(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. 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, written notice, SMS text message, or other electronic means.

(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 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) (Blank).

(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.

(h) The Attorney General shall not release the names, addresses, phone numbers, personal identification numbers, or email addresses of any person registered to receive notifications to any other person except State or local officials using the notification system to satisfy the official's obligation to provide the information. The Attorney General may grant limited access to the Automated Victim Notification system (AVN) to law enforcement, prosecution, and other agencies that provide service to victims of violent crime to assist victims in enrolling and utilizing the AVN system.

(Source: P.A. 98-717, eff. 1-1-15; 99-413, eff. 8-20-15.)