102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB2790

 

Introduced 2/19/2021, by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
55 ILCS 5/3-4004.2  from Ch. 34, par. 3-4004.2
55 ILCS 5/3-4004.5 new

    Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in counties with a population over 3,000,000, the Public Defender, without fee or appointment and with the approval of the county board, may act as attorney to noncitizens in immigration cases related to or resulting from an underlying court matter in which the Public Defender served as attorney before he or she became the Public Defender. Provides that representation by the Public Defender in immigration cases is limited to those arising in immigration courts located within the geographical boundaries of the county where the Public Defender has been appointed to office unless the board authorizes the Public Defender to provide representation outside the county.


LRB102 14594 AWJ 19947 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2790LRB102 14594 AWJ 19947 b

1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing
5Section 3-4004.2 and by adding Section 3-4004.5 as follows:
 
6    (55 ILCS 5/3-4004.2)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4004.2)
7    Sec. 3-4004.2. Qualifications of Public Defender and terms
8of employment in counties over 1,000,000. In counties with a
9population over 1,000,000, the following qualifications and
10terms of employment shall apply:
11    (a) The president shall select as Public Defender only a
12person with the following qualifications: an attorney whose
13practice of law has clearly demonstrated experience in the
14representation of persons accused of crime; who has been
15licensed to practice law in this State or in another state for
16at least 5 years; who has had administrative experience; and
17who is dedicated to the goals of providing high quality
18representation for eligible persons and to improving the
19quality of defense services generally.
20    (b) The Public Defender shall devote full time to the
21duties of the public defender system and shall not otherwise
22engage in the practice of law, except as provided in Section
233-4004.5.

 

 

HB2790- 2 -LRB102 14594 AWJ 19947 b

1    (c) The Public Defender once approved by the Board shall
2serve for 6 years and may be removed by the President only for
3good cause or dereliction of duty after notice and a hearing
4before the Board. The effective date of this amendatory Act of
51991 shall be deemed the commencement of the term of the
6current public defender.
7    (d) The Public Defender's compensation shall be set at a
8level that is commensurate with his qualifications and
9experience and professionally appropriate with the
10responsibility of the position. The Public Defender's
11compensation shall be comparable with that paid to circuit
12court judges, but in no event shall be more than that of the
13State's Attorney of the county.
14(Source: P.A. 87-111.)
 
15    (55 ILCS 5/3-4004.5 new)
16    Sec. 3-4004.5. Immigration cases. In counties with a
17population over 3,000,000, the Public Defender, without fee or
18appointment and with the approval of the county board, may act
19as attorney to noncitizens in immigration cases related to or
20resulting from an underlying court matter in which the Public
21Defender served as attorney before he or she became the Public
22Defender. Representation by the Public Defender in immigration
23cases is limited to those arising in immigration courts
24located within the geographical boundaries of the county where
25the Public Defender has been appointed to office unless the

 

 

HB2790- 3 -LRB102 14594 AWJ 19947 b

1board authorizes the Public Defender to provide representation
2outside the county.