Public Act 096-1092
 
HB5791 EnrolledLRB096 16483 RLC 35523 b

    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act is
amended by changing Section 8.5 as follows:
 
    (725 ILCS 120/8.5)
    Sec. 8.5. Statewide victim and witness notification
system.
    (a) The Attorney General may establish a crime victim and
witness notification system to assist public officials in
carrying out their duties to notify and inform crime victims
and witnesses under Section 4.5 of this Act or under
subsections (a), (a-2), and (a-3) of Section 120 of the Sex
Offender Community Notification Law as the Attorney General
specifies by rule. The system shall download necessary
information from participating officials into its computers,
where it shall be maintained, updated, and automatically
transmitted to victims and witnesses by telephone, computer, or
written notice.
    (b) The Illinois Department of Corrections, the Department
of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Human Services, and the
Prisoner Review Board shall cooperate with the Attorney General
in the implementation of this Section and shall provide
information as necessary to the effective operation of the
system.
    (c) State's attorneys, circuit court clerks, and local law
enforcement and correctional authorities may enter into
agreements with the Attorney General for participation in the
system. The Attorney General may provide those who elect to
participate with the equipment, software, or training
necessary to bring their offices into the system.
    (d) The provision of information to crime victims and
witnesses through the Attorney General's notification system
satisfies a given State or local official's corresponding
obligation under Section 4.5 to provide the information.
    (e) The Attorney General may provide for telephonic,
electronic, or other public access to the database established
under this Section.
    (f) The Attorney General shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement this Section. The rules shall include, but not be
limited to, provisions for the scope and operation of any
system the Attorney General may establish and procedures,
requirements, and standards for entering into agreements to
participate in the system and to receive equipment, software,
or training.
    (g) There is established in the Office of the Attorney
General a Crime Victim and Witness Notification Advisory
Committee consisting of those victims advocates, sheriffs,
State's Attorneys, circuit court clerks, Illinois Department
of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and
Prisoner Review Board employees that the Attorney General
chooses to appoint. The Attorney General shall designate one
member to chair the Committee.
        (1) The Committee shall consult with and advise the
    Attorney General as to the exercise of the Attorney
    General's authority under this Section, including, but not
    limited to:
            (i) the design, scope, and operation of the
        notification system;
            (ii) the content of any rules adopted to implement
        this Section;
            (iii) the procurement of hardware, software, and
        support for the system, including choice of supplier or
        operator; and
            (iv) the acceptance of agreements with and the
        award of equipment, software, or training to officials
        that seek to participate in the system.
        (2) The Committee shall review the status and operation
    of the system and report any findings and recommendations
    for changes to the Attorney General and the General
    Assembly by November 1 of each year.
        (3) The members of the Committee shall receive no
    compensation for their services as members of the
    Committee, but may be reimbursed for their actual expenses
    incurred in serving on the Committee.
(Source: P.A. 93-258, eff. 1-1-04; 94-696, eff. 6-1-06.)