HB3157 EngrossedLRB097 08722 RLC 48851 b

1    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding
5Section 36-1.5 as follows:
 
6    (720 ILCS 5/36-1.5 new)
7    Sec. 36-1.5. Preliminary Review.
8    (a) Within 14 days of the seizure, the State shall seek a
9preliminary determination from the circuit court as to whether
10there is probable cause that the property may be subject to
11forfeiture.
12    (b) The rules of evidence shall not apply to any proceeding
13conducted under this Section.
14    (c) The court may conduct the review under subsection (a)
15simultaneously with a proceeding pursuant to Section 109-1 of
16the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 for a related criminal
17offense if a prosecution is commenced by information or
18complaint.
19    (d) The court may accept a finding of probable cause at a
20preliminary hearing following the filing of an information or
21complaint charging a related criminal offense or following the
22return of indictment by a grand jury charging the related
23offense as sufficient evidence of probable cause as required

 

 

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1under subsection (a).
2    (e) Upon making a finding of probable cause as required
3under this Section, the circuit court shall enter a restraining
4order or injunction, or take other appropriate action, as
5necessary to ensure that the property is not removed from the
6court's jurisdiction and is not concealed, destroyed, or
7otherwise disposed of by the property owner or interest holder
8before a forfeiture hearing is conducted.
 
9    Section 10. The Drug Asset Forfeiture Procedure Act is
10amended by changing Section 6 and by adding Section 3.5 as
11follows:
 
12    (725 ILCS 150/3.5 new)
13    Sec. 3.5. Preliminary Review.
14    (a) Within 14 days of the seizure, the State shall seek a
15preliminary determination from the circuit court as to whether
16there is probable cause that the property may be subject to
17forfeiture.
18    (b) The rules of evidence shall not apply to any proceeding
19conducted under this Section.
20    (c) The court may conduct the review under subsection (a)
21simultaneously with a proceeding pursuant to Section 109-1 of
22the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 for a related criminal
23offense if a prosecution is commenced by information or
24complaint.

 

 

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1    (d) The court may accept a finding of probable cause at a
2preliminary hearing following the filing of an information or
3complaint charging a related criminal offense or following the
4return of indictment by a grand jury charging the related
5offense as sufficient evidence of probable cause as required
6under subsection (a).
7    (e) Upon making a finding of probable cause as required
8under this Section, the circuit court shall enter a restraining
9order or injunction, or take other appropriate action, as
10necessary to ensure that the property is not removed from the
11court's jurisdiction and is not concealed, destroyed, or
12otherwise disposed of by the property owner or interest holder
13before a forfeiture hearing is conducted.
 
14    (725 ILCS 150/6)  (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 1676)
15    Sec. 6. Non-Judicial Forfeiture. If non-real property that
16exceeds $150,000 $20,000 in value excluding the value of any
17conveyance, or if real property is seized under the provisions
18of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis Control
19Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection
20Act, the State's Attorney shall institute judicial in rem
21forfeiture proceedings as described in Section 9 of this Act
22within 45 days from receipt of notice of seizure from the
23seizing agency under Section 5 of this Act. However, if
24non-real property that does not exceed $150,000 $20,000 in
25value excluding the value of any conveyance is seized, the

 

 

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1following procedure shall be used:
2    (A) If, after review of the facts surrounding the seizure,
3the State's Attorney is of the opinion that the seized property
4is subject to forfeiture, then within 45 days of the receipt of
5notice of seizure from the seizing agency, the State's Attorney
6shall cause notice of pending forfeiture to be given to the
7owner of the property and all known interest holders of the
8property in accordance with Section 4 of this Act.
9    (B) The notice of pending forfeiture must include a
10description of the property, the estimated value of the
11property, the date and place of seizure, the conduct giving
12rise to forfeiture or the violation of law alleged, and a
13summary of procedures and procedural rights applicable to the
14forfeiture action.
15    (C) (1) Any person claiming an interest in property which
16    is the subject of notice under subsection (A) of Section 6
17    of this Act, may, within 45 days after the effective date
18    of notice as described in Section 4 of this Act, file a
19    verified claim with the State's Attorney expressing his or
20    her interest in the property. The claim must set forth:
21            (i) the caption of the proceedings as set forth on
22        the notice of pending forfeiture and the name of the
23        claimant;
24            (ii) the address at which the claimant will accept
25        mail;
26            (iii) the nature and extent of the claimant's

 

 

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1        interest in the property;
2            (iv) the date, identity of the transferor, and
3        circumstances of the claimant's acquisition of the
4        interest in the property;
5            (v) the name and address of all other persons known
6        to have an interest in the property;
7            (vi) the specific provision of law relied on in
8        asserting the property is not subject to forfeiture;
9            (vii) all essential facts supporting each
10        assertion; and
11            (viii) the relief sought.
12        (2) If a claimant files the claim and deposits with the
13    State's Attorney a cost bond, in the form of a cashier's
14    check payable to the clerk of the court, in the sum of 10
15    percent of the reasonable value of the property as alleged
16    by the State's Attorney or the sum of $100, whichever is
17    greater, upon condition that, in the case of forfeiture,
18    the claimant must pay all costs and expenses of forfeiture
19    proceedings, then the State's Attorney shall institute
20    judicial in rem forfeiture proceedings and deposit the cost
21    bond with the clerk of the court as described in Section 9
22    of this Act within 45 days after receipt of the claim and
23    cost bond. In lieu of a cost bond, a person claiming
24    interest in the seized property may file, under penalty of
25    perjury, an indigency affidavit.
26        (3) If none of the seized property is forfeited in the

 

 

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1    judicial in rem proceeding, the clerk of the court shall
2    return to the claimant, unless the court orders otherwise,
3    90% of the sum which has been deposited and shall retain as
4    costs 10% of the money deposited. If any of the seized
5    property is forfeited under the judicial forfeiture
6    proceeding, the clerk of the court shall transfer 90% of
7    the sum which has been deposited to the State's Attorney
8    prosecuting the civil forfeiture to be applied to the costs
9    of prosecution and the clerk shall retain as costs 10% of
10    the sum deposited.
11    (D) If no claim is filed or bond given within the 45 day
12period as described in subsection (C) of Section 6 of this Act,
13the State's Attorney shall declare the property forfeited and
14shall promptly notify the owner and all known interest holders
15of the property and the Director of the Illinois Department of
16State Police of the declaration of forfeiture and the Director
17shall dispose of the property in accordance with law.
18(Source: P.A. 94-556, eff. 9-11-05.)