Bill Text: IL HB0698 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Creates the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program Law. Provides that the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall be established as a 5-year pilot project to be instituted within the Department of Corrections. Provides that the goal of the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program is to provide inmates with useful business skills for use after release from prison in an effort to reduce recidivism rates for self-motivated individuals. Provides that the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall consist of a rigorous curriculum, and participants shall be taught business skills, such as computer skills, budgeting, creating a business plan, public speaking, and realistic goal setting. Provides that inmates who successfully complete the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall be awarded a Certificate of Completion. Establishes eligibility requirements for the Program. Provides that subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program may establish post-release assistance to individuals awarded a Certificate of Completion. Provides that post-release assistance may include drafting a resume and cover letter, searching for employment, networking events, or mock interviews. Provides that the funding for the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall be from moneys appropriated to the Department of Corrections for this purpose. Provides that the Article is repealed 5 years after its effective date. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 28-6)

Status: (Passed) 2017-08-24 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 100-0283 [HB0698 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HB0698-Enrolled.html



HB0698 EnrolledLRB100 07831 RLC 17899 b
1 AN ACT concerning criminal law.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by
5adding Article 12.5 to Chapter III as follows:
6 (730 ILCS 5/Ch. III Art. 12.5 heading new)
7
ARTICLE 12.5. PRISONER ENTREPRENEUR EDUCATION PROGRAM
8 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-1 new)
9 Sec. 3-12.5-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as
10the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program Law.
11 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-5 new)
12 Sec. 3-12.5-5. Purpose; Program. The Prisoner Entrepreneur
13Education Program shall be established as a 5-year pilot
14project to be instituted within the Department of Corrections.
15The goal of the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program is to
16provide inmates with useful business skills for use after
17release from prison in an effort to reduce recidivism rates for
18self-motivated individuals. The Prisoner Entrepreneur
19Education Program shall consist of a rigorous curriculum, and
20participants shall be taught business skills, such as computer
21skills, budgeting, creating a business plan, public speaking,

HB0698 Enrolled- 2 -LRB100 07831 RLC 17899 b
1and realistic goal setting. Inmates who successfully complete
2the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall be awarded a
3Certificate of Completion.
4 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-10 new)
5 Sec. 3-12.5-10. Selection. Inmates may be selected to
6participate in the pre-release Prisoner Entrepreneur Education
7Program only if all of the following conditions are met:
8 (1) the inmate is within 3 years of being released from
9custody of the Department of Corrections;
10 (2) the inmate has not been disciplined by the Department
11of Corrections within the past year;
12 (3) the inmate has a high school diploma or GED;
13 (4) the inmate has never been convicted of an offense
14described in Subdivision 5 of Article 11 of the Criminal Code
15of 2012 (major sex offenses), Subdivision 10 of Article 11 of
16the Criminal Code of 2012 (vulnerable victim sex offenses),
17Section 11-20.1 of Subdivision 20 of Article 11 of the Criminal
18Code of 2012 (child pornography offenses), or similar offenses
19under the Criminal Code of 1961;
20 (5) the inmate is not currently affiliated with a gang; and
21 (6) the inmate is committed to personal change.
22 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-11 new)
23 Sec. 3-12.5-11. Curriculum; employment; retention of
24rights; certificate of completion.

HB0698 Enrolled- 3 -LRB100 07831 RLC 17899 b
1 (a) The Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program shall
2consist of a rigorous curriculum, and participants shall be
3taught business skills, such as computer skills, budgeting,
4creating a business plan, public speaking, and realistic goal
5setting.
6 (b) The curriculum shall not include the employment of
7participants as employees under the Department of Corrections
8or any for-profit or not-for-profit organization unless:
9 (1) the employment is reasonably related to the purpose
10 and curriculum of the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education
11 Program; and
12 (2) the participant consents in writing to the terms,
13 provisions, working conditions, and wages of the
14 employment.
15 (c) Participants shall retain rights, control, and
16possession of all products created by the participant during
17the course of the Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program. Such
18rights shall include intellectual property rights and rights in
19trade secrets. Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 100th
20General Assembly shall be construed to give the Department of
21Corrections any right to sell, use, distribute, market,
22possess, or otherwise control any product created by a
23participant during the course of the Prisoner Entrepreneur
24Education Program, without the participant's written consent.
25 (d) Participants who successfully complete the Prisoner
26Entrepreneur Education Program shall be awarded a Certificate

HB0698 Enrolled- 4 -LRB100 07831 RLC 17899 b
1of Completion.
2 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-15 new)
3 Sec. 3-12.5-15. Post-release assistance. Subject to
4appropriation by the General Assembly, the Prisoner
5Entrepreneur Education Program may establish post-release
6assistance to individuals awarded a Certificate of Completion.
7Post-release assistance may include drafting a resume and cover
8letter, searching for employment, networking events, or mock
9interviews.
10 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-20 new)
11 Sec. 3-12.5-20. Power of Department. The Department of
12Corrections shall adopt rules as the Director deems necessary
13to carry out the purposes of this Article.
14 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-25 new)
15 Sec. 3-12.5-25. Funding. The funding for the Prisoner
16Entrepreneur Education Program shall be subject to
17appropriation by the General Assembly.
18 (730 ILCS 5/3-12.5-30 new)
19 Sec. 3-12.5-30. Repeal. This Article is repealed 5 years
20after its effective date.
21 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.

HB0698 Enrolled- 5 -LRB100 07831 RLC 17899 b
1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance