100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB1976

 

Introduced 2/10/2017, by Sen. William R. Haine

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Criminal Justice Office Holders Parity and Protection Act. Contains only a short title provision and purpose Section.


LRB100 09052 MRW 19201 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1976LRB100 09052 MRW 19201 b

1    AN ACT concerning criminal justice office holders.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Criminal Justice Office Holders Parity and Protection Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. A major and vital function of State
7government is the development and maintenance of an effective
8and efficient criminal justice system to deliver fair and
9impartial justice for all persons within this State, whether
10guilty or innocent, as well as for the victims of criminal
11offenses. To carry out this function, it is vitally important
12that the various components of the criminal justice system from
13law enforcement, prosecution, defense, corrections, and the
14courts operate as effectively as possible. A key to achieving
15effective operation of the criminal justice system is to have
16high quality personnel administering the system, with the
17knowledge, expertise, and experience to deal with the many and
18increasing demands placed upon them. Retention of high quality
19personnel is even more important as the criminal justice
20landscape continues to evolve and change over time. While the
21number of law enforcement officers and agencies is large even
22at the county level, the cases generated by the combined
23efforts of all of these officers and agencies flow into a

 

 

SB1976- 2 -LRB100 09052 MRW 19201 b

1single office in each county for prosecution, that of State's
2Attorney. An equally important and necessary counterpart in
3each county is the Office of Public Defender, charged with
4supporting the constitutionally protected right of each person
5charged with a criminal offense to be represented by legal
6counsel. A major issue is growing regarding the development and
7retention of high quality State's Attorneys and Public
8Defenders. Statewide there has been a disturbing trend of
9highly experienced State's Attorneys and Public Defenders
10being drawn away from those offices and high quality attorneys
11declining to serve in them due to significant inequities in
12those offices when compared with judicial offices that are in
13direct competition for obtaining the services of experienced
14and talented attorneys. The purpose of this Act is to address
15those inequities and extend personal privacy protections
16similar to those for judges to prosecutors and public
17defenders.