Public Act 0551 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4428 Enrolled LRB104 16918 JRC 30332 b

Public Act 104-0551

AN ACT concerning courts.

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

Section 5. The Pretrial Services Act is amended by changing Sections 0.04 and 25 and by adding Section 25.1 as follows:

(725 ILCS 185/0.04)

Sec. 0.04. Powers and duties.

(a) The Office shall provide pretrial services as provided in Section 7 to circuit courts or counties without existing pretrial services agencies.

(b) The Office shall develop, establish, adopt, and enforce uniform standards for pretrial services in this State.

(c) The Office may:

(1) hire and train State employed pretrial personnel;

(2) establish qualifications for pretrial officers as to hiring, promotion, and training;

(3) establish a system of training and orientation for local pretrial services agencies;

(4) Develop standards and approve employee compensation schedules for local pretrial services agencies;

(5) establish a system of uniform forms;

(6) develop standards for a system of recordkeeping for local pretrial services agencies;

(7) gather statistics and develop research for planning of pretrial services in Illinois;

(8) establish a means of verifying the conditions for reimbursement under this Act for local pretrial services agencies and develop criteria for approved costs for reimbursement;

(9) monitor and evaluate all pretrial programs operated by local pretrial services agencies;

(10) review and approve annual plans submitted by local pretrial services agencies; and

(11) establish such other standards and regulations and do all acts necessary to carry out the intent and purposes of this Act; .

(12) create and manage grant initiatives that support the duties and objectives of this Act and may provide financial assistance to eligible counties, public agencies, or other qualified entities to strengthen and improve pretrial services statewide; and

(13) reimburse counties for reasonable and necessary costs for pretrial expenses, subject to criteria established by the Office and available funding.

(Source: P.A. 103-602, eff. 7-1-25.)

(725 ILCS 185/25) (from Ch. 38, par. 325)

Sec. 25. Pretrial services agency; notification of court appearance obligations.

(a) The pretrial services agency The pretrial services agency shall provide written notification to supervised persons of court appearance obligations, and may require supervised persons to periodically report their periodic reporting by letter, telephone, or in person personal appearance to verify such compliance with court-ordered pretrial release conditions.

(b) Each agency must provide written notification of court appearance obligations to all persons under pretrial services supervision as follows:

(1) the agency shall provide at least 3 text notices to the defendant before each court appearance with one notice the day before the required court appearance;

(2) the agency shall provide at least one text message to the defendant if the defendant misses a court appearance; and

(3) a copy of the content of the message and a delivery receipt shall be maintained as part of the Agency records.

(c) This Section does not apply if the agency does not have the information needed from a defendant to send a text message notification to the defendant or if the defendant has opted out of text message reminders.

(d) The agency may provide phone calls, emails, or written notifications for defendants that cannot receive text messages or defendants who elect to receive these alternative types of notifications.

(e) For circuit courts and counties with a population greater than or equal to 3,000,000 where a local pretrial services agency provides pretrial services, the local pretrial services agency or any other agency designated by the chief judge shall provide notification of court appearance obligations to all persons under pretrial services supervision or charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense as set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) and subsections (c) and (d).

(f) In this Section, "agency" means a pretrial services agency.

(Source: P.A. 104-2, eff. 6-16-25.)

(725 ILCS 185/25.1 new)

Sec. 25.1. Statewide court date reminder system analysis.

(a) It is the intention of this analysis to identify a practical method for the establishment of court date reminders for all persons charged with a criminal offense in this State. While approximately 80% of Illinois' population is covered by a circuit court system with text reminders, there remain circuit courts without such reminders.

(b) The Office of Statewide Pretrial Services shall conduct a system analysis regarding the existence, utilization, and practices of court date notification systems within Illinois' circuit courts. The analysis shall also include a review of existing research on the effectiveness of notification methods, cadences, and language. The analysis shall also include a review of the availability and practicality of notification systems to circuit courts.

(c) In conducting the analysis, the Office may also consult with state and national organizations with expertise in court reminder best practices.

(d) The Office shall report its analysis and findings to the General Assembly, Governor, and Supreme Court no later than December 31, 2026, with the goal of supporting additional legislative changes in 2027.

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