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92_HB2228 LRB9206812ARsb 1 AN ACT concerning evidence. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by 5 changing Section 31-4 as follows: 6 (720 ILCS 5/31-4) (from Ch. 38, par. 31-4) 7 Sec. 31-4. Obstructing justice. 8 A person obstructs justice when, with intent to prevent 9 the apprehension or obstruct the prosecution or defense of 10 any person, he knowingly commits any of the following acts: 11 (a) Destroys, alters, conceals or disguises physical 12 evidence, plants false evidence, furnishes false information; 13 or 14 (a-5) Violates the provisions of Section 116-4 of the 15 Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963; or 16 (b) Induces a witness having knowledge material to the 17 subject at issue to leave the State or conceal himself; or 18 (c) Possessing knowledge material to the subject at 19 issue, he leaves the State or conceals himself. 20 (d) Sentence. 21 (1) Obstructing justice is a Class 4 felony, except 22 as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection (d). 23 (2) Obstructing justice in furtherance of 24 streetgang related or gang-related activity, as defined 25 in Section 10 of the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism 26 Omnibus Prevention Act, is a Class 3 felony. 27 (Source: P.A. 90-363, eff. 1-1-98.) 28 (720 ILCS 5/33-5 rep.) 29 Section 10. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by 30 repealing Section 33-5. -2- LRB9206812ARsb 1 Section 15. The Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 is 2 amended by changing Section 116-4 as follows: 3 (725 ILCS 5/116-4) 4 Sec. 116-4. Preservation of evidenceChain of custody. 5 (a) In a prosecution for any felony, as defined in 6 Section 2-7a violation of Section 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1,712-15, or 12-16of the Criminal Code of 1961, unless 8 otherwise provided by law or court order, aor in a9prosecution for an offense defined in Article 9 of that Code,10thelaw enforcement agency, licensed attorney, or any person 11 acting as an agent on behalf of a law enforcement agency,and12the State's Attorney's Officeshall preserve, subject to a13continuous chain of custody,any physical evidence in the 14 possession of the law enforcement agency, attorney, or agent 15 that has been inventoriedsecuredin relation to a trial, 16 withandsufficientofficialdocumentation to locate that 17 evidence. 18 (b) After a trial resulting in a judgment of conviction, 19 (1) the court shall enter an order requiring all items of 20 physicaltheevidence admitted at trial toshall eitherbe 21 impounded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, (2) either 22 party may petition the court for the entry of an impounding 23 order directing the Clerk of the Circuit Court to impound any 24 evidence inventoried by or in the possession of any law 25 enforcement agency that was not admitted into evidence, and 26 (3) either party may petition the court for the entry of an 27 impounding order directing the Clerk of the Circuit Court to 28 impound any evidence offered by the defendant and not 29 admitted into evidence.or shall be securely retained by a30law enforcement agency. Retention shall be:31(1) Permanent following any conviction for an32offense defined in Article 9 of the Criminal Code of331961.-3- LRB9206812ARsb 1(2) For 25 years following any conviction for a2violation of Section 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, or312-16 of the Criminal Code of 1961.4(3) For 7 years following any conviction for any5other felony for which the defendant's genetic profile6may be taken by a law enforcement agency and submitted7for comparison in a forensic DNA database for unsolved8offenses.9 (b-1) After a trial resulting in acquittal, after the 10 entry of a plea of guilty, or after the dismissal of charges 11 for whatever reason, either party may petition the court for 12 the entry of an order directing the Clerk of the Circuit 13 Court to impound evidence (1) inventoried or in the 14 possession of any law enforcement agency, or (2) in the 15 possession of the defendant's attorney. 16 (c) The court may order the disposal or disposition of 17 any items of physical evidence otherwise subject to an 18 impounding order pursuant to subsections (b) or (b-1)After a19judgment of conviction is entered, the State's Attorney or20law enforcement agency having custody of evidence described21in subsection (a) may petition the court with notice to the22defendant for entry of an order allowing it to dispose of23evidenceif, after a hearing, the court determines by a 24 preponderance of the evidence that: 25 (1) it has no significant value for forensic 26 science analysis and must be returned to its rightful 27 owner; or 28 (2) it has no significant value for forensic 29 science analysis and is of a size, bulk, or physical 30 character that itnot usually retained by the law31enforcement agency andcannot practicably be retained by 32 the Clerk of the Circuit Courtlaw enforcement agency. 33 (c-1) A party must move for the entry of an impounding 34 order as described in subsection (b) within 30 days after a -4- LRB9206812ARsb 1 judgement of conviction is entered. A party must move for 2 the entry of an impounding order as described in subsection 3 (b-1) within 30 days of the entry of the final order in that 4 case. Any party may move for a reasonable extension of the 5 time provided by this subsection if the motion for extension 6 is filed within the 30-day period. 7 (c-2) Unless otherwise ordered by the court, all items 8 of physical evidence impounded pursuant to this Section shall 9 be securely retained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court until 10 the completion of the sentence imposed for that conviction by 11 the court or the completion of all appeals, whichever is 12 later. 13 (d) (Blank).The court may order the disposition of the14evidence if the defendant is allowed the opportunity to take15reasonable measures to remove or preserve portions of the16evidence in question for future testing.17 (e) For purposes of this Section, "law enforcement 18 agency" includes any law enforcement agency, as defined by 19has the meaning ascribed to it inclause (a)(4) of Section 20 107-4 of this Code, any prosecuting authority, or any agency 21 of the State of Illinois having law enforcement powers and 22 duties. 23 (Source: P.A. 91-871, eff. 1-1-01.)