HB4929eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4929 Engrossed LRB097 17469 RLC 62672 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 Drug Asset Forfeiture Procedure Act is amended by changing Sections 3.5, 5, and 9 as follows:

(725 ILCS 150/3.5)

Sec. 3.5. Preliminary Review.

(a) Within 21 14 days of the seizure, the State shall seek a preliminary determination from the circuit court as to whether there is probable cause that the property may be subject to forfeiture.

(b) The rules of evidence shall not apply to any proceeding conducted under this Section.

(c) The court may conduct the review under subsection (a) simultaneously with a proceeding pursuant to Section 109-1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 for a related criminal offense if a prosecution is commenced by information or complaint, however if the review is not conducted simultaneously, the court's findings shall not constitute a collateral estoppel to the filing of criminal charges.

(d) The court may accept a finding of probable cause at a preliminary hearing following the filing of an information or complaint charging a related criminal offense or following the return of indictment by a grand jury charging the related offense as sufficient evidence of probable cause as required under subsection (a).

(e) Upon making a finding of probable cause as required under this Section, and after taking into account the respective interests of all known claimants to the property including the State, the circuit court shall enter a restraining order or injunction, or take other appropriate action, as necessary to ensure that the property is not removed from the court's jurisdiction and is not concealed, destroyed, or otherwise disposed of by the property owner or interest holder before a forfeiture hearing is conducted.

(Source: P.A. 97-544, eff. 1-1-12.)

(725 ILCS 150/5) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 1675)

Sec. 5. Notice to State's Attorney. The law enforcement agency seizing property for forfeiture under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis Control Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act shall, within 52 days of seizure, notify the State's Attorney for the county in which an act or omission giving rise to the forfeiture occurred or in which the property was seized of the seizure of the property and the facts and circumstances giving rise to the seizure and shall provide the State's Attorney with the inventory of the property and its estimated value. For purposes of forfeiture proceedings pursuant to Sections 6 and 9 of this Act, the notification to the State's Attorney shall only be perfected by the delivery of the Illinois State Police approved form 4-64. When the property seized for forfeiture is a vehicle, the law enforcement agency seizing the property shall immediately notify the Secretary of State that forfeiture proceedings are pending regarding such vehicle.

(Source: P.A. 94-556, eff. 9-11-05.)

(725 ILCS 150/9) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 1679)

Sec. 9. Judicial in rem procedures. If property seized under the provisions of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis Control Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act is non-real property that exceeds $150,000 $20,000 in value excluding the value of any conveyance, or is real property, or a claimant has filed a claim and a cost bond under subsection (C) of Section 6 of this Act, the following judicial in rem procedures shall apply:

(A) If, after a review of the facts surrounding the seizure, the State's Attorney is of the opinion that the seized property is subject to forfeiture, then within 45 days of the receipt of notice of seizure by the seizing agency or the filing of the claim and cost bond, whichever is later, the State's Attorney shall institute judicial forfeiture proceedings by filing a verified complaint for forfeiture and, if the claimant has filed a claim and cost bond, by depositing the cost bond with the clerk of the court. When authorized by law, a forfeiture must be ordered by a court on an action in rem brought by a State's Attorney under a verified complaint for forfeiture.

(B) During the probable cause portion of the judicial in rem proceeding wherein the State presents its case-in-chief, the court must receive and consider, among other things, all relevant hearsay evidence and information. The laws of evidence relating to civil actions shall apply to all other portions of the judicial in rem proceeding.

(C) Only an owner of or interest holder in the property may file an answer asserting a claim against the property in the action in rem. For purposes of this Section, the owner or interest holder shall be referred to as claimant.

(D) The answer must be signed by the owner or interest holder under penalty of perjury and must set forth:

(i) the caption of the proceedings as set forth on the notice of pending forfeiture and the name of the claimant;

(ii) the address at which the claimant will accept mail;

(iii) the nature and extent of the claimant's interest in the property;

(iv) the date, identity of transferor, and circumstances of the claimant's acquisition of the interest in the property;

(v) the name and address of all other persons known to have an interest in the property;

(vi) the specific provisions of Section 8 of this Act relied on in asserting it is not subject to forfeiture;

(vii) all essential facts supporting each assertion; and

(viii) the precise relief sought.

(E) The answer must be filed with the court within 45 days after service of the civil in rem complaint.

(F) The hearing must be held within 60 days after filing of the answer unless continued for good cause.

(G) The State shall show the existence of probable cause for forfeiture of the property. If the State shows probable cause, the claimant has the burden of showing by a preponderance of the evidence that the claimant's interest in the property is not subject to forfeiture.

(H) If the State does not show existence of probable cause or a claimant has established by a preponderance of evidence that the claimant has an interest that is exempt under Section 8 of this Act, the court shall order the interest in the property returned or conveyed to the claimant and shall order all other property forfeited to the State. If the State does show existence of probable cause and the claimant does not establish by a preponderance of evidence that the claimant has an interest that is exempt under Section 8 of this Act, the court shall order all property forfeited to the State.

(I) A defendant convicted in any criminal proceeding is precluded from later denying the essential allegations of the criminal offense of which the defendant was convicted in any proceeding under this Act regardless of the pendency of an appeal from that conviction. However, evidence of the pendency of an appeal is admissible.

(J) An acquittal or dismissal in a criminal proceeding shall not preclude civil proceedings under this Act; however, for good cause shown, on a motion by the State's Attorney, the court may stay civil forfeiture proceedings during the criminal trial for a related criminal indictment or information alleging a violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis Control Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act. Such a stay shall not be available pending an appeal. Property subject to forfeiture under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis Control Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act shall not be subject to return or release by a court exercising jurisdiction over a criminal case involving the seizure of such property unless such return or release is consented to by the State's Attorney.

(K) All property declared forfeited under this Act vests in this State on the commission of the conduct giving rise to forfeiture together with the proceeds of the property after that time. Any such property or proceeds subsequently transferred to any person remain subject to forfeiture and thereafter shall be ordered forfeited unless the transferee claims and establishes in a hearing under the provisions of this Act that the transferee's interest is exempt under Section 8 of this Act.

(L) A civil action under this Act must be commenced within 5 years after the last conduct giving rise to forfeiture became known or should have become known or 5 years after the forfeitable property is discovered, whichever is later, excluding any time during which either the property or claimant is out of the State or in confinement or during which criminal proceedings relating to the same conduct are in progress.

(Source: P.A. 94-556, eff. 9-11-05.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.