102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB5545

 

Introduced 1/31/2022, by Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
15 ILCS 205/4  from Ch. 14, par. 4
740 ILCS 45/4.1  from Ch. 70, par. 74.1

    Amends the Crime Victims Compensation Act. Requires the Attorney General to conduct an annual awareness campaign informing individuals of the rights granted to individuals under the Act. Makes a corresponding change in the Attorney General Act.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB5545LRB102 25333 LNS 34609 b

1    AN ACT concerning the Attorney General.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Attorney General Act is amended by changing
5Section 4 as follows:
 
6    (15 ILCS 205/4)  (from Ch. 14, par. 4)
7    Sec. 4. The duties of the Attorney General shall be--
8    First - To appear for and represent the people of the State
9before the supreme court in all cases in which the State or the
10people of the State are interested.
11    Second - To institute and prosecute all actions and
12proceedings in favor of or for the use of the State, which may
13be necessary in the execution of the duties of any State
14officer.
15    Third - To defend all actions and proceedings against any
16State officer, in his official capacity, in any of the courts
17of this State or the United States.
18    Fourth - To consult with and advise the several State's
19Attorneys in matters relating to the duties of their office;
20and when, in his judgment, the interest of the people of the
21State requires it, he shall attend the trial of any party
22accused of crime, and assist in the prosecution. When the
23Attorney General has requested in writing that a State's

 

 

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1Attorney initiate court proceedings to enforce any provisions
2of the Election Code or to initiate a criminal prosecution
3with respect to a violation of the Election Code, and when the
4State's Attorney has declined in writing to initiate those
5proceedings or prosecutions or when the State's Attorney has
6neither initiated the proceedings or prosecutions nor
7responded in writing to the Attorney General within 60 days of
8the receipt of the request, the Attorney General may,
9concurrently with or independently of the State's Attorney,
10initiate such proceedings or prosecutions. The Attorney
11General may investigate and prosecute any violation of the
12Election Code at the request of the State Board of Elections or
13a State's Attorney.
14    Fifth - To investigate alleged violations of the statutes
15which the Attorney General has a duty to enforce and to conduct
16other investigations in connection with assisting in the
17prosecution of a criminal offense at the request of a State's
18Attorney.
19    Sixth - To consult with and advise the governor and other
20State officers, and give, when requested, written opinions
21upon all legal or constitutional questions relating to the
22duties of such officers respectively.
23    Seventh - To prepare, when necessary, proper drafts for
24contracts and other writings relating to subjects in which the
25State is interested.
26    Eighth - To give written opinions, when requested by

 

 

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1either branch of the general assembly, or any committee
2thereof, upon constitutional or legal questions.
3    Ninth - To enforce the proper application of funds
4appropriated to the public institutions of the State,
5prosecute breaches of trust in the administration of such
6funds, and, when necessary, prosecute corporations for failure
7or refusal to make the reports required by law.
8    Tenth - To keep, a register of all cases prosecuted or
9defended by him, in behalf of the State or its officers, and of
10all proceedings had in relation thereto, and to deliver the
11same to his successor in office.
12    Eleventh - To keep on file in his office a copy of the
13official opinions issued by the Attorney General and deliver
14same to his successor.
15    Twelfth - To pay into the State treasury all moneys
16received by him for the use of the State.
17    Thirteenth - To attend to and perform any other duty which
18may, from time to time, be required of him by law.
19    Fourteenth - To attend, present evidence to and prosecute
20indictments returned by each Statewide Grand Jury.
21    Fifteenth - To give written binding and advisory public
22access opinions as provided in Section 7 of this Act.
23    Sixteenth - To fulfill the duties of the Attorney General
24set forth in the Crime Victims Compensation Act.
25(Source: P.A. 95-699, eff. 11-9-07; 96-542, eff. 1-1-10.)
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. The Crime Victims Compensation Act is amended
2by changing Section 4.1 as follows:
 
3    (740 ILCS 45/4.1)  (from Ch. 70, par. 74.1)
4    Sec. 4.1. Attorney General duties.
5    (a) In addition to other powers and duties set forth in
6this Act and other powers exercised by the Attorney General,
7the Attorney General shall:
8        (1) investigate all claims and prepare and present an
9    investigatory report and a draft award determination to
10    the Court of Claims for a review period of 28 business
11    days;
12        (2) upon conclusion of the review by the Court of
13    Claims, provide the applicant with a compensation
14    determination letter;
15        (3) prescribe and furnish all applications and other
16    forms required to be filed in the office of the Attorney
17    General by the terms of this Act; and
18        (4) represent the interests of the State of Illinois
19    in any hearing before the Court of Claims.
20    The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of
21the 101st General Assembly apply to actions commenced or
22pending on or after January 1, 2022.
23    (b) The Attorney General shall conduct an annual awareness
24campaign informing individuals of the rights granted to
25individuals under this Act, including, but not limited to, who

 

 

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1may apply for compensation and how to apply for compensation.
2(Source: P.A. 101-652, eff. 7-1-21; 102-27, eff. 6-25-21.)