HB0051eng 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0051 Engrossed LRB101 04573 SLF 49581 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 Unified Code of Corrections is amended by changing Section 5-9-3 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/5-9-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 1005-9-3)

Sec. 5-9-3. Default.

(a) An offender who defaults in the payment of a fine or any installment of that fine may be held in contempt and imprisoned for nonpayment. The court may issue a summons for his or her appearance or a warrant of arrest. No less than 30 days before the issuance of a warrant under this subsection, a notice shall be mailed to the offender by first class mail to the most recent address which the offender has provided to the court. The notice shall contain the following information:

(1) the amount of the fine which is due and owing;

(2) the docket number of the case in which the fine was assessed;

(3) the due date for payment of the fine;

(4) instructions as to how payment of the fine may be made;

(5) an explanation that intentional refusal to pay the fine may result in imprisonment; and

(6) instructions as to how the offender may request a hearing to present evidence that the offender did not intentionally refuse to pay the fine, and that failure to pay was the result of the offender's inability to pay the fine.

(b) Unless the offender shows that his or her default was not due to his or her intentional refusal to pay, or not due to a failure on his or her part to make a good faith effort to pay, the court may order the offender imprisoned for a term not to exceed 6 months if the fine was for a felony, or 30 days if the fine was for a misdemeanor, a petty offense, or a business offense. Payment of the fine at any time will entitle the offender to be released, but imprisonment under this Section shall not satisfy the payment of the fine.

(c) If it appears that the default in the payment of a fine is not intentional under subsection paragraph (b) of this Section, the court may enter an order allowing the offender additional time for payment, reducing the amount of the fine or of each installment, or revoking the fine or the unpaid portion.

(d) When a fine is imposed on a corporation or unincorporated organization or association, it is the duty of the person or persons authorized to make disbursement of assets, and their superiors, to pay the fine from assets of the corporation or unincorporated organization or association. The failure of such persons to do so shall render them subject to proceedings under subsections paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.

(e) A default in the payment of a fine, fee, cost, order of restitution, judgment of bond forfeiture, judgment order of forfeiture, or any installment thereof may be collected by any and all means authorized for the collection of money judgments. The State's Attorney of the county in which the fine, fee, cost, order of restitution, judgment of bond forfeiture, or judgment order of forfeiture was imposed may retain attorneys and private collection agents for the purpose of collecting any default in payment of any fine, fee, cost, order of restitution, judgment of bond forfeiture, judgment order of forfeiture, or installment thereof. An additional fee of 30% of the delinquent amount and each taxable court cost including, without limitation, costs of service of process, shall be charged to the offender for any amount of the fine, fee, cost, restitution, or judgment of bond forfeiture or installment of the fine, fee, cost, restitution, or judgment of bond forfeiture that remains unpaid after the time fixed for payment of the fine, fee, cost, restitution, or judgment of bond forfeiture by the court. The additional fee shall be payable to the State's Attorney in order to compensate the State's Attorney for costs incurred in collecting the delinquent amount. The State's Attorney may enter into agreements assigning any portion of the fee to the retained attorneys or the private collection agent retained by the State's Attorney. Any agreement between the State's Attorney and the retained attorneys or collection agents shall require the approval of the Circuit Clerk of that county. A default in payment of a fine, fee, cost, restitution, or judgment of bond forfeiture shall draw interest at the rate of 9% per annum.

(Source: P.A. 98-373, eff. 1-1-14.)