093_HB0567enr HB0567 Enrolled LRB093 05571 MBS 05663 b 1 AN ACT concerning criminal law. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act 5 is amended by changing Sections 8.5 and 9 as follows: 6 (725 ILCS 120/8.5) 7 Sec. 8.5. Statewide victim and witness notification 8 system. 9 (a) The Attorney General may establish a crime victim 10 and witness notification system to assist public officials in 11 carrying out their duties to notify and inform crime victims 12 and witnesses under Section 4.5 of this Act as the Attorney 13 General specifies by rule. The system shall download 14 necessary information from participating officials into its 15 computers, where it shall be maintained, updated, and 16 automatically transmitted to victims and witnesses by 17 telephone, computer, or written notice. 18 (b) The Illinois Department of Corrections, the 19 Department of Human Services, and the Prisoner Review Board 20 shall cooperate with the Attorney General in the 21 implementation of this Section and shall provide information 22 as necessary to the effective operation of the system. 23 (c) State's attorneys, circuit court clerks, and local 24 law enforcement and correctional authorities may enter into 25 agreements with the Attorney General for participation in the 26 system. The Attorney General may provide those who elect to 27 participate with the equipment, software, or training 28 necessary to bring their offices into the system. 29 (d) The provision of information to crime victims and 30 witnesses through the Attorney General's notification system 31 satisfies a given State or local official's corresponding HB0567 Enrolled -2- LRB093 05571 MBS 05663 b 1 obligation under Section 4.5 to provide the information. 2 (e) The Attorney General may provide for telephonic, 3 electronic, or other public access to the database 4 established under this Section. 5 (f) The Attorney General shall adopt rules as necessary 6 to implement this Section. The rules shall include, but not 7 be limited to, provisions for the scope and operation of any 8 system the Attorney General may establish and procedures, 9 requirements, and standards for entering into agreements to 10 participate in the system and to receive equipment, software, 11 or training. 12 (g) There is established in the Office of the Attorney 13 General a Crime Victim and Witness Notification Advisory 14 Committee consisting of those victims advocates, sheriffs, 15 State's Attorneys, circuit court clerks, Illinois Department 16 of Corrections, and Prisoner Review Board employees that the 17 Attorney General chooses to appoint. The Attorney General 18 shall designate one member to chair the Committee. 19 (1) The Committee shall consult with and advise the 20 Attorney General as to the exercise of the Attorney 21 General's authority under this Section, including, but 22 not limited to: 23 (i) the design, scope, and operation of the 24 notification system; 25 (ii) the content of any rules adopted to 26 implement this Section; 27 (iii) the procurement of hardware, software, 28 and support for the system, including choice of 29 supplier or operator; and 30 (iv) the acceptance of agreements with and the 31 award of equipment, software, or training to 32 officials that seek to participate in the system. 33 (2) The Committee shall review the status and 34 operation of the system and report any findings and HB0567 Enrolled -3- LRB093 05571 MBS 05663 b 1 recommendations for changes to the Attorney General and 2 the General Assembly by November 1 of each year. 3 (3) The members of the Committee shall receive no 4 compensation for their services as members of the 5 Committee, but may be reimbursed for their actual 6 expenses incurred in serving on the Committee. 7 (Source: P.A. 91-237, eff. 1-1-00.) 8 (725 ILCS 120/9) (from Ch. 38, par. 1408) 9 Sec. 9. This Act does not limit any rights or 10 responsibilities otherwise enjoyed by or imposed upon victims 11 or witnesses of violent crime, nor does it grant any person a 12 cause of action for damages or attorneys fees. Any act of 13 omission or commission by any law enforcement officer, 14 circuit court clerk, or State's Attorney, by the Attorney 15 General, Prisoner Review Board, Department of Corrections, 16 Department of Human Services, or other State agency, or 17 private entity under contract pursuant to Section 8, or by 18 any employee of any State agency or private entity under 19 contract pursuant to Section 8 acting in good faith in 20 rendering crime victim's assistance or otherwise enforcing 21 this Act shall not impose civil liability upon the individual 22 or entity or his or her supervisor or employer. Nothing in 23 this Act shall create a basis for vacating a conviction or a 24 ground for appellate relief in any criminal case. Failure of 25 the crime victim to receive notice as required, however, 26 shall not deprive the court of the power to act regarding the 27 proceeding before it; nor shall any such failure grant the 28 defendant the right to seek a continuance. 29 (Source: P.A. 90-744, eff. 1-1-99; 91-237, eff. 1-1-00.)