HB5771eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5771 Engrossed LRB097 19180 RLC 64422 b

AN ACT concerning certificates of good conduct and relief from disabilities.

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 5-5.5-5, 5-5.5-15, 5-5.5-25, and 5-5.5-30 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/5-5.5-5)

Sec. 5-5.5-5. Definitions and rules of construction. In this Article:

"Eligible offender" means a person who has been convicted of a crime in this State or of an offense in any other jurisdiction that does not include any offense or attempted offense that would subject a person to registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act, the Arsonist Registration Act, or the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act, but who has not been convicted more than twice of a felony. "Eligible offender" does not include a person who has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit a Class X felony, aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof, aggravated domestic battery, or a forcible felony.

"Felony" means a conviction of a felony in this State, or of an offense in any other jurisdiction for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in excess of one year, was authorized.

For the purposes of this Article the following rules of construction apply:

(i) two or more convictions of felonies charged in separate counts of one indictment or information shall be deemed to be one conviction;

(ii) two or more convictions of felonies charged in 2 or more indictments or informations, filed in the same court prior to entry of judgment under any of them, shall be deemed to be one conviction; and

(iii) a plea or a verdict of guilty upon which a sentence of probation, conditional discharge, or supervision has been imposed shall be deemed to be a conviction.

"Forcible felony" means first degree murder, second degree murder, aggravated arson, arson, aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping, aggravated battery that resulted in great bodily harm or permanent disability, and any other felony which involved the use of physical force or violence against any individual that resulted in great bodily harm or permanent disability.

(Source: P.A. 96-852, eff. 1-1-10; 97-154, eff. 1-1-12.)

(730 ILCS 5/5-5.5-15)

Sec. 5-5.5-15. Certificates of relief from disabilities issued by courts.

(a) Any circuit court of this State may issue a certificate of relief from disabilities to an eligible offender for a conviction that occurred in that court if the court imposed the sentence. The certificate may be issued (i) at the time sentence is pronounced, in which case it may grant relief from disabilities, or (ii) at any time thereafter, in which case it shall apply only to disabilities.

(b) The certificate may not be issued by the court unless the court is satisfied, based on a preponderance of the clear and convincing evidence, that:

(1) the person to whom it is to be granted is an eligible offender, as defined in Section 5-5.5-5;

(2) the relief to be granted by the certificate is consistent with the rehabilitation of the eligible offender; and

(3) the relief to be granted by the certificate is consistent with the public interest.

(c) If a certificate of relief from disabilities is not issued at the time sentence is pronounced it shall only be issued thereafter upon verified application to the court. The court may, for the purpose of determining whether the certificate shall be issued, request the probation or court services department to conduct an investigation of the applicant. Any probation officer requested to make an investigation under this Section shall prepare and submit to the court a written report in accordance with the request.

(d) Any court that has issued a certificate of relief from disabilities may at any time issue a new certificate to enlarge the relief previously granted provided that the provisions of clauses (1) through (3) of subsection (b) of this Section apply to the issuance of any such new certificate.

(e) Any written report submitted to the court under this Section is confidential and may not be made available to any person or public or private agency except if specifically required or permitted by statute or upon specific authorization of the court. However, it shall be made available by the court for examination by the applicant's attorney, or the applicant himself or herself, if he or she has no attorney. In its discretion, the court may except from disclosure a part or parts of the report that are not relevant to the granting of a certificate, or sources of information which have been obtained on a promise of confidentiality, or any other portion of the report, disclosure of which would not be in the interest of justice. The action of the court excepting information from disclosure shall be subject to appellate review. The court, in its discretion, may hold a conference in open court or in chambers to afford an applicant an opportunity to controvert or to comment upon any portions of the report. The court may also conduct a summary hearing at the conference on any matter relevant to the granting of the application and may take testimony under oath.

(f) An employer is not civilly or criminally liable for an act or omission by an employee who has been issued a certificate of relief from disabilities, except for a willful or wanton act by the employer in hiring the employee who has been issued a certificate of relief from disabilities.

(Source: P.A. 96-852, eff. 1-1-10.)

(730 ILCS 5/5-5.5-25)

Sec. 5-5.5-25. Certificate of good conduct.

(a) A certificate of good conduct may be granted as provided in this Section to relieve an eligible offender of any employment bar. The certificate may be limited to one or more disabilities or bars or may relieve the individual of all disabilities and bars.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a certificate of good conduct does not relieve an offender of any employment-related disability imposed by law by reason of his or her conviction of a crime that would prevent his or her employment by the Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, or any other law enforcement agency in the State.

(a-6) A certificate of good conduct may be granted as provided in this Section to an eligible offender as defined in Section 5-5.5-5 of this Code who has demonstrated by a preponderance of the clear and convincing evidence that he or she has been a law-abiding citizen and is fully rehabilitated.

(b)(i) A certificate of good conduct may not, however, in any way prevent any judicial proceeding, administrative, licensing, or other body, board, or authority from considering the conviction specified in the certificate.

(ii) A certificate of good conduct shall not limit or prevent the introduction of evidence of a prior conviction for purposes of impeachment of a witness in a judicial or other proceeding where otherwise authorized by the applicable rules of evidence.

(iii) A certificate of good conduct does not limit the employer from accessing criminal background information; nor does it hide, alter, or expunge the record.

(c) An employer is not civilly or criminally liable for an act or omission by an employee who has been issued a certificate of good conduct, except for a willful or wanton act by the employer in hiring the employee who has been issued a certificate of good conduct.

(Source: P.A. 96-852, eff. 1-1-10.)

(730 ILCS 5/5-5.5-30)

Sec. 5-5.5-30. Issuance of certificate of good conduct.

(a) After a rehabilitation review has been held, in a manner designated by the chief judge of the judicial circuit in which the conviction was entered, the Circuit Court of that judicial circuit shall have the power to issue a certificate of good conduct to any eligible offender previously convicted of a crime in this State, and shall make a specific finding of rehabilitation with the force and effect of a final judgment on the merits, when the Court is satisfied that:

(1) the applicant has conducted himself or herself in a manner warranting the issuance for a minimum period in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section;

(2) the relief to be granted by the certificate is consistent with the rehabilitation of the applicant; and

(3) the relief to be granted is consistent with the public interest.

(b) The Circuit Court shall have the power to issue a certificate of good conduct to any person previously convicted of a crime in any other jurisdiction, when the Court is satisfied that:

(1) the applicant has demonstrated that there exist specific facts and circumstances and specific sections of Illinois State law that have an adverse impact on the applicant and warrant the application for relief to be made in Illinois; and

(2) the provisions of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a) of this Section have been met.

(c) The minimum period of good conduct by the individual referred to in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Section, shall be as follows: if the most serious crime of which the individual was convicted is a misdemeanor, the minimum period of good conduct shall be one year; if the most serious crime of which the individual was convicted is a Class 1, 2, 3, or 4 felony, the minimum period of good conduct shall be 3 years. Criminal acts committed outside the State shall be classified as acts committed within the State based on the maximum sentence that could have been imposed based upon the conviction under the laws of the foreign jurisdiction. The minimum period of good conduct by the individual shall be measured either from the date of the payment of any fine imposed upon him or her, or from the date of his or her release from custody by parole, mandatory supervised release or commutation or termination of his or her sentence. The Circuit Court shall have power and it shall be its duty to investigate all persons when the application is made and to grant or deny the same within a reasonable time after the making of the application.

(d) If the Circuit Court has issued a certificate of good conduct, the Court may at any time issue a new certificate enlarging the relief previously granted.

(e) Any certificate of good conduct issued by the Court to an individual who at the time of the issuance of the certificate is under the conditions of parole or mandatory supervised release imposed by the Prisoner Review Board shall be deemed to be a temporary certificate until the time as the individual is discharged from the terms of parole or mandatory supervised release, and, while temporary, the certificate may be revoked by the Court for violation of the conditions of parole or mandatory supervised release. Revocation shall be upon notice to the parolee or releasee, who shall be accorded an opportunity to explain the violation prior to a decision on the revocation. If the certificate is not so revoked, it shall become a permanent certificate upon expiration or termination of the offender's parole or mandatory supervised release term.

(f) The Court shall, upon notice to a certificate holder, have the power to revoke a certificate of good conduct upon a subsequent conviction.

(Source: P.A. 96-852, eff. 1-1-10.)