order of expungement, the circuit court clerk
shall promptly mail a copy of the order to the person who was
pardoned.
    (f) Subject to available funding, the Illinois Department
of Corrections shall conduct a study of the impact of sealing,
especially on employment and recidivism rates, utilizing a
random sample of those who apply for the sealing of their
criminal records under Public Act 93-211. At the request of the
Illinois Department of Corrections, records of the Illinois
Department of Employment Security shall be utilized as
appropriate to assist in the study. The study shall not
disclose any data in a manner that would allow the
identification of any particular individual or employing unit.
The study shall be made available to the General Assembly no
later than September 1, 2010.
(Source: P.A. 96-409, eff. 1-1-10; 96-1401, eff. 7-29-10.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/19/2011