SB1701eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1701 Engrossed LRB097 00062 RLC 48160 b

AN ACT concerning criminal law, which may be referred to as the Emergency Medical Services Access Law.

WHEREAS, Drug-overdose deaths are the second leading cause of accidental death in the nation and deaths have increased significantly in recent years, in both the Chicago Metropolitan Area and across Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds that drug-overdose deaths could be substantially decreased if immunity from criminal prosecution for Class 4 felony violations of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act and Class 3 felony violations of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act were granted to a person possessing a small amount of the drug who, in good faith, seeks emergency medical assistance for someone experiencing a drug-related overdose and if this immunity were granted for the same Class 4 felony violations of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act and the Class 3 felony violations of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act to a person who is experiencing a drug-related overdose; therefore

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

Section 5. The Illinois Controlled Substances Act is amended by adding Section 414 as follows:

(720 ILCS 570/414 new)

Sec. 414. Overdose; limited immunity from prosecution.

(a) For the purposes of this Section, "overdose" means a controlled substance-induced physiological event that results in a life-threatening emergency to the individual who ingested, inhaled, injected or otherwise bodily absorbed a controlled, counterfeit, or look-alike substance or a controlled substance analog.

(b) A person who, in good faith, seeks or obtains emergency medical assistance for someone experiencing an overdose shall not be charged or prosecuted for Class 4 felony possession of a controlled, counterfeit, or look-alike substance or a controlled substance analog if evidence for the Class 4 felony possession charge was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance and providing the amount of substance recovered is within the amount identified in subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) A person who is experiencing an overdose shall not be charged or prosecuted for Class 4 felony possession of a controlled, counterfeit, or look-alike substance or a controlled substance analog if evidence for the Class 4 felony possession charge was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance and providing the amount of substance recovered is within the amount identified in subsection (d) of this Section.

(d) For the purposes of subsections (b) and (c), the limited immunity shall only apply to a person possessing the following amount:

(1) less than 3 grams of a substance containing heroin;

(2) less than 3 grams of a substance containing cocaine;

(3) less than 3 grams of a substance containing morphine;

(4) less than 40 grams of a substance containing peyote;

(5) less than 40 grams of a substance containing a derivative of barbituric acid or any of the salts of a derivative of barbituric acid;

(6) less than 40 grams of a substance containing amphetamine or any salt of an optical isomer of amphetamine;

(7) less than 3 grams of a substance containing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or an analog thereof;

(8) less than 6 grams of a substance containing pentazocine or any of the salts, isomers and salts of isomers of pentazocine, or an analog thereof;

(9) less than 6 grams of a substance containing methaqualone or any of the salts, isomers and salts of isomers of methaqualone;

(10) less than 6 grams of a substance containing phencyclidine or any of the salts, isomers and salts of isomers of phencyclidine (PCP);

(11) less than 6 grams of a substance containing ketamine or any of the salts, isomers and salts of isomers of ketamine;

(12) less than 40 grams of a substance containing a substance classified as a narcotic drug in Schedules I or II, or an analog thereof, which is not otherwise included in this subsection.

(e) The limited immunity described in subsections (b) and (c) of this Section shall not be extended if law enforcement has reasonable suspicion or probable cause to detain, arrest, or search the person described in subsection (b) or (c) of this Section for criminal activity and the reasonable suspicion or probable cause is based on information obtained prior to or independent of the individual described in subsection (b) or (c) taking action to seek or obtain emergency medical assistance and not obtained as a direct result of the action of seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance. Nothing in this Section is intended to interfere with or prevent the investigation, arrest, or prosecution of any person for the delivery or distribution of cannabis, methamphetamine or other controlled substances, drug-induced homicide, or any other crime.

Section 10. The Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act is amended by adding Section 115 as follows:

(720 ILCS 646/115 new)

Sec. 115. Overdose; limited immunity from prosecution.

(a) For the purposes of this Section, "overdose" means a methamphetamine-induced physiological event that results in a life-threatening emergency to the individual who ingested, inhaled, injected, or otherwise bodily absorbed methamphetamine.

(b) A person who, in good faith, seeks emergency medical assistance for someone experiencing an overdose shall not be charged or prosecuted for Class 3 felony possession of methamphetamine if evidence for the Class 3 felony possession charge was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance and providing the amount of substance recovered is less than one gram of methamphetamine or a substance containing methamphetamine.

(c) A person who is experiencing an overdose shall not be charged or prosecuted for Class 3 felony possession of methamphetamine if evidence for the Class 3 felony possession charge was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance and providing the amount of substance recovered is less than one gram of methamphetamine or a substance containing methamphetamine.

(d) The limited immunity described in subsections (b) and (c) of this Section shall not be extended if law enforcement has reasonable suspicion or probable cause to detain, arrest, or search the person described in subsection (b) or (c) of this Section for criminal activity and the reasonable suspicion or probable cause is based on information obtained prior to or independent of the individual described in subsection (b) or (c) taking action to seek or obtain emergency medical assistance and not obtained as a direct result of the action of seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance. Nothing in this Section is intended to interfere with or prevent the investigation, arrest, or prosecution of any person for the delivery or distribution of cannabis, methamphetamine or other controlled substances, drug-induced homicide, or any other crime.

Section 15. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by changing Section 5-5-3.1 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/5-5-3.1) (from Ch. 38, par. 1005-5-3.1)

Sec. 5-5-3.1. Factors in Mitigation.

(a) The following grounds shall be accorded weight in favor of withholding or minimizing a sentence of imprisonment:

(1) The defendant's criminal conduct neither caused nor threatened serious physical harm to another.

(2) The defendant did not contemplate that his criminal conduct would cause or threaten serious physical harm to another.

(3) The defendant acted under a strong provocation.

(4) There were substantial grounds tending to excuse or justify the defendant's criminal conduct, though failing to establish a defense.

(5) The defendant's criminal conduct was induced or facilitated by someone other than the defendant.

(6) The defendant has compensated or will compensate the victim of his criminal conduct for the damage or injury that he sustained.

(7) The defendant has no history of prior delinquency or criminal activity or has led a law-abiding life for a substantial period of time before the commission of the present crime.

(8) The defendant's criminal conduct was the result of circumstances unlikely to recur.

(9) The character and attitudes of the defendant indicate that he is unlikely to commit another crime.

(10) The defendant is particularly likely to comply with the terms of a period of probation.

(11) The imprisonment of the defendant would entail excessive hardship to his dependents.

(12) The imprisonment of the defendant would endanger his or her medical condition.

(13) The defendant was mentally retarded as defined in Section 5-1-13 of this Code.

(14) The defendant sought or obtained emergency medical assistance for an overdose and was convicted of a Class 3 felony or higher possession, manufacture, or delivery of a controlled, counterfeit, or look-alike substance or a controlled substance analog under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act or a Class 2 felony or higher possession, manufacture or delivery of methamphetamine under the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act.

(b) If the court, having due regard for the character of the offender, the nature and circumstances of the offense and the public interest finds that a sentence of imprisonment is the most appropriate disposition of the offender, or where other provisions of this Code mandate the imprisonment of the offender, the grounds listed in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be considered as factors in mitigation of the term imposed.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

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