103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5842

 

Introduced 5/14/2024, by Rep. Dave Vella

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
See Index

    Creates the State Public Defender Act. Creates the Office of State Public Defender as an agency of State government. Provides that the Office of State Public Defender shall be an independent agency within the judicial branch of government and the Office's records shall be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that the Office of State Public Defender shall be under the supervision and direction of the State Public Defender. Sets forth the powers and duties of the State Public Defender, including the duties of the initial State Public Defender. Provides that the initial State Public Defender shall be appointed by the Supreme Court. Sets forth specified duties and responsibilities of the initial State Public Defender. Creates the State Public Defender Commission. Sets forth membership and duties of the Commission, including appointments of the State Public Defender after the initial appointment. Amends the Public Defender and Appointed Counsel Division of the Counties Code. Provides that any 2 or more counties of this State that are within the same judicial circuit may by joint resolution of the several county boards involved create a common Office of public defender for the counties so joined or allow representation in one county by the public defender appointed in the collaborating county (rather than 2 or more adjoining counties within the same judicial circuit may create a common Office of public defender). Provides that, when a vacancy occurs in the position of public defender, the State Public Defender shall nominate and the State Public Defender Commission shall appoint a properly qualified public defender using the application and selection process developed under the State Public Defender Act. Removes certain differences based upon county populations. Removes provisions relating to the Public Defender Quality Defense Task Force. Provides that a public defender may be removed only for good cause or dereliction of duty after notice and a hearing before the State Public Defender Commission (rather than by the president of the county board after a notice and hearing of the county board). Modifies how a public defender is compensated and how moneys in the Public Defender Fund may be used. Makes other changes. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes.


LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5842LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
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 State
5Public Defender Act.
 
6    Section 5. Legislative declaration. The General Assembly
7recognizes that zealous legal representation in criminal,
8juvenile delinquency and dependency proceedings and related
9matters is a constitutional right of the people of the State of
10Illinois and that high-quality legal representation should be
11available regardless of a person's ability to pay. Therefore,
12it is the intent of the General Assembly to provide for an
13effective public defender system throughout the State and to
14encourage the active and substantial participation of the
15private bar in the representation of accused people.
 
16    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the
17context otherwise requires:
18    "Commission" means the State Public Defender Commission
19established under Section 40.
20    "Public defender" has the meaning ascribed to it in
21Section 3-4000.1 of the Counties Code.
22    "State Public Defender" means the individual appointed as

 

 

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1State Public Defender under Section 30.
 
2    Section 15. Office of State Public Defender. The Office of
3State Public Defender is hereby created as an agency of State
4government and an independent agency within the judicial
5branch of government. The Office of State Public Defender
6shall be under the supervision and direction of the State
7Public Defender, and its records shall be subject to the
8Freedom of Information Act.
 
9    Section 20. Oath of office. The State Public Defender
10shall take the oath of office provided by law before assuming
11the duties of the Office of State Public Defender.
 
12    Section 25. Salary. The State Public Defender shall
13receive an annual salary equivalent to that of the Attorney
14General.
 
15    Section 30. Powers and duties of the State Public
16Defender.
17    (a) The State Public Defender or the State Public
18Defender's designee shall act as attorney when appointed by a
19court, without fee, for all otherwise unrepresented persons
20who are held in custody or who are charged with the commission
21of any criminal offense before any court within any county,
22and who the court finds are unable to afford counsel. The

 

 

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1Office of the State Public Defender shall be the attorney,
2without fee, when so appointed by the court under the Juvenile
3Court Act of 1987.
4    (b) The initial State Public Defender shall be nominated
5by a nonprofit organization created by and composed of
6Illinois' public defenders to advance public defense practice
7and appointed for a 2-year term by a majority vote of the
8Supreme Court. Each subsequent State Public Defender shall be
9appointed for a 6-year term under Section 45. The State Public
10Defender shall adopt rules, instructions, and orders
11consistent with this Act, further defining the organization of
12the Office of the State Public Defender and the duties of the
13Office's employees.
14    (c) Before submitting a budget request to the General
15Assembly, the State Public Defender shall submit the budget
16request to the State Public Defender Commission for approval.
17    (d) The State Public Defender may:
18        (1) provide representation in counties located within
19    its regional offices in addition to appointed counsel and
20    county public defenders;
21        (2) provide county public defenders with the
22    assistance of attorneys, expert witnesses, investigators,
23    administrative staff, and social service staff;
24        (3) provide training to county public defenders;
25        (4) maintain a panel of private attorneys available to
26    serve as counsel on a case-by-case basis;

 

 

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1        (5) establish programs, alone or in conjunction with
2    law schools, for the purpose of using law students as
3    legal assistants; and
4        (6) cooperate and consult with State and county
5    agencies, professional associations, and other groups
6    concerning the causes of criminal conduct, the
7    rehabilitation and support of persons charged with and
8    convicted of crime, the administration of criminal
9    justice, and the administration of juvenile delinquency
10    and dependency matters.
11    (e) The State Public Defender shall establish a
12recruitment and retention plan to ensure a skilled and diverse
13workforce is available to serve clients in every part of the
14State.
15    (f) The State Public Defender shall establish and
16supervise training programs for the State Public Defender's
17employees.
18    (g) The State Public Defender shall adopt rules,
19instructions, and orders, consistent with this Act to further
20define the organization of the Office of State Public Defender
21and the duties of employees of the Office of the State Public
22Defender.
23    (h) The State Public Defender shall maintain a website to
24provide the public with information about the Office of State
25Public Defender and its organization, information on how to
26join the Client Community Advisory Board, information for

 

 

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1people seeking employment in public defense, supplementary
2statistics and reports of public interest, reports to the
3Commission and State agencies, and agendas, minutes, and
4documents for Commission meetings.
5    (i) The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly
6shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required
7by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act and
8filing such additional copies with the State Government Report
9Distribution Center for the General Assembly as is required
10under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act.
11    (j) All required reports shall be simultaneously
12transmitted to the Supreme Court and to the Governor.
 
13    Section 35. Office of State Public Defender organization.
14    (a) During the initial State Public Defender's 2-year
15term, the State Public Defender shall establish a Public
16Defender Advisory Board, composed of attorneys providing
17public defense services in this State, including public
18defenders, which shall meet regularly to advise the Office of
19the State Public Defender regarding legal practice issues and
20resource needs around the State and establishing workload,
21staffing, and salary standards for the provision of public
22defense throughout the State.
23    (b) During the initial State Public Defender's term, the
24State Public Defender shall collaborate with the Public
25Defender Advisory Board to determine which judicial circuits

 

 

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1or geographic regions require State public defenders and how
2many public defenders and staff are required to supplement
3existing public defenders, staff, and appointed counsel for
4the State in order to comply with the State's legal and ethical
5obligations.
6    (c) During the initial State Public Defender's term, the
7State Public Defender shall establish a Client Community
8Advisory Board, composed of former clients and impacted
9community members, which shall meet regularly to advise the
10Office of the State Public Defender regarding client legal
11issues and needs around the State.
12    (d) During the initial State Public Defender's term, the
13State Public Defender shall collaborate with the Public
14Defender Advisory Board to devise an application and selection
15process for whenever there is an open public defender
16position.
17    (e) During the initial State Public Defender's term, the
18State Public Defender shall establish a working group to
19assess the availability of public defender representation and
20adequacy of resources in proceedings under Article II of the
21Juvenile Court Act. The working group members shall include
22current public defenders, non-public defenders that provide
23legal representation to parents/respondents, and nonprofit
24advocates with expertise in parent legal representation and
25shall meet regularly to advise the Office of the State Public
26Defender regarding client legal issues and needs around the

 

 

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1State.
2    (f) During the initial State Public Defender's term, the
3State Public Defender shall establish a procedure for
4distributions from the Public Defender Fund described under
5Section 3-4014 of the Counties Code.
6        (1) The purpose of the Public Defender Fund is to
7    supplement, not displace, county-level public defender
8    offices' budgets and to aid county public defenders in
9    providing effective assistance of counsel to their
10    clients.
11        (2) State support, funding, and services provided to
12    any county public defender office shall neither affect nor
13    be offset by any reduction in existing or projected public
14    defender office budgets.
15        (3) Appropriate uses of funds include, but are not
16    limited to:
17            (A) hiring investigators, social workers, or
18        mental health clinicians;
19            (B) increasing compensation for attorney and
20        non-attorney employees;
21            (C) funding expert witnesses; and
22            (D) training attorney and non-attorney employees.
23        (4) Requests by countries for financial support from
24    the Public Defender Fund shall originate solely from the
25    chief public defender of any jurisdiction and shall be
26    submitted directly to the Office of the State Public

 

 

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1    Defender. Financial support shall be paid to the county in
2    which the requesting chief public defender practices, and
3    the county treasurer shall cause that entire amount to be
4    placed in the operating budget of the public defender for
5    immediate use.
6        (5) County public defender offices shall provide the
7    Office of State Public Defender with a report including a
8    detailed accounting of the provided funds and an
9    evaluation of the impact of the provided funds within a
10    reasonable time frame established by the Office of State
11    Public Defender.
12    (g) Following the planning phase described in subsections
13(a) through (f), the State Public Defender may establish
14regional offices. The State Public Defender shall appoint a
15deputy defender for each regional office who shall serve as
16the administrator of that office. Each deputy defender must be
17an attorney licensed to practice law in this State. Deputy
18public defenders shall serve at the pleasure of the State
19Public Defender.
20    (h) The Office of the State Public Defender shall hire and
21train new State-employed personnel to carry out the Office's
22duties under this Act, including, but not limited to,
23attorneys licensed to practice law in this State, and
24administrative, investigative, and social services employees.
25Nothing in this Act shall be construed to invalidate,
26diminish, or otherwise interfere with any collective

 

 

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1bargaining agreement or representation rights under the
2Illinois Public Labor Relations Act, if applicable.
3    (i) Deputy defenders shall employ, with the approval of
4the State Public Defender, assistant public defenders,
5investigators, social services staff, administrative staff,
6and other employees under their direct supervision, as
7described in subsection (h) of this Section.
8    (j) Attorneys employed by the Office of the State Public
9Defender shall devote full time to their duties, except as
10provided in Section 50, and may not engage in the private
11practice of law.
 
12    Section 40. State Public Defender Commission.
13    (a) The State Public Defender Commission is hereby created
14as an independent body within the judicial branch. The
15Commission shall be composed of 11 members, appointed as
16follows:
17        (1) Two members appointed by the Governor from a panel
18    of 5 persons nominated by a nonprofit organization created
19    by and composed of Illinois' public defenders to advance
20    public defense practice;
21        (2) Two members appointed by the Supreme Court from a
22    panel of 5 persons nominated by an organization of
23    Illinois chief public defenders;
24        (3) One member appointed by the Supreme Court from a
25    panel of 3 criminal defense lawyers nominated by a

 

 

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1    voluntary association of lawyers which aims to assist
2    Illinois lawyers in the practice of law and to promote the
3    advancement of justice;
4        (4) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House
5    of Representatives;
6        (5) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
7    House of Representatives;
8        (6) one member appointed by the President of the
9    Senate;
10        (7) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
11    Senate;
12        (8) one member appointed by the Governor representing
13    community-based organizations that support the success of
14    people impacted by the criminal or juvenile delinquency
15    and dependency legal systems; and
16        (9) one member appointed by the Governor representing
17    organizations advocating for civil rights or criminal or
18    juvenile delinquency or dependency legal system reform.
19    All appointments shall be filed with the Secretary of
20State by the appointing authority. The terms of the original
21members shall be as follows: 5 members shall be appointed to
222-year terms and until a successor is appointed and qualified
23and 6 members shall be appointed to 4-year terms and until a
24successor is appointed and qualified. Thereafter, all members
25shall be appointed to 4-year terms and until a successor is
26appointed and qualified. The chairperson, at the first meeting

 

 

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1of the Commission, shall conduct a drawing by lot to determine
2whether each original member shall be appointed to a 2-year or
34-year term.
4    (b) Persons appointed to the Commission shall have
5significant experience in the defense of indigent clients in
6criminal or juvenile proceedings or shall have demonstrated a
7strong commitment to quality representation in indigent
8defense matters. No person shall be appointed to the
9Commission who, within the 2 years prior to appointment, has
10received compensation to be a judge, elected official,
11judicial officer, prosecutor, or law enforcement official, or
12who has served as an employee of such a person.
13    (c) No member may serve more than 2 full 4-year terms.
14Vacancies in the membership of the Commission are to be filled
15in the same manner as original appointments. A vacancy shall
16be declared upon any member missing 3 or more meetings in a row
17unless the chairperson finds there was good cause for the
18absences. Appointments to fill vacancies occurring before the
19expiration of a term are for the remainder of the unexpired
20term.
21    (d) Members of the Commission shall elect from the
22membership of the Commission a chairperson, vice-chairperson,
23and secretary. No officer may serve more than one full 4-year
24term as an officer. The Commission shall meet quarterly. The
25chairperson shall determine the time and place of meetings.
26Additional meetings may be held upon petition to the

 

 

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1chairperson by 7 or more members of the Commission or upon the
2call of the chairperson after 7 days written notice to the
3members.
4    (e) The Commission shall approve the Office of State
5Public Defender distribution of the Public Defender Fund under
6Section 3-4014 of the Counties Code.
7    (f) Members of the Commission may receive a stipend upon
8demonstrated need, based on a decision of the chairperson.
9Members of the Commission shall receive reimbursement for
10actual expenses incurred in the performance of the member's
11duties.
12    (g) Six members of the Commission constitute a quorum.
13    (h) Records and proceedings of the Commission shall be
14subject to the Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information
15Act.
 
16    Section 45. Powers and Duties of the State Public Defender
17Commission.
18    (a) After the term of the initial State Public Defender
19concludes, the Commission, by a vote of a majority of the
20members of the Commission, shall appoint a State Public
21Defender for a 6-year term and until the State Public
22Defender's successor is appointed and qualified. The State
23Public Defender must be an attorney licensed to practice law
24in this State and must have criminal defense experience. The
25State Public Defender shall devote full time to the duties of

 

 

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1the Office of State Public Defender and may not engage in the
2private practice of law.
3    (b) The State Public Defender shall draft, and the
4Commission shall approve and publish, standards for
5trial-level public defense in the State, including
6identification of workload standards and ratios of attorney to
7non-attorney staff, such as investigators, mitigators, social
8workers, and administrative support staff.
9    (c) The Commission shall approve or modify an operational
10budget and the Public Defender Fund expenditures submitted to
11the Commission by the State Public Defender.
12    (d) The Commission may remove the State Public Defender
13only for cause and after a hearing. The Commission may hold
14such a hearing on the Commission's own motion and may adopt
15rules establishing other procedures for the hearing.
16    (e) The State Public Defender shall submit reports to the
17Commission on the operation of the Office of State Public
18Defender at each quarterly meeting. The State Public Defender
19shall submit a comprehensive report to the Commission at the
20end of each fiscal year. The Commission may require the State
21Public Defender to submit additional or amended reports on any
22aspect of the operation of the Office of State Public
23Defender.
 
24    Section 50. Shared position. For purposes of this Section,
25"shared position" means a position in which individuals share

 

 

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1the salary and employee benefits. For purposes of seniority,
2each individual shall receive credit at a rate equal to the
3percentage of time employed in a shared position. Attorneys
4sharing a position may not engage in the private practice of
5law.
 
6    Section 80. The Freedom of Information Act is amended by
7changing Section 7 as follows:
 
8    (5 ILCS 140/7)
9    Sec. 7. Exemptions.
10    (1) When a request is made to inspect or copy a public
11record that contains information that is exempt from
12disclosure under this Section, but also contains information
13that is not exempt from disclosure, the public body may elect
14to redact the information that is exempt. The public body
15shall make the remaining information available for inspection
16and copying. Subject to this requirement, the following shall
17be exempt from inspection and copying:
18        (a) Records created or compiled by a State public
19    defender agency or commission subject to this Act that
20    contain: individual client identity; individual case file
21    information; records that are otherwise subject to
22    attorney-client privilege; records that would not be
23    discoverable in litigation; records under Section 2.15;
24    training materials; records related to attorney

 

 

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1    consultation and representation strategy; or any of the
2    above concerning clients of county public defenders or
3    other defender agencies and firms. This exclusion does not
4    apply to de-identified, aggregated, administrative
5    records, such as general case processing and workload
6    information.
7        (a-5) (a) Information specifically prohibited from
8    disclosure by federal or State law or rules and
9    regulations implementing federal or State law.
10        (b) Private information, unless disclosure is required
11    by another provision of this Act, a State or federal law,
12    or a court order.
13        (b-5) Files, documents, and other data or databases
14    maintained by one or more law enforcement agencies and
15    specifically designed to provide information to one or
16    more law enforcement agencies regarding the physical or
17    mental status of one or more individual subjects.
18        (c) Personal information contained within public
19    records, the disclosure of which would constitute a
20    clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless
21    the disclosure is consented to in writing by the
22    individual subjects of the information. "Unwarranted
23    invasion of personal privacy" means the disclosure of
24    information that is highly personal or objectionable to a
25    reasonable person and in which the subject's right to
26    privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in

 

 

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1    obtaining the information. The disclosure of information
2    that bears on the public duties of public employees and
3    officials shall not be considered an invasion of personal
4    privacy.
5        (d) Records in the possession of any public body
6    created in the course of administrative enforcement
7    proceedings, and any law enforcement or correctional
8    agency for law enforcement purposes, but only to the
9    extent that disclosure would:
10            (i) interfere with pending or actually and
11        reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings
12        conducted by any law enforcement or correctional
13        agency that is the recipient of the request;
14            (ii) interfere with active administrative
15        enforcement proceedings conducted by the public body
16        that is the recipient of the request;
17            (iii) create a substantial likelihood that a
18        person will be deprived of a fair trial or an impartial
19        hearing;
20            (iv) unavoidably disclose the identity of a
21        confidential source, confidential information
22        furnished only by the confidential source, or persons
23        who file complaints with or provide information to
24        administrative, investigative, law enforcement, or
25        penal agencies; except that the identities of
26        witnesses to traffic crashes, traffic crash reports,

 

 

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1        and rescue reports shall be provided by agencies of
2        local government, except when disclosure would
3        interfere with an active criminal investigation
4        conducted by the agency that is the recipient of the
5        request;
6            (v) disclose unique or specialized investigative
7        techniques other than those generally used and known
8        or disclose internal documents of correctional
9        agencies related to detection, observation, or
10        investigation of incidents of crime or misconduct, and
11        disclosure would result in demonstrable harm to the
12        agency or public body that is the recipient of the
13        request;
14            (vi) endanger the life or physical safety of law
15        enforcement personnel or any other person; or
16            (vii) obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation
17        by the agency that is the recipient of the request.
18        (d-5) A law enforcement record created for law
19    enforcement purposes and contained in a shared electronic
20    record management system if the law enforcement agency
21    that is the recipient of the request did not create the
22    record, did not participate in or have a role in any of the
23    events which are the subject of the record, and only has
24    access to the record through the shared electronic record
25    management system.
26        (d-6) Records contained in the Officer Professional

 

 

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1    Conduct Database under Section 9.2 of the Illinois Police
2    Training Act, except to the extent authorized under that
3    Section. This includes the documents supplied to the
4    Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board from the
5    Illinois State Police and Illinois State Police Merit
6    Board.
7        (d-7) Information gathered or records created from the
8    use of automatic license plate readers in connection with
9    Section 2-130 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.
10        (e) Records that relate to or affect the security of
11    correctional institutions and detention facilities.
12        (e-5) Records requested by persons committed to the
13    Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services
14    Division of Mental Health, or a county jail if those
15    materials are available in the library of the correctional
16    institution or facility or jail where the inmate is
17    confined.
18        (e-6) Records requested by persons committed to the
19    Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services
20    Division of Mental Health, or a county jail if those
21    materials include records from staff members' personnel
22    files, staff rosters, or other staffing assignment
23    information.
24        (e-7) Records requested by persons committed to the
25    Department of Corrections or Department of Human Services
26    Division of Mental Health if those materials are available

 

 

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1    through an administrative request to the Department of
2    Corrections or Department of Human Services Division of
3    Mental Health.
4        (e-8) Records requested by a person committed to the
5    Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services
6    Division of Mental Health, or a county jail, the
7    disclosure of which would result in the risk of harm to any
8    person or the risk of an escape from a jail or correctional
9    institution or facility.
10        (e-9) Records requested by a person in a county jail
11    or committed to the Department of Corrections or
12    Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health,
13    containing personal information pertaining to the person's
14    victim or the victim's family, including, but not limited
15    to, a victim's home address, home telephone number, work
16    or school address, work telephone number, social security
17    number, or any other identifying information, except as
18    may be relevant to a requester's current or potential case
19    or claim.
20        (e-10) Law enforcement records of other persons
21    requested by a person committed to the Department of
22    Corrections, Department of Human Services Division of
23    Mental Health, or a county jail, including, but not
24    limited to, arrest and booking records, mug shots, and
25    crime scene photographs, except as these records may be
26    relevant to the requester's current or potential case or

 

 

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1    claim.
2        (f) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations,
3    memoranda, and other records in which opinions are
4    expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except
5    that a specific record or relevant portion of a record
6    shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and
7    identified by the head of the public body. The exemption
8    provided in this paragraph (f) extends to all those
9    records of officers and agencies of the General Assembly
10    that pertain to the preparation of legislative documents.
11        (g) Trade secrets and commercial or financial
12    information obtained from a person or business where the
13    trade secrets or commercial or financial information are
14    furnished under a claim that they are proprietary,
15    privileged, or confidential, and that disclosure of the
16    trade secrets or commercial or financial information would
17    cause competitive harm to the person or business, and only
18    insofar as the claim directly applies to the records
19    requested.
20        The information included under this exemption includes
21    all trade secrets and commercial or financial information
22    obtained by a public body, including a public pension
23    fund, from a private equity fund or a privately held
24    company within the investment portfolio of a private
25    equity fund as a result of either investing or evaluating
26    a potential investment of public funds in a private equity

 

 

HB5842- 21 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    fund. The exemption contained in this item does not apply
2    to the aggregate financial performance information of a
3    private equity fund, nor to the identity of the fund's
4    managers or general partners. The exemption contained in
5    this item does not apply to the identity of a privately
6    held company within the investment portfolio of a private
7    equity fund, unless the disclosure of the identity of a
8    privately held company may cause competitive harm.
9        Nothing contained in this paragraph (g) shall be
10    construed to prevent a person or business from consenting
11    to disclosure.
12        (h) Proposals and bids for any contract, grant, or
13    agreement, including information which if it were
14    disclosed would frustrate procurement or give an advantage
15    to any person proposing to enter into a contractor
16    agreement with the body, until an award or final selection
17    is made. Information prepared by or for the body in
18    preparation of a bid solicitation shall be exempt until an
19    award or final selection is made.
20        (i) Valuable formulae, computer geographic systems,
21    designs, drawings, and research data obtained or produced
22    by any public body when disclosure could reasonably be
23    expected to produce private gain or public loss. The
24    exemption for "computer geographic systems" provided in
25    this paragraph (i) does not extend to requests made by
26    news media as defined in Section 2 of this Act when the

 

 

HB5842- 22 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    requested information is not otherwise exempt and the only
2    purpose of the request is to access and disseminate
3    information regarding the health, safety, welfare, or
4    legal rights of the general public.
5        (j) The following information pertaining to
6    educational matters:
7            (i) test questions, scoring keys, and other
8        examination data used to administer an academic
9        examination;
10            (ii) information received by a primary or
11        secondary school, college, or university under its
12        procedures for the evaluation of faculty members by
13        their academic peers;
14            (iii) information concerning a school or
15        university's adjudication of student disciplinary
16        cases, but only to the extent that disclosure would
17        unavoidably reveal the identity of the student; and
18            (iv) course materials or research materials used
19        by faculty members.
20        (k) Architects' plans, engineers' technical
21    submissions, and other construction related technical
22    documents for projects not constructed or developed in
23    whole or in part with public funds and the same for
24    projects constructed or developed with public funds,
25    including, but not limited to, power generating and
26    distribution stations and other transmission and

 

 

HB5842- 23 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    distribution facilities, water treatment facilities,
2    airport facilities, sport stadiums, convention centers,
3    and all government owned, operated, or occupied buildings,
4    but only to the extent that disclosure would compromise
5    security.
6        (l) Minutes of meetings of public bodies closed to the
7    public as provided in the Open Meetings Act until the
8    public body makes the minutes available to the public
9    under Section 2.06 of the Open Meetings Act.
10        (m) Communications between a public body and an
11    attorney or auditor representing the public body that
12    would not be subject to discovery in litigation, and
13    materials prepared or compiled by or for a public body in
14    anticipation of a criminal, civil, or administrative
15    proceeding upon the request of an attorney advising the
16    public body, and materials prepared or compiled with
17    respect to internal audits of public bodies.
18        (n) Records relating to a public body's adjudication
19    of employee grievances or disciplinary cases; however,
20    this exemption shall not extend to the final outcome of
21    cases in which discipline is imposed.
22        (o) Administrative or technical information associated
23    with automated data processing operations, including, but
24    not limited to, software, operating protocols, computer
25    program abstracts, file layouts, source listings, object
26    modules, load modules, user guides, documentation

 

 

HB5842- 24 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    pertaining to all logical and physical design of
2    computerized systems, employee manuals, and any other
3    information that, if disclosed, would jeopardize the
4    security of the system or its data or the security of
5    materials exempt under this Section.
6        (p) Records relating to collective negotiating matters
7    between public bodies and their employees or
8    representatives, except that any final contract or
9    agreement shall be subject to inspection and copying.
10        (q) Test questions, scoring keys, and other
11    examination data used to determine the qualifications of
12    an applicant for a license or employment.
13        (r) The records, documents, and information relating
14    to real estate purchase negotiations until those
15    negotiations have been completed or otherwise terminated.
16    With regard to a parcel involved in a pending or actually
17    and reasonably contemplated eminent domain proceeding
18    under the Eminent Domain Act, records, documents, and
19    information relating to that parcel shall be exempt except
20    as may be allowed under discovery rules adopted by the
21    Illinois Supreme Court. The records, documents, and
22    information relating to a real estate sale shall be exempt
23    until a sale is consummated.
24        (s) Any and all proprietary information and records
25    related to the operation of an intergovernmental risk
26    management association or self-insurance pool or jointly

 

 

HB5842- 25 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    self-administered health and accident cooperative or pool.
2    Insurance or self-insurance (including any
3    intergovernmental risk management association or
4    self-insurance pool) claims, loss or risk management
5    information, records, data, advice, or communications.
6        (t) Information contained in or related to
7    examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by,
8    on behalf of, or for the use of a public body responsible
9    for the regulation or supervision of financial
10    institutions, insurance companies, or pharmacy benefit
11    managers, unless disclosure is otherwise required by State
12    law.
13        (u) Information that would disclose or might lead to
14    the disclosure of secret or confidential information,
15    codes, algorithms, programs, or private keys intended to
16    be used to create electronic signatures under the Uniform
17    Electronic Transactions Act.
18        (v) Vulnerability assessments, security measures, and
19    response policies or plans that are designed to identify,
20    prevent, or respond to potential attacks upon a
21    community's population or systems, facilities, or
22    installations, but only to the extent that disclosure
23    could reasonably be expected to expose the vulnerability
24    or jeopardize the effectiveness of the measures, policies,
25    or plans, or the safety of the personnel who implement
26    them or the public. Information exempt under this item may

 

 

HB5842- 26 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    include such things as details pertaining to the
2    mobilization or deployment of personnel or equipment, to
3    the operation of communication systems or protocols, to
4    cybersecurity vulnerabilities, or to tactical operations.
5        (w) (Blank).
6        (x) Maps and other records regarding the location or
7    security of generation, transmission, distribution,
8    storage, gathering, treatment, or switching facilities
9    owned by a utility, by a power generator, or by the
10    Illinois Power Agency.
11        (y) Information contained in or related to proposals,
12    bids, or negotiations related to electric power
13    procurement under Section 1-75 of the Illinois Power
14    Agency Act and Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
15    Act that is determined to be confidential and proprietary
16    by the Illinois Power Agency or by the Illinois Commerce
17    Commission.
18        (z) Information about students exempted from
19    disclosure under Section 10-20.38 or 34-18.29 of the
20    School Code, and information about undergraduate students
21    enrolled at an institution of higher education exempted
22    from disclosure under Section 25 of the Illinois Credit
23    Card Marketing Act of 2009.
24        (aa) Information the disclosure of which is exempted
25    under the Viatical Settlements Act of 2009.
26        (bb) Records and information provided to a mortality

 

 

HB5842- 27 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    review team and records maintained by a mortality review
2    team appointed under the Department of Juvenile Justice
3    Mortality Review Team Act.
4        (cc) Information regarding interments, entombments, or
5    inurnments of human remains that are submitted to the
6    Cemetery Oversight Database under the Cemetery Care Act or
7    the Cemetery Oversight Act, whichever is applicable.
8        (dd) Correspondence and records (i) that may not be
9    disclosed under Section 11-9 of the Illinois Public Aid
10    Code or (ii) that pertain to appeals under Section 11-8 of
11    the Illinois Public Aid Code.
12        (ee) The names, addresses, or other personal
13    information of persons who are minors and are also
14    participants and registrants in programs of park
15    districts, forest preserve districts, conservation
16    districts, recreation agencies, and special recreation
17    associations.
18        (ff) The names, addresses, or other personal
19    information of participants and registrants in programs of
20    park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation
21    districts, recreation agencies, and special recreation
22    associations where such programs are targeted primarily to
23    minors.
24        (gg) Confidential information described in Section
25    1-100 of the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal Act of
26    2012.

 

 

HB5842- 28 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1        (hh) The report submitted to the State Board of
2    Education by the School Security and Standards Task Force
3    under item (8) of subsection (d) of Section 2-3.160 of the
4    School Code and any information contained in that report.
5        (ii) Records requested by persons committed to or
6    detained by the Department of Human Services under the
7    Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act or committed to
8    the Department of Corrections under the Sexually Dangerous
9    Persons Act if those materials: (i) are available in the
10    library of the facility where the individual is confined;
11    (ii) include records from staff members' personnel files,
12    staff rosters, or other staffing assignment information;
13    or (iii) are available through an administrative request
14    to the Department of Human Services or the Department of
15    Corrections.
16        (jj) Confidential information described in Section
17    5-535 of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
18        (kk) The public body's credit card numbers, debit card
19    numbers, bank account numbers, Federal Employer
20    Identification Number, security code numbers, passwords,
21    and similar account information, the disclosure of which
22    could result in identity theft or impression or defrauding
23    of a governmental entity or a person.
24        (ll) Records concerning the work of the threat
25    assessment team of a school district, including, but not
26    limited to, any threat assessment procedure under the

 

 

HB5842- 29 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    School Safety Drill Act and any information contained in
2    the procedure.
3        (mm) Information prohibited from being disclosed under
4    subsections (a) and (b) of Section 15 of the Student
5    Confidential Reporting Act.
6        (nn) Proprietary information submitted to the
7    Environmental Protection Agency under the Drug Take-Back
8    Act.
9        (oo) Records described in subsection (f) of Section
10    3-5-1 of the Unified Code of Corrections.
11        (pp) Any and all information regarding burials,
12    interments, or entombments of human remains as required to
13    be reported to the Department of Natural Resources
14    pursuant either to the Archaeological and Paleontological
15    Resources Protection Act or the Human Remains Protection
16    Act.
17        (qq) (pp) Reports described in subsection (e) of
18    Section 16-15 of the Abortion Care Clinical Training
19    Program Act.
20        (rr) (pp) Information obtained by a certified local
21    health department under the Access to Public Health Data
22    Act.
23        (ss) (pp) For a request directed to a public body that
24    is also a HIPAA-covered entity, all information that is
25    protected health information, including demographic
26    information, that may be contained within or extracted

 

 

HB5842- 30 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    from any record held by the public body in compliance with
2    State and federal medical privacy laws and regulations,
3    including, but not limited to, the Health Insurance
4    Portability and Accountability Act and its regulations, 45
5    CFR Parts 160 and 164. As used in this paragraph,
6    "HIPAA-covered entity" has the meaning given to the term
7    "covered entity" in 45 CFR 160.103 and "protected health
8    information" has the meaning given to that term in 45 CFR
9    160.103.
10    (1.5) Any information exempt from disclosure under the
11Judicial Privacy Act shall be redacted from public records
12prior to disclosure under this Act.
13    (2) A public record that is not in the possession of a
14public body but is in the possession of a party with whom the
15agency has contracted to perform a governmental function on
16behalf of the public body, and that directly relates to the
17governmental function and is not otherwise exempt under this
18Act, shall be considered a public record of the public body,
19for purposes of this Act.
20    (3) This Section does not authorize withholding of
21information or limit the availability of records to the
22public, except as stated in this Section or otherwise provided
23in this Act.
24(Source: P.A. 102-38, eff. 6-25-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21;
25102-694, eff. 1-7-22; 102-752, eff. 5-6-22; 102-753, eff.
261-1-23; 102-776, eff. 1-1-23; 102-791, eff. 5-13-22; 102-982,

 

 

HB5842- 31 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1eff. 7-1-23; 102-1055, eff. 6-10-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
2103-423, eff. 1-1-24; 103-446, eff. 8-4-23; 103-462, eff.
38-4-23; 103-540, eff. 1-1-24; 103-554, eff. 1-1-24; revised
49-7-23.)
 
5    Section 85. The Counties Code is amended by changing
6Sections 3-4000, 3-4000.1, 3-4001, 3-4002, 3-4003, 3-4004,
73-4004.2, 3-4005, 3-4007, 3-4008.1, 3-4009, 3-4010.1, and
83-4014 as follows:
 
9    (55 ILCS 5/3-4000)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4000)
10    Sec. 3-4000. Legislative declaration. The General Assembly
11recognizes that quality legal representation in criminal,
12juvenile delinquency, and dependency proceedings and related
13matters is a constitutional proceedings is a fundamental right
14of the people of the State of Illinois and that there should be
15no distinction in the availability of quality legal
16representation based upon a person's ability inability to pay.
17Therefore, it is the intent of the General Assembly to provide
18for an effective county public defense system defender systems
19throughout the State and encourage the active and substantial
20participation of the private bar in the representation of
21accused people indigent defendants.
22(Source: P.A. 87-111.)
 
23    (55 ILCS 5/3-4000.1)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4000.1)

 

 

HB5842- 32 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    Sec. 3-4000.1. Definitions. In this Division, except when
2a particular context clearly requires a different meaning, the
3following definitions apply:
4    "Board" means the county board of commissioners.
5    "President" means the president, speaker, or chair of the
6county board.
7    "Public defender" means a county chief public defender
8appointed to the office of public defender by one or more
9counties under Section 3-4001, 3-4002, or 3-4003.
10    "State Public Defender" has the meaning ascribed to it in
11Section 3 of the State Public Defender Act.
12(Source: P.A. 87-111.)
 
13    (55 ILCS 5/3-4001)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4001)
14    Sec. 3-4001. Public defender in counties over 35,000. In
15each county of this State containing 35,000 or more
16inhabitants there is created the Office office of Public
17Defender and the person or persons to be appointed to such
18office shall be known as the Public Defender. No person shall
19be eligible to or hold such office unless he is duly licensed
20as an attorney and counsellor-at-law in this State.
21(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
 
22    (55 ILCS 5/3-4002)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4002)
23    Sec. 3-4002. Public defender in counties of less than
2435,000. In each county of this State containing less than

 

 

HB5842- 33 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

135,000 inhabitants, the county board may, by resolution,
2create the Office office of Public Defender and the person
3appointed to such office shall be known as the Public
4Defender. No person shall be eligible to or hold such office
5unless he or she is duly licensed as an attorney at law in this
6State.
7(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
 
8    (55 ILCS 5/3-4003)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4003)
9    Sec. 3-4003. Public defender in collaboration within the
10same judicial circuit adjoining counties. Any 2 or more
11adjoining counties of this State that are within the same
12judicial circuit, may, by joint resolution of the several
13county boards involved, create a common Office office of
14Public Defender for the counties so joined or allow
15representation in one county by the public defender appointed
16in the collaborating county. The person or persons appointed
17to the Office such office shall be known as the Public
18Defender. No person shall be eligible to or hold the Office
19such office unless he or she is duly licensed as an attorney at
20law in this State.
21(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
 
22    (55 ILCS 5/3-4004)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4004)
23    Sec. 3-4004. Appointment of Public Defender in counties
24under 1,000,000. When a vacancy occurs in the position of

 

 

HB5842- 34 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1public defender, the State Public Defender shall nominate and
2the State Public Defender Commission shall appoint a properly
3qualified public defender using the application and selection
4process developed under Section 35 of the State Public
5Defender Act, As soon as may be after this Division becomes
6applicable to a county with a population under 1,000,000, the
7judges of the Circuit Court of the circuit in which the county
8is located shall, by a majority vote of the entire number of
9those judges, appoint to the office of Public Defender a
10properly qualified person, who shall hold office, his death or
11resignation not intervening, at the pleasure of the judges
12competent to appoint. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the office
13it shall be filled in the same manner, and the person appointed
14to fill the vacancy shall have the same tenure of office.
15(Source: P.A. 86-962; 87-111.)
 
16    (55 ILCS 5/3-4004.2)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4004.2)
17    Sec. 3-4004.2. Qualifications of Public Defender and terms
18of employment in counties over 35,000 1,000,000. In counties
19with a population over 1,000,000, the following qualifications
20and terms of employment shall apply:
21        (a) The public defender shall be The president shall
22    select as Public Defender only a person with the following
23    qualifications: an attorney whose practice of law has
24    clearly demonstrated experience in the representation of
25    persons accused of crime; who has been licensed to

 

 

HB5842- 35 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1    practice law in this State or in another state for at least
2    5 years; who has had administrative experience; and who is
3    dedicated to the goals of providing high quality
4    representation for eligible persons and to improving the
5    quality of defense services generally.
6        (b) The Public Defender shall devote full time to the
7    duties of the public defender system and shall not
8    otherwise engage in the practice of law.
9        (c) Once approved, the The Public Defender once
10    approved by the Board shall serve for 6 years and may be
11    removed by the President only for good cause or
12    dereliction of duty after notice and a hearing before the
13    State Public Defender Commission Board. The effective date
14    of this amendatory Act of 1991 shall be deemed the
15    commencement of the term of the current public defender.
16        (d) (Blank). The Public Defender's compensation shall
17    be set at a level that is commensurate with his
18    qualifications and experience and professionally
19    appropriate with the responsibility of the position. The
20    Public Defender's compensation shall be comparable with
21    that paid to circuit court judges, but in no event shall be
22    more than that of the State's Attorney of the county.
23(Source: P.A. 87-111.)
 
24    (55 ILCS 5/3-4005)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4005)
25    Sec. 3-4005. Oath of office. The person appointed as

 

 

HB5842- 36 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1Public Defender, before entering on the duties of his office,
2shall take and subscribe an oath of office in writing before
3one of the judges qualified to administer it competent to
4appoint, which oath shall be filed in the office of the County
5Clerk.
6(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
 
7    (55 ILCS 5/3-4007)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4007)
8    Sec. 3-4007. Compensation.
9    (a) The public defender shall be paid out of the county
10treasury, and, subject to appropriation, shall be paid by the
11Department of Revenue out of the Personal Property Tax
12Replacement Fund or the General Revenue Fund as provided in
13subsection (b), as the sole compensation for his or her
14services a salary in an amount fixed by the County Board. When
15a Public Defender in a county of 30,000 or more population is
16receiving not less than 90% of the compensation of the State's
17Attorney of such county, that Public Defender shall not engage
18in the private practice of law.
19    (b) The State must pay 66 2/3% of the public defender's
20annual salary. If the public defender is employed full-time in
21that capacity, his or her salary must be at least equal to 90%
22of that county's State's Attorney's attorney's annual
23compensation and will be eligible for the same amount of
24reimbursement as that county's State's Attorney under Section
254-2001. Funding for assistant public defenders must be at

 

 

HB5842- 37 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1least proportionate to that of assistant State's Attorneys,
2including supplements for counties housing certain State
3institutions as described Section 4-2001 of the Counties Code.
4Subject to appropriation, these amounts furnished by the State
5shall be payable monthly by the Department of Revenue out of
6the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund or the General
7Revenue Fund to the county in which each Public Defender is
8employed.
9    (c) In cases where 2 or more adjoining counties have
10joined to form a common office of Public Defender or otherwise
11collaborate under Section 3-4003, the salary of the Public
12Defender shall be set and paid as provided by a joint
13resolution of the various county boards involved.
14(Source: P.A. 97-72, eff. 7-1-11.)
 
15    (55 ILCS 5/3-4008.1)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4008.1)
16    Sec. 3-4008.1. Assistant public defenders Assistants in
17counties over 1,000,000. The Public Defender in counties with
18a population over 1,000,000 shall appoint assistants, all duly
19licensed practitioners, as that Public Defender shall deem
20necessary for the proper discharge of the duties of the
21office, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Public
22Defender. The Public Defender shall also, in like manner,
23appoint clerks and other employees necessary for the
24transaction of the business of the office. The compensation of
25and the appropriate number of assistants, clerks, and

 

 

HB5842- 38 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1employees shall be fixed by the County Board and paid out of
2the county treasury.
3(Source: P.A. 87-111.)
 
4    (55 ILCS 5/3-4009)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4009)
5    Sec. 3-4009. Office quarters; expenses. The County Boards
6Board shall provide suitable office quarters for the use of
7the Public Defender, and shall pay out of the county treasury
8for necessary office, travel and other expenses incurred in
9the defense of cases, including, but not limited to, social
10workers, investigators, expert witnesses, mitigators, and
11administrative staff. In counties of less than 500,000
12population, such payment shall be made after the circuit court
13of the county approves such expenses as being necessary and
14proper. In cases where 2 or more adjoining counties have
15joined to form a common office of Public Defender or otherwise
16collaborate under Section 3-4003, the expenses incurred under
17this Section shall be paid as provided for in a joint
18resolution of the various county boards involved.
19(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
 
20    (55 ILCS 5/3-4010.1)  (from Ch. 34, par. 3-4010.1)
21    Sec. 3-4010.1. Records; reports in counties over
221,000,000. The public defender in counties with a population
23over 35,000 1,000,000 shall keep a record of the services
24rendered by the public defender him and prepare and file

 

 

HB5842- 39 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1quarterly with the president and Commission a written report
2of those services. If 2 or more adjoining counties have joined
3to form a common Office of public defender or otherwise
4collaborate under Section 3-4003, the public defender so
5appointed shall file his or her quarterly report with each of
6the several county boards involved.
7(Source: P.A. 87-111.)
 
8    (55 ILCS 5/3-4014)
9    Sec. 3-4014. Public Defender Fund.
10    (a) (Blank).
11    (b) The Public Defender Fund is created as a special fund
12in the State treasury. All money in the Public Defender Fund
13shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Public
14Defender Illinois Supreme Court to provide funding to counties
15with a population of 3,000,000 or less for use by public
16defenders for and public defender services and related
17expenses pursuant to this Section 3-4014.
18(Source: P.A. 102-1104, eff. 12-6-22; 103-8, eff. 7-1-23.)
 
19    (55 ILCS 5/3-4004.1 rep.)
20    (55 ILCS 5/3-4008 rep.)
21    (55 ILCS 5/3-4010 rep.)
22    (55 ILCS 5/3-4011 rep.)
23    (55 ILCS 5/3-4013 rep.)
24    Section 90. The Counties Code is amended by repealing

 

 

HB5842- 40 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1Sections 3-4004.1, 3-4008, 3-4010, 3-4011, and 3-4013.

 

 

HB5842- 41 -LRB103 40494 RLC 72946 b

1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
3    New Act
4    5 ILCS 140/7
5    55 ILCS 5/3-4000from Ch. 34, par. 3-4000
6    55 ILCS 5/3-4000.1from Ch. 34, par. 3-4000.1
7    55 ILCS 5/3-4001from Ch. 34, par. 3-4001
8    55 ILCS 5/3-4002from Ch. 34, par. 3-4002
9    55 ILCS 5/3-4003from Ch. 34, par. 3-4003
10    55 ILCS 5/3-4004from Ch. 34, par. 3-4004
11    55 ILCS 5/3-4004.2from Ch. 34, par. 3-4004.2
12    55 ILCS 5/3-4005from Ch. 34, par. 3-4005
13    55 ILCS 5/3-4007from Ch. 34, par. 3-4007
14    55 ILCS 5/3-4008.1from Ch. 34, par. 3-4008.1
15    55 ILCS 5/3-4009from Ch. 34, par. 3-4009
16    55 ILCS 5/3-4010.1from Ch. 34, par. 3-4010.1
17    55 ILCS 5/3-4014
18    55 ILCS 5/3-4004.1 rep.
19    55 ILCS 5/3-4008 rep.
20    55 ILCS 5/3-4010 rep.
21    55 ILCS 5/3-4011 rep.
22    55 ILCS 5/3-4013 rep.