HB3588ham002 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Michael J. Zalewski

Filed: 4/15/2015

09900HB3588ham002 LRB099 07636 RLC 33727 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3588

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3588, AS AMENDED, by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Department of State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2605-605 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2605/2605-605 new)

Sec. 2605-605. Law enforcement field testing to instantly identify synthetic drugs.

(a) The Department of State Police shall create a pilot program that uses technologies and protocols to instantly identify synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones (synthetic drugs), as well as other designer drugs. The pilot program shall focus on using technology capable of presumptive identification of illicit drugs in the field.

(b) A minimum of 3 separate districts in the State shall be equipped to operate the pilot program. The Department of State Police may choose to have one or more of the pilot sites located within a municipal or county police department.

(c) Before July 30, 2016, the Department of State Police shall submit a report to the General Assembly outlining the findings of the pilot program, and make any recommendation on whether the technologies and protocols selected for the pilot program can be used to help prevent the growth of synthetic drugs and other illicit drugs throughout the State. The evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) review of technical capabilities and accuracy rates of technologies and protocols selected for the pilot program;

(2) the impact on State and local crime laboratory backlogs if the technologies and protocols selected could eliminate the need to send synthetic drugs, or other illicit drugs to the crime laboratory for presumptive testing, including the potential cost savings to State and local government; and

(3) the status of court acceptance of the technologies and protocols selected for the pilot program for the presumptive identification of synthetic drugs and other illicit drugs.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".