Public Act 095-0980
 		





HB4956 Enrolled
LRB095 16009 AJO 42026 b






    AN ACT concerning courts.

 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:


 
    Section 5. The Clerks of Courts Act is amended  by changing 
Section 27.7 as follows:
 



    (705 ILCS 105/27.7)



    Sec. 27.7. Children's waiting room. The expense of 
establishing and maintaining a children's waiting room
for 
children whose parents or guardians are attending a court 
hearing as a
litigant, witness, or for other court purposes as 
determined by
the court may be borne by the county.  To defray 
that expense in
any county having established a children's 
waiting room or that elects to
establish such a system, the 
county board may require the clerk of the circuit
court in the 
county to charge and collect a children's waiting room fee of 
not
more than $10 $5.
The fee shall be paid at the time of 
filing the first pleading, paper,
or other appearance filed by 
each party in all civil cases.
No additional fee shall be 
required if more than one party is presented in
a single 
pleading, paper, or other appearance.  The fee shall be 
collected in
the manner in which all other fees or costs are 
collected.

    Each clerk shall commence the charges and collection upon 
receipt of written
notice from the chairman of the county board 
together with a certified copy of
the board's resolution.  The 
clerk shall file the resolution of record in his
or her
office.

    The fees shall be in addition to all other fees and charges 
of the clerks,
shall be assessable as costs, and may be waived 
only if the judge specifically
provides
for the waiver of the 
children's waiting room fee.  The fees shall be remitted
monthly 
by the clerk to the county treasurer, to be retained by the 
treasurer
in a special fund designated as the children's 
waiting room fund.  The fund
shall be audited by the county 
auditor, and the county board shall make
expenditure
from the 
fund in payment of any cost related to the establishment and

maintenance of the children's waiting room, including 
personnel, heat, light,
telephone, security, rental of space, 
or any other item in connection with the
operation of a 
children's waiting room.

    The fees shall not be charged in any matter coming to the 
clerk on a
change of venue, nor in any proceeding to review the 
decision of any
administrative officer, agency, or body.

(Source: P.A. 89-717, eff. 1-1-98; 90-117, eff. 1-1-98; 90-655, 
eff. 7-30-98.)

 

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