HB5933 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 18330 JLK 55506 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5933

Introduced , by Rep. Emily McAsey

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

55 ILCS 5/2-3015
55 ILCS 5/2-4010
55 ILCS 5/Div. 3-20 heading new
55 ILCS 5/3-20001 new
730 ILCS 5/5-5-5	from Ch. 38, par. 1005-5-5

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that no person is eligible for county office or county board member or commissioner if he or she is a convicted felon. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the restoration of the right to hold office after completing a sentence for a felony does not apply to county office, county board member or commissioner.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

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

Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing Sections 2-3015 and 2-4010 and by adding Division 3-20 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/2-3015)

Sec. 2-3015. Qualifications of County Board Members and Commissioners. In counties with a population of 3,000,000 or less, no person is eligible to hold the office of county board member or commissioner unless he or she is a legal voter and has been a resident of the county for at least one year next preceding the election. No person elected under this Section shall be eligible to hold office if he or she is a convicted felon.

(Source: P.A. 90-173, eff. 1-1-98.)

(55 ILCS 5/2-4010)

Sec. 2-4010. Qualifications of County Board Members and Commissioners. In counties with a population of 3,000,000 or less, no person is eligible to hold the office of county board member or commissioner unless he or she is a legal voter and has been a resident of the county for at least one year next preceding the election. No person elected under this Section shall be eligible to hold office if he or she is a convicted felon.

(Source: P.A. 90-173, eff. 1-1-98.)

Section 10. The Counties Code is amended by adding Division 3-20 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/Div. 3-20 heading new)

Division 3-20. General Provisions

(55 ILCS 5/3-20001 new)

Sec. 3-20001. Elected county officers. No person elected under this Article shall be eligible to hold office if he or she is a convicted felon.

Section 15. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by changing Section 5-5-5 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/5-5-5) (from Ch. 38, par. 1005-5-5)

Sec. 5-5-5. Loss and Restoration of Rights.

(a) Conviction and disposition shall not entail the loss by the defendant of any civil rights, except under this Section and Sections 29-6 and 29-10 of The Election Code, as now or hereafter amended.

(b) A person convicted of a felony shall be ineligible to hold an office created by the Constitution of this State until the completion of his sentence. This restoration shall not apply to the offices of county board member, county commissioner, or other county offices created by the Constitution of this State.

(c) A person sentenced to imprisonment shall lose his right to vote until released from imprisonment.

(d) On completion of sentence of imprisonment or upon discharge from probation, conditional discharge or periodic imprisonment, or at any time thereafter, all license rights and privileges granted under the authority of this State which have been revoked or suspended because of conviction of an offense shall be restored unless the authority having jurisdiction of such license rights finds after investigation and hearing that restoration is not in the public interest. This paragraph (d) shall not apply to the suspension or revocation of a license to operate a motor vehicle under the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(e) Upon a person's discharge from incarceration or parole, or upon a person's discharge from probation or at any time thereafter, the committing court may enter an order certifying that the sentence has been satisfactorily completed when the court believes it would assist in the rehabilitation of the person and be consistent with the public welfare. Such order may be entered upon the motion of the defendant or the State or upon the court's own motion.

(f) Upon entry of the order, the court shall issue to the person in whose favor the order has been entered a certificate stating that his behavior after conviction has warranted the issuance of the order.

(g) This Section shall not affect the right of a defendant to collaterally attack his conviction or to rely on it in bar of subsequent proceedings for the same offense.

(h) No application for any license specified in subsection (i) of this Section granted under the authority of this State shall be denied by reason of an eligible offender who has obtained a certificate of relief from disabilities, as defined in Article 5.5 of this Chapter, having been previously convicted of one or more criminal offenses, or by reason of a finding of lack of "good moral character" when the finding is based upon the fact that the applicant has previously been convicted of one or more criminal offenses, unless:

(1) there is a direct relationship between one or more of the previous criminal offenses and the specific license sought; or

(2) the issuance of the license would involve an unreasonable risk to property or to the safety or welfare of specific individuals or the general public.

In making such a determination, the licensing agency shall consider the following factors:

(1) the public policy of this State, as expressed in Article 5.5 of this Chapter, to encourage the licensure and employment of persons previously convicted of one or more criminal offenses;

(2) the specific duties and responsibilities necessarily related to the license being sought;

(3) the bearing, if any, the criminal offenses or offenses for which the person was previously convicted will have on his or her fitness or ability to perform one or more such duties and responsibilities;

(4) the time which has elapsed since the occurrence of the criminal offense or offenses;

(5) the age of the person at the time of occurrence of the criminal offense or offenses;

(6) the seriousness of the offense or offenses;

(7) any information produced by the person or produced on his or her behalf in regard to his or her rehabilitation and good conduct, including a certificate of relief from disabilities issued to the applicant, which certificate shall create a presumption of rehabilitation in regard to the offense or offenses specified in the certificate; and

(8) the legitimate interest of the licensing agency in protecting property, and the safety and welfare of specific individuals or the general public.

(i) A certificate of relief from disabilities shall be issued only for a license or certification issued under the following Acts:

(1) the Animal Welfare Act; except that a certificate of relief from disabilities may not be granted to provide for the issuance or restoration of a license under the Animal Welfare Act for any person convicted of violating Section 3, 3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.03-1, or 4.01 of the Humane Care for Animals Act or Section 26-5 or 48-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(2) the Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act;

(3) the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985;

(4) the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Repairer Regulation Act;

(5) the Boxing and Full-contact Martial Arts Act;

(6) the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporters Act of 1984;

(7) the Illinois Farm Labor Contractor Certification Act;

(8) the Interior Design Title Act;

(9) the Illinois Professional Land Surveyor Act of 1989;

(10) the Illinois Landscape Architecture Act of 1989;

(11) the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act;

(12) the Private Employment Agency Act;

(13) the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act;

(14) the Real Estate License Act of 2000;

(15) the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act;

(16) the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989;

(17) the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractor's License Act;

(18) the Electrologist Licensing Act;

(19) the Auction License Act;

(20) the Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989;

(21) the Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act;

(22) the Environmental Health Practitioner Licensing Act;

(23) the Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing Code;

(24) the Land Sales Registration Act of 1999;

(25) the Professional Geologist Licensing Act;

(26) the Illinois Public Accounting Act; and

(27) the Structural Engineering Practice Act of 1989.

(Source: P.A. 96-1246, eff. 1-1-11; 97-119, eff. 7-14-11; 97-706, eff. 6-25-12; 97-1108, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1141, eff. 12-28-12; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13; revised 2-22-13.)