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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE RESOLUTION 175

2    AMENDMENT NO. ___. Amend Senate Resolution 175 by replacing
3everything after the heading with the following:
 
4    "WHEREAS, Grand juries have always had the responsibility
5of investigating, indicting, and prosecuting persons who
6violate the criminal laws of the State of Illinois; and
 
7    WHEREAS, In light of recent events around the country,
8members of the public have lost confidence in the criminal
9justice system and the grand jury process; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds that the grand jury
11process utilized in this State should be reviewed to ensure the
12impartiality and effectiveness of the process; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Grand Jury Review

 

 

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1Task Force is created to review the current grand jury process
2and suggest reforms to the General Assembly; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
4following members:
5        (1) One member appointed by the President of the
6    Senate, who shall serve as co-chairperson;
7        (2) One member appointed by the Senate Minority Leader,
8    who shall serve as co-chairperson;
9        (3) The Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice
10    Information Authority, or his or her designee;
11        (4) The Director of the Illinois Office of the State's
12    Attorney Appellate Prosecutor, or his or her designee;
13        (5) The State Appellate Defender, or his or her
14    designee;
15        (6) The Executive Director of the Illinois State Bar
16    Association, or his or her designee;
17        (7) The President of the Chicago Bar Association, or
18    his or her designee;
19        (8) The President of the American Civil Liberties Union
20    of Illinois, or his or her designee;
21        (9) The President of the Chicago Innocence Project, or
22    his or her designee;
23        (10) The President of the Illinois Press Association,
24    or his or her designee;
25        (11) One law professor, appointed by the Senate

 

 

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1    Minority Leader;
2        (12) One retired judge, appointed by the President of
3    the Senate;
4        (13) Four members representing advocacy groups
5    involved in criminal justice, two of which are to be
6    appointed by the President of the Senate and two to be
7    appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
8        (14) Four members of the public, two of which are to be
9    appointed by the President of the Senate and two to be
10    appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet regularly and hold
12public hearings at the call of the co-chairpersons to receive
13testimony regarding the grand jury process and any suggested
14reforms; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Criminal Justice Information
16Authority shall provide administrative support and technical
17assistance, as well as meeting space, to the Task Force; and be
18it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That the Grand Jury Review Task Force shall
20submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the
21General Assembly and the Governor on or before December 31,
222015; the report shall, at a minimum, include:
23        (1) A summary of the current grand jury process;

 

 

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1        (2) Any and all deficiencies discovered within the
2    current grand jury process;
3        (3) Recommendations to improve the grand jury process;
4        (4) A recommendation advising whether grand jury
5    proceedings shall remain closed to the public;
6        (5) A recommendation advising whether certain portions
7    of grand jury proceedings should be subject to the Freedom
8    of Information Act; and
9        (6) A recommendation regarding whether an expanded use
10    of preliminary hearings would advance the same goals as the
11    grand jury process; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall also work with the
13Legislative Reference Bureau to draft any legislation needed to
14implement its recommendations.".