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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 175

 
2    WHEREAS, Grand juries have always had the responsibility of
3investigating, indicting, and prosecuting persons who violate
4the criminal laws of the State of Illinois; and
 
5    WHEREAS, In light of recent events around the country,
6members of the public have lost confidence in the criminal
7justice system and the grand jury process; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds that the grand jury
9process utilized in this State should be reviewed to ensure the
10impartiality and effectiveness of the process; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Grand Jury Review
13Task Force is created to review the current grand jury process
14and suggest reforms to the General Assembly; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
16following members:
17        (1) One member appointed by the President of the
18    Senate, who shall serve as co-chairperson;
19        (2) One member appointed by the Senate Minority Leader,
20    who shall serve as co-chairperson;
21        (3) The Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice

 

 

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1    Information Authority, or his or her designee;
2        (4) The Director of the Illinois Office of the State's
3    Attorney Appellate Prosecutor, or his or her designee;
4        (5) The State Appellate Defender, or his or her
5    designee;
6        (6) The Executive Director of the Illinois State Bar
7    Association, or his or her designee;
8        (7) The President of the Chicago Bar Association, or
9    his or her designee;
10        (8) The President of the American Civil Liberties Union
11    of Illinois, or his or her designee;
12        (9) The President of the Chicago Innocence Project, or
13    his or her designee;
14        (10) The President of the Illinois Press Association,
15    or his or her designee;
16        (11) One law professor, appointed by the Senate
17    Minority Leader;
18        (12) One retired judge, appointed by the President of
19    the Senate;
20        (13) Four members representing advocacy groups
21    involved in criminal justice, two of which are to be
22    appointed by the President of the Senate and two to be
23    appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
24        (14) Four members of the public, two of which are to be
25    appointed by the President of the Senate and two to be
26    appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet regularly and hold
2public hearings at the call of the co-chairpersons to receive
3testimony regarding the grand jury process and any suggested
4reforms; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Criminal Justice Information
6Authority shall provide administrative support and technical
7assistance, as well as meeting space, to the Task Force; and be
8it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That the Grand Jury Review Task Force shall
10submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the
11General Assembly and the Governor on or before December 31,
122015; the report shall, at a minimum, include:
13        (1) A summary of the current grand jury process;
14        (2) Any and all deficiencies discovered within the
15    current grand jury process;
16        (3) Recommendations to improve the grand jury process;
17        (4) A recommendation advising whether grand jury
18    proceedings shall remain closed to the public;
19        (5) A recommendation advising whether certain portions
20    of grand jury proceedings should be subject to the Freedom
21    of Information Act; and
22        (6) A recommendation regarding whether an expanded use
23    of preliminary hearings would advance the same goals as the

 

 

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1    grand jury process; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall also work with the
3Legislative Reference Bureau to draft any legislation needed to
4implement its recommendations.