Public Act 90-0492 of the 90th General Assembly

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Public Act 90-0492

SB942 Enrolled                                LRB9002925LDdvA

    AN ACT in relation  to  functions  of  State  government,
amending named Acts.

    Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

    Section 5.   The  Court  of  Claims  Act  is  amended  by
changing  Sections  6,  8,  18,  21,  22-1,  24,  and 26-1 as
follows:

    (705 ILCS 505/6) (from Ch. 37, par. 439.6)
    Sec. 6. The court shall hold a  regular  session  at  the
Capital  of  the  State  beginning  on  the second Tuesday of
January, May and November, and such special sessions at  such
places  as it deems necessary to expedite the business of the
court.
(Source: Laws 1945, p. 660.)

    (705 ILCS 505/8) (from Ch. 37, par. 439.8)
    Sec. 8. Court of Claims jurisdiction.   The  court  shall
have   exclusive  jurisdiction  to  hear  and  determine  the
following matters:
    (a)  All claims against the State founded upon any law of
the  State  of  Illinois,  or  upon  any  regulation  adopted
thereunder by  an  executive  or  administrative  officer  or
agency;   provided,   however,   the  court  shall  not  have
jurisdiction (i) to hear  or  determine,  other  than  claims
arising  under  the Workers' Compensation Act or the Workers'
Occupational Diseases Act, or claims for  expenses  in  civil
litigation,  or  (ii)  to review administrative decisions for
which a statute provides that review shall be in the  circuit
or appellate court.
    (b)  All  claims  against  the  State  founded  upon  any
contract entered into with the State of Illinois.
    (c)  All  claims  against  the  State  for  time unjustly
served in prisons of this State where the persons  imprisoned
shall  receive  a  pardon from the governor stating that such
pardon is issued on the ground of innocence of the crime  for
which they were imprisoned; provided, the court shall make no
award in excess of the following amounts: for imprisonment of
5  years  or less, not more than $15,000; for imprisonment of
14 years or less but over 5 years, not more than $30,000; for
imprisonment of over 14 years, not  more  than  $35,000;  and
provided  further, the court shall fix attorney's fees not to
exceed 25%  of  the  award  granted.   On  December  31,  the
effective  date  of  this  amendatory  Act of 1996, the court
shall make  a  one-time  adjustment  in  the  maximum  awards
authorized by this subsection (c), to reflect the increase in
the  cost  of  living  from  the  year in which these maximum
awards were last adjusted until  1996,  but  with  no  annual
increment exceeding 5%.  Thereafter, the court shall annually
adjust  the  maximum awards authorized by this subsection (c)
to reflect the increase, if any, in the Consumer Price  Index
For  All  Urban  Consumers for the previous calendar year, as
determined by the United States Department of  Labor,  except
that  no  annual  increment  may  exceed  5%.   For  both the
one-time adjustment and the subsequent annual adjustments, if
the Consumer Price Index decreases during  a  calendar  year,
there  shall  be  no  adjustment for that calendar year.  The
changes made by Public Act 89-689 this amendatory Act of 1996
apply to all claims filed on or after  January  1,  1995  and
that  are  pending on December 31, the effective date of this
amendatory Act of 1996 and  all  claims  filed  on  or  after
December  31,  the  effective  date of this amendatory Act of
1996.
    (d)  All claims against the State for  damages  in  cases
sounding in tort, if a like cause of action would lie against
a private person or corporation in a civil suit, and all like
claims   sounding   in   tort   against  the  Medical  Center
Commission, the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University  of
Illinois,   the   Board  of  Trustees  of  Southern  Illinois
University,  the  Board  of   Trustees   of   Chicago   State
University,   the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Eastern  Illinois
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of   Governors   State
University,   the   Board   of  Trustees  of  Illinois  State
University, the Board of Trustees  of  Northeastern  Illinois
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Northern  Illinois
University,   the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Western  Illinois
University,  or  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the   Illinois
Mathematics  and Science Academy; provided, that an award for
damages in a case sounding in tort, other than certain  cases
involving  the operation of a State vehicle described in this
paragraph, shall not exceed the sum of $100,000 to or for the
benefit of any claimant.  The $100,000  limit  prescribed  by
this  Section  does  not  apply to an award of damages in any
case sounding in tort arising out of the operation by a State
employee of a vehicle owned,  leased  or  controlled  by  the
State.   The  defense  that  the  State or the Medical Center
Commission or the Board of  Trustees  of  the  University  of
Illinois,   the   Board  of  Trustees  of  Southern  Illinois
University,  the  Board  of   Trustees   of   Chicago   State
University,   the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Eastern  Illinois
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of   Governors   State
University,   the   Board   of  Trustees  of  Illinois  State
University, the Board of Trustees  of  Northeastern  Illinois
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Northern  Illinois
University,   the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Western  Illinois
University,  or  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the   Illinois
Mathematics  and  Science  Academy  is  not  liable  for  the
negligence  of  its  officers,  agents,  and employees in the
course of their employment is not applicable to  the  hearing
and determination of such claims.
    (e)  All  claims  for  recoupment  made  by  the State of
Illinois against any claimant.
    (f)  All claims pursuant to the Law Enforcement Officers,
Civil Defense Workers, Civil Air Patrol Members,  Paramedics,
Firemen, Chaplains, and State Employees Compensation Act.
    (g)  All  claims  filed  pursuant  to  the  Crime Victims
Compensation Act.
    (h)  All  claims  pursuant  to  the   Illinois   National
Guardsman's Compensation Act.
    (i)  All  claims  authorized by subsection (a) of Section
10-55 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure  Act  for  the
expenses  incurred  by  a  party  in  a contested case on the
administrative level.
(Source:  P.A.  88-45;  89-4,  eff.  1-1-96;   89-689,   eff.
12-31-96; revised 4-24-97.)

    (705 ILCS 505/18) (from Ch. 37, par. 439.18)
    Sec.  18.   The  court  shall  provide,  by rule, for the
maintenance of separate records of claims which arise  solely
due  to lapsed appropriations and for claims for which amount
of recovery sought is less than $5,000 $2,500. In  all  other
cases,  the  court  or Commissioner as the case may be, shall
file with its clerk a written opinion in each case upon final
disposition thereof.  All  opinions  shall  be  compiled  and
published annually by the clerk of the court.
(Source: P.A. 83-865.)

    (705 ILCS 505/21) (from Ch. 37, par. 439.21)
    Sec.  21.  The  court is authorized to impose, by uniform
rules, a fee of $15 for the filing of a petition in any  case
in  which  the  award  sought  is more than $50 and less than
$1,000 and $35 in any case  in  which  the  award  sought  is
$1,000  or  more;  and  to  charge  and collect for copies of
opinions or other documents filed in the Court of Claims such
fees as may be prescribed by the rules of the Court. All fees
and charges so collected shall be  forthwith  paid  into  the
State Treasury. In claims based upon lapsed appropriations or
lost  warrant  or  in  claims filed under the Law Enforcement
Officers, Civil Defense Workers, Civil  Air  Patrol  Members,
Paramedics,   Firemen,   Chaplains,   and   State   Employees
Compensation   Act,   the   Illinois   National   Guardsman's
Compensation Act, or the Crime Victims Compensation Act or in
claims filed by medical vendors for medical services rendered
by  the  claimant  to persons eligible for Medical Assistance
under programs administered by  the  Illinois  Department  of
Public Aid, no filing fee shall be required.
(Source: P.A. 83-865.)

    (705 ILCS 505/22-1) (from Ch. 37, par. 439.22-1)
    Sec.  22-1.  Within  1  year  from  the date that such an
injury was received or such a cause of  action  accrued,  any
person  who  is  about to commence any action in the Court of
Claims against the State  of  Illinois,  the  Medical  Center
Commission,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University of
Illinois,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of   Southern   Illinois
University,   the   Board   of   Trustees  of  Chicago  State
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Eastern   Illinois
University,   the   Board  of  Trustees  of  Governors  State
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees   of   Illinois   State
University,  the  Board  of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Northern  Illinois
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Western   Illinois
University,   or  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Illinois
Mathematics and Science Academy, for damages  on  account  of
any  injury  to  his  person  shall file in the office of the
Attorney General and also in the office of the Clerk  of  the
Court  of  Claims, either by himself, his agent, or attorney,
giving the name of the person to whom the cause of action has
accrued, the name and residence of the  person  injured,  the
date  and  about  the  hour  of  the  accident,  the place or
location where the accident occurred, a brief description  of
how  the  accident  occurred, and the name and address of the
attending physician, if any, except as otherwise provided  by
the Crime Victims Compensation Act.
    In actions for death by wrongful act, neglect or default,
the executor of the estate, or in the event there is no will,
the  administrator  or  other  personal representative of the
decedent, shall file within 1 year of the date  of  death  or
the  date  that  the  executor or administrator is qualified,
whichever occurs later, in the office of the Attorney General
and also in the office of the Clerk of the Court  of  Claims,
giving the name of the person to whom the cause of action has
accrued,  the  name  and  last residence of the decedent, the
date  of  the  accident  causing  death,  the  date  of   the
decedent's  demise,  the place or location where the accident
causing the death occurred, the date and about  the  hour  of
the  accident,  a  brief  description  of  how  the  accident
occurred,  and  the  names  and  addresses  of  the attending
physician and treating hospital if any, except  as  otherwise
provided by the Crime Victims Compensation Act.
    A claimant is not required to file the notice required by
this  Section  if he or she files his or her claim within one
year of its accrual.
(Source: P.A. 89-4, eff. 1-1-96.)

    (705 ILCS 505/24) (from Ch. 37, par. 439.24)
    Sec.  24.    From  funds  appropriated  by  the   General
Assembly  for  the  purposes  of  this  Section the Court may
direct immediate payment of:
    (a)  All claims arising solely as a result of the lapsing
of an appropriation out of which the  obligation  could  have
been paid.
    (b)  All claims pursuant to the "Law Enforcement Officers
and  Firemen  Compensation Act", approved September 30, 1969,
as amended.
    (c)  All  claims  pursuant  to  the  "Illinois   National
Guardsman's   and   Naval   Militiaman's  Compensation  Act",
approved August 12, 1971, as amended.
    (d)  All  claims   pursuant   to   the   "Crime   Victims
Compensation Act", approved August 23, 1973, as amended.
    (e)  All  other claims wherein the amount of the award of
the Court is less than $5,000 $2,500.
(Source: P.A. 83-865.)

    (705 ILCS 505/26-1) (from Ch. 37, par. 439.24-6.1)
    Sec. 26-1.  Except  as  otherwise  provided  herein,  the
maximum   contingent   fee  to  be  charged  by  an  attorney
practicing before the Court shall not exceed  20  percent  of
the  amount  awarded,  which  is  in excess of the undisputed
amount of the claim, unless further fees shall be allowed  by
the  Court at a hearing fixing such fees.  In cases involving
lapsed appropriations or lost  warrants  where  there  is  no
dispute  as  to  the liability of the respondent, the fee, if
any, for services rendered is to be fixed by the Court  at  a
nominal amount.
    Nothing  herein  applies  to  awards  made  under the Law
Enforcement Officers, Civil Defense Workers, Civil Air Patrol
Members, Paramedics  and  Firemen  Compensation  Act  or  the
Illinois   National   Guardsman's   and   Naval  Militiaman's
Compensation  Act  or  the   "Illinois   Uniform   Conviction
Information  Act",  enacted  by the 85th General Assembly, as
heretofore or hereafter amended.
(Source: P.A. 85-922.)

    (705 ILCS 505/20 rep.)
    Section 10.  The  Court  of  Claims  Act  is  amended  by
repealing Section 20.

    Section  15.   The  Crime  Victims  Compensation  Act  is
amended by changing Section 2 as follows:

    (740 ILCS 45/2) (from Ch. 70, par. 72)
    Sec.  2.  Definitions.   As  used in this Act, unless the
context otherwise requires:
    (a)  "Applicant"  means  any  person  who   applies   for
compensation under this Act or any person the Court of Claims
finds  is entitled to compensation, including the guardian of
a minor or of a person under legal  disability.  It  includes
any  person  who  was  a  dependent of a deceased victim of a
crime of violence for his support at the time of the death of
that victim.
    (b)  "Court of Claims" means the Court of Claims  created
by the Court of Claims Act.
    (c)  "Crime  of  violence" means and includes any offense
defined  in  Sections  9-1,  9-2,  9-3,  10-1,  10-2,  11-11,
11-19.2, 11-20.1, 12-1, 12-2,  12-3,  12-3.2,  12-4,  12-4.1,
12-4.2,  12-4.3,  12-5,  12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, 12-16,
12-30, 20-1 or 20-1.1 of  the  Criminal  Code  of  1961,  and
driving   under  the  influence  of  intoxicating  liquor  or
narcotic drugs as defined in Section 11-501 of  the  Illinois
Vehicle  Code,  and  if  none  of  the said offenses occurred
during a civil riot, insurrection or  rebellion.   "Crime  of
violence"  does  not  include  any  other offense or accident
involving a  motor  vehicle  except  those  vehicle  offenses
specifically  provided  for  in  this  paragraph.   "Crime of
violence" does  include  all  of  the  offenses  specifically
provided  for  in this paragraph that occur within this State
but are subject to federal jurisdiction and crimes  involving
terrorism as defined in 18 U.S.C. 2331.
    (d)  "Victim"  means  (1)  a  person killed or injured in
this State as a result of a crime of violence perpetrated  or
attempted  against  him,  (2) the parent of a child killed or
injured in this State as a result  of  a  crime  of  violence
perpetrated  or  attempted  against  the  child, (3) a person
killed or injured in this State while attempting to assist  a
person  against whom a crime of violence is being perpetrated
or attempted, if that attempt of assistance would be expected
of a reasonable man under the  circumstances,  (4)  a  person
killed  or  injured  in  this  State  while  assisting  a law
enforcement official apprehend a person who has perpetrated a
crime of violence or prevent the  perpetration  of  any  such
crime  if  that  assistance  was  in  response to the express
request of the law enforcement  official,  (5)  a  child  who
personally witnessed a violent crime perpetrated or attempted
against  a  relative,  or  (6)  an Illinois resident who is a
victim of a "crime  of  violence"  as  defined  in  this  Act
except,  if  the  crime  occurred  outside  this  State,  the
resident  has  the same rights under this Act as if the crime
had occurred in this State upon a  showing  that  the  state,
territory,  country, or political subdivision of a country in
which the crime occurred does  not  have  a  compensation  of
victims  of  crimes  law  for which that Illinois resident is
eligible.
    (e)  "Dependent" means a relative of  a  deceased  victim
who  was  wholly  or  partially  dependent  upon the victim's
income at the time of his death and shall include  the  child
of a victim born after his death.
    (f)  "Relative"  means  a  spouse,  parent,  grandparent,
stepfather,    stepmother,    child,   grandchild,   brother,
brother-in-law, sister,  sister-in-law,  half  brother,  half
sister, spouse's parent, nephew, niece, uncle or aunt.
    (g)  "Child"  means  an  unmarried son or daughter who is
under 18 years of age and includes a  stepchild,  an  adopted
child or an illegitimate child.
    (h)  "Pecuniary  loss"  means,  in  the  case  of injury,
appropriate medical expenses and hospital expenses  including
expenses of a medical examination, medically required nursing
care  expenses,  appropriate  psychiatric care or psychiatric
counseling expenses, expenses for care  or  counseling  by  a
licensed  clinical  psychologist  or licensed clinical social
worker  and  expenses  for  treatment  by  Christian  Science
practitioners   and   nursing   care   appropriate   thereto;
prosthetic appliances, eyeglasses, and hearing aids necessary
or damaged as a result of  the  crime;  replacement  services
loss, to a maximum of $1000 per month; dependents replacement
services  loss,  to  a  maximum  of  $1000 per month; loss of
tuition paid to attend grammar school or high school when the
victim had been enrolled as a full-time student prior to  the
injury,  or  college  or  graduate school when the victim had
been enrolled as a full-time day or night  student  prior  to
the  injury  when  the  victim  becomes  unable  to  continue
attendance  at  school  as  a result of the crime of violence
perpetrated against him; loss of  earnings,  loss  of  future
earnings  because  of  disability  resulting from the injury,
and, in addition, in the case of death,  funeral  and  burial
expenses  to  a  maximum  of $3000 and loss of support of the
dependents of the victim. Loss of future  earnings  shall  be
reduced by any income from substitute work actually performed
by  the victim or by income he would have earned in available
appropriate substitute work he was capable of performing  but
unreasonably  failed to undertake.  Loss of earnings, loss of
future earnings and loss of support shall  be  determined  on
the  basis  of  the victim's average net monthly earnings for
the 6 months immediately preceding the date of the injury  or
on  $1000  per  month,  whichever  is less.  If a divorced or
legally separated applicant is claiming loss of support for a
minor child of the deceased, the amount of support  for  each
child  shall  be  based  either  on the amount of support the
minor child received pursuant  to  the  judgment  for  the  6
months  prior  to the date of the deceased victim's injury or
death, or, if the subject of pending litigation filed  by  or
on  behalf  of  the  divorced  or legally separated applicant
prior  to  the  injury  or  death,  on  the  result  of  that
litigation.   Pecuniary  loss  does  not  include  pain   and
suffering or property loss or damage.
    (i)  "Replacement    services    loss"   means   expenses
reasonably  incurred  in  obtaining  ordinary  and  necessary
services in lieu of  those  the  permanently  injured  person
would  have performed, not for income, but for the benefit of
himself or  his  family,  if  he  had  not  been  permanently
injured.
    (j)  "Dependents  replacement  services  loss" means loss
reasonably incurred by dependents after a victim's  death  in
obtaining  ordinary  and  necessary services in lieu of those
the victim would have performed,  not  for  income,  but  for
their benefit, if he had not been fatally injured.
(Source: P.A.  89-313,  eff.  1-1-96;  89-428, eff. 12-13-95;
89-462, eff. 5-29-96.)

    Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
becoming law.

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