55 ILCS 135/ Coroner Training Board Act.

(55 ILCS 135/1)

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Coroner Training Board Act.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/5)

Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Board" means the Coroner Training Board.

"Coroner" means coroners and deputy coroners.

"Coroner training school" means any school located within or outside the State of Illinois whether privately or publicly owned which offers a course in coroner training and has been approved by the Board.

"Forensic pathologist" means a board certified pathologist by the American Board of Pathology.

"Local governmental agency" means any local governmental unit or municipal corporation in this State. It does not include the State of Illinois or any office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or agency of the State.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/10)

Sec. 10. Board; composition; appointments; tenure; vacancies. The Board shall be composed of 5 members who shall be appointed by the Governor as follows: 2 coroners, one forensic pathologist from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, one forensic pathologist from a county other than Cook County, and one citizen of Illinois who is not currently or was a coroner or forensic pathologist. The initial appointments by the Governor shall be made on the first Monday of August in 2016 and the initial appointments' terms shall be as follows: one coroner and one forensic pathologist shall be for a period of one year, the second coroner and the second forensic pathologist for 3 years, and the citizen for a period of 3 years. Their successors shall be appointed in like manner for terms to expire the first Monday of August each 3 years thereafter. All members shall serve until their respective successors are appointed and qualify. Vacancies shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired terms.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/15)

Sec. 15. Initial board meeting; election of officers. The initial meeting of the Board shall be held no later than August 31, 2016. The Board shall elect from its number a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, adopt rules of procedure, and shall meet at least 4 times each year.

The Board may employ an Executive Director and other necessary clerical and technical personnel. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the Chairman or upon the request of any 2 members. The members of the Board shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for their actual expenses in attending meetings and in the performance of their duties hereunder from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/20)

Sec. 20. Powers of the Board. The Board has the following powers and duties:

(a) To require units of local government to furnish such reports and information as the Board deems necessary to fully implement this Act.

(b) To establish by rule appropriate mandatory minimum standards relating to the training of coroners, including, but not limited to, Part 1760 of Chapter V of Title 20 of the Illinois Administrative Code. The Board shall consult with the Illinois Coroners and Medical Examiners Association when adopting mandatory minimum standards.

(c) To provide appropriate certification to those coroners who successfully complete the prescribed minimum standard basic training course.

(d) To review and approve annual training curriculum for coroners.

(e) To review and approve applicants to ensure no applicant is admitted to a coroner training school unless the applicant is a person of good character and has not been convicted of a felony offense, any of the misdemeanors in Sections 11-1.50, 11-6, 11-9.1, 11-14, 11-17, 11-19, 12-2, 12-15, 16-1, 17-1, 17-2, 28-3, 29-1, 31-1, 31-6, 31-7, 32-4a, or 32-7 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012, subdivision (a)(1) or (a)(2)(C) of Section 11-14.3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012, or subsection (a) of Section 17-32 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012, or Section 5 or 5.2 of the Cannabis Control Act, or a crime involving moral turpitude under the laws of this State or any other state which if committed in this State would be punishable as a felony or a crime of moral turpitude. The Board may appoint investigators who shall enforce the duties conferred upon the Board by this Act.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/25)

Sec. 25. Selection and certification of schools. The Board shall select and certify coroner training schools within or outside the State of Illinois for the purpose of providing basic training for coroners and of providing advanced or in-service training for coroners, which schools may be either publicly or privately owned and operated.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/30)

Sec. 30. Death investigation training; waiver for experience.

(a) The Board shall conduct or approve a training program in death investigation for the training of coroners. Only coroners who successfully complete the training program may be assigned as lead investigators in a coroner's investigations. Satisfactory completion of the training program shall be evidenced by a certificate issued to the coroner by the Board.

(b) The Board shall develop a process for waiver applications sent from a coroner's office for those coroners whose prior training and experience as a death or homicide investigator may qualify them for a waiver. The Board may issue a waiver at its discretion, based solely on the prior training and experience of a coroner as a death or homicide investigator.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/35)

Sec. 35. Acceptance of contributions and gifts. The Board may accept contributions, capital grants, gifts, donations, services or other financial assistance from any individual, association, corporation, the United States of America and any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or any other organization having a legitimate interest in coroner training.

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16.)

(55 ILCS 135/40)

Sec. 40. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted).

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16; text omitted.)

(55 ILCS 135/45)

Sec. 45. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted).

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16; text omitted.)

(55 ILCS 135/50)

Sec. 50. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted).

(Source: P.A. 99-408, eff. 1-1-16; text omitted.)