HB7317 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 15103 RLC 48602 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB7317

Introduced 7/22/2004, by Rep. Bill Mitchell

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

730 ILCS 110/9c new
730 ILCS 110/15	from Ch. 38, par. 204-7

Amends the Probation and Probation Officers Act. Prohibits a person from serving as a probation officer who has been convicted of: (1) a felony violent crime; (2) a felony violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act; (3) a felony violation of the Cannabis Control Act; or (4) a similar felony violation of any other jurisdiction.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning probation officers.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Probation and Probation Officers Act is amended by changing Section 15 and by adding Section 9c as follows:

(730 ILCS 110/9c new)

Sec. 9c. Probation officers; ineligibility. A person is ineligible to be appointed as a probation officer who has been convicted of: (1) a felony that is defined as a violent crime in Section 3 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act; (2) a felony violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act; (3) a felony violation of the Cannabis Control Act; or (4) any similar felony violation of any other jurisdiction.

(730 ILCS 110/15) (from Ch. 38, par. 204-7)

Sec. 15. (1) The Supreme Court of Illinois may establish a Division of Probation Services whose purpose shall be the development, establishment, promulgation, and enforcement of uniform standards for probation services in this State, and to otherwise carry out the intent of this Act. The Division may:

(a) establish qualifications for chief probation officers and other probation and court services personnel as to hiring, promotion, and training. The qualifications for the chief probation officer and other probation officers established under this Section are subject to Section 9c of this Act.

(b) make available, on a timely basis, lists of those applicants whose qualifications meet the regulations referred to herein, including on said lists all candidates found qualified.

(c) establish a means of verifying the conditions for reimbursement under this Act and develop criteria for approved costs for reimbursement.

(d) develop standards and approve employee compensation schedules for probation and court services departments.

(e) employ sufficient personnel in the Division to carry out the functions of the Division.

(f) establish a system of training and establish standards for personnel orientation and training.

(g) develop standards for a system of record keeping for cases and programs, gather statistics, establish a system of uniform forms, and develop research for planning of Probation Services.

(h) develop standards to assure adequate support personnel, office space, equipment and supplies, travel expenses, and other essential items necessary for Probation and Court Services Departments to carry out their duties.

(i) review and approve annual plans submitted by Probation and Court Services Departments.

(j) monitor and evaluate all programs operated by Probation and Court Services Departments, and may include in the program evaluation criteria such factors as the percentage of Probation sentences for felons convicted of Probationable offenses.

(k) seek the cooperation of local and State government and private agencies to improve the quality of probation and court services.

(l) where appropriate, establish programs and corresponding standards designed to generally improve the quality of probation and court services and reduce the rate of adult or juvenile offenders committed to the Department of Corrections.

(m) establish such other standards and regulations and do all acts necessary to carry out the intent and purposes of this Act.

The Division shall establish a model list of structured intermediate sanctions that may be imposed by a probation agency for violations of terms and conditions of a sentence of probation, conditional discharge, or supervision.

The State of Illinois shall provide for the costs of personnel, travel, equipment, telecommunications, postage, commodities, printing, space, contractual services and other related costs necessary to carry out the intent of this Act.

(2) (a) The chief judge of each circuit shall provide full-time probation services for all counties within the circuit, in a manner consistent with the annual probation plan, the standards, policies, and regulations established by the Supreme Court. A probation district of two or more counties within a circuit may be created for the purposes of providing full-time probation services. Every county or group of counties within a circuit shall maintain a probation department which shall be under the authority of the Chief Judge of the circuit or some other judge designated by the Chief Judge. The Chief Judge, through the Probation and Court Services Department shall submit annual plans to the Division for probation and related services.

(b) The Chief Judge of each circuit shall appoint the Chief Probation Officer and all other probation officers for his or her circuit from lists of qualified applicants supplied by the Supreme Court. Candidates for chief managing officer and other probation officer positions must apply with both the Chief Judge of the circuit and the Supreme Court.

(3) A Probation and Court Service Department shall apply to the Supreme Court for funds for basic services, and may apply for funds for new and expanded programs or Individualized Services and Programs. Costs shall be reimbursed monthly based on a plan and budget approved by the Supreme Court. No Department may be reimbursed for costs which exceed or are not provided for in the approved annual plan and budget. After the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985, each county must provide basic services in accordance with the annual plan and standards created by the division. No department may receive funds for new or expanded programs or individualized services and programs unless they are in compliance with standards as enumerated in paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of this Section, the annual plan, and standards for basic services.

(4) The Division shall reimburse the county or counties for probation services as follows:

(a) 100% of the salary of all chief managing officers designated as such by the Chief Judge and the division.

(b) 100% of the salary for all probation officer and supervisor positions approved for reimbursement by the division after April 1, 1984, to meet workload standards and to implement intensive sanction and probation supervision programs and other basic services as defined in this Act.

(c) 100% of the salary for all secure detention personnel and non-secure group home personnel approved for reimbursement after December 1, 1990. For all such positions approved for reimbursement before December 1, 1990, the counties shall be reimbursed $1,250 per month beginning July 1, 1995, and an additional $250 per month beginning each July 1st thereafter until the positions receive 100% salary reimbursement. Allocation of such positions will be based on comparative need considering capacity, staff/resident ratio, physical plant and program.

(d) $1,000 per month for salaries for the remaining probation officer positions engaged in basic services and new or expanded services. All such positions shall be approved by the division in accordance with this Act and division standards.

(e) 100% of the travel expenses in accordance with Division standards for all Probation positions approved under paragraph (b) of subsection 4 of this Section.

(f) If the amount of funds reimbursed to the county under paragraphs (a) through (e) of subsection 4 of this Section on an annual basis is less than the amount the county had received during the 12 month period immediately prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985, then the Division shall reimburse the amount of the difference to the county. The effect of paragraph (b) of subsection 7 of this Section shall be considered in implementing this supplemental reimbursement provision.

(5) The Division shall provide funds beginning on April 1, 1987 for the counties to provide Individualized Services and Programs as provided in Section 16 of this Act.

(6) A Probation and Court Services Department in order to be eligible for the reimbursement must submit to the Supreme Court an application containing such information and in such a form and by such dates as the Supreme Court may require. Departments to be eligible for funding must satisfy the following conditions:

(a) The Department shall have on file with the Supreme Court an annual Probation plan for continuing, improved, and new Probation and Court Services Programs approved by the Supreme Court or its designee. This plan shall indicate the manner in which Probation and Court Services will be delivered and improved, consistent with the minimum standards and regulations for Probation and Court Services, as established by the Supreme Court. In counties with more than one Probation and Court Services Department eligible to receive funds, all Departments within that county must submit plans which are approved by the Supreme Court.

(b) The annual probation plan shall seek to generally improve the quality of probation services and to reduce the commitment of adult and juvenile offenders to the Department of Corrections and shall require, when appropriate, coordination with the Department of Corrections and the Department of Children and Family Services in the development and use of community resources, information systems, case review and permanency planning systems to avoid the duplication of services.

(c) The Department shall be in compliance with standards developed by the Supreme Court for basic, new and expanded services, training, personnel hiring and promotion.

(d) The Department shall in its annual plan indicate the manner in which it will support the rights of crime victims and in which manner it will implement Article I, Section 8.1 of the Illinois Constitution and in what manner it will coordinate crime victims' support services with other criminal justice agencies within its jurisdiction, including but not limited to, the State's Attorney, the Sheriff and any municipal police department.

(7) No statement shall be verified by the Supreme Court or its designee or vouchered by the Comptroller unless each of the following conditions have been met:

(a) The probation officer is a full-time employee appointed by the Chief Judge to provide probation services.

(b) The probation officer, in order to be eligible for State reimbursement, is receiving a salary of at least $17,000 per year.

(c) The probation officer is appointed or was reappointed in accordance with minimum qualifications or criteria established by the Supreme Court; however, all probation officers appointed prior to January 1, 1978, shall be exempted from the minimum requirements established by the Supreme Court. Payments shall be made to counties employing these exempted probation officers as long as they are employed in the position held on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985. Promotions shall be governed by minimum qualifications established by the Supreme Court.

(d) The Department has an established compensation schedule approved by the Supreme Court. The compensation schedule shall include salary ranges with necessary increments to compensate each employee. The increments shall, within the salary ranges, be based on such factors as bona fide occupational qualifications, performance, and length of service. Each position in the Department shall be placed on the compensation schedule according to job duties and responsibilities of such position. The policy and procedures of the compensation schedule shall be made available to each employee.

(8) In order to obtain full reimbursement of all approved costs, each Department must continue to employ at least the same number of probation officers and probation managers as were authorized for employment for the fiscal year which includes January 1, 1985. This number shall be designated as the base amount of the Department. No positions approved by the Division under paragraph (b) of subsection 4 will be included in the base amount. In the event that the Department employs fewer Probation officers and Probation managers than the base amount for a period of 90 days, funding received by the Department under subsection 4 of this Section may be reduced on a monthly basis by the amount of the current salaries of any positions below the base amount.

(9) Before the 15th day of each month, the treasurer of any county which has a Probation and Court Services Department, or the treasurer of the most populous county, in the case of a Probation or Court Services Department funded by more than one county, shall submit an itemized statement of all approved costs incurred in the delivery of Basic Probation and Court Services under this Act to the Supreme Court. The treasurer may also submit an itemized statement of all approved costs incurred in the delivery of new and expanded Probation and Court Services as well as Individualized Services and Programs. The Supreme Court or its designee shall verify compliance with this Section and shall examine and audit the monthly statement and, upon finding them to be correct, shall forward them to the Comptroller for payment to the county treasurer. In the case of payment to a treasurer of a county which is the most populous of counties sharing the salary and expenses of a Probation and Court Services Department, the treasurer shall divide the money between the counties in a manner that reflects each county's share of the cost incurred by the Department.

(10) The county treasurer must certify that funds received under this Section shall be used solely to maintain and improve Probation and Court Services. The county or circuit shall remain in compliance with all standards, policies and regulations established by the Supreme Court. If at any time the Supreme Court determines that a county or circuit is not in compliance, the Supreme Court shall immediately notify the Chief Judge, county board chairman and the Director of Court Services Chief Probation Officer. If after 90 days of written notice the noncompliance still exists, the Supreme Court shall be required to reduce the amount of monthly reimbursement by 10%. An additional 10% reduction of monthly reimbursement shall occur for each consecutive month of noncompliance. Except as provided in subsection 5 of Section 15, funding to counties shall commence on April 1, 1986. Funds received under this Act shall be used to provide for Probation Department expenses including those required under Section 13 of this Act. For State fiscal year 2004 only, the Mandatory Arbitration Fund may be used to provide for Probation Department expenses, including those required under Section 13 of this Act.

(11) The respective counties shall be responsible for capital and space costs, fringe benefits, clerical costs, equipment, telecommunications, postage, commodities and printing.

(12) For purposes of this Act only, probation officers shall be considered peace officers. In the exercise of their official duties, probation officers, sheriffs, and police officers may, anywhere within the State, arrest any probationer who is in violation of any of the conditions of his or her probation, conditional discharge, or supervision, and it shall be the duty of the officer making the arrest to take the probationer before the Court having jurisdiction over the probationer for further order.

(Source: P.A. 93-25, eff. 6-20-03; 93-576, eff. 1-1-04; revised 9-23-03.)