Bill Text: IL HB2269 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Amends the Electronic Wills and Remote Witnesses Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Electronic Wills, Electronic Estate Planning Documents, and Remote Witnesses Act. Defines "electronic", "information", "nontestamentary estate planning document", "person", "record", "security procedure", "settlor", "sign", "state", "terms of trust", "trust instrument", and "will". Creates the Electronic Nontestamentary Estate Planning Documents Article. Sets forth provisions related to: construction; scope; principles of law and equity; use of an electronic record or signature; recognition of an electronic nontestamentary estate planning document and electronic signature; attribution and effect of an electronic record and electronic signature; notarization and acknowledgment; witnessing and attestation; retention of an electronic record; certification of a paper copy; admissibility in evidence; relation to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act; application; and severability. Makes conforming changes in the Probate Act of 1975. Effective January 1, 2024.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-07-28 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0301 [HB2269 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HB2269-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Amends the Electronic Wills and Remote Witnesses Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Electronic Wills, Electronic Estate Planning Documents, and Remote Witnesses Act. Defines "electronic", "information", "nontestamentary estate planning document", "person", "record", "security procedure", "settlor", "sign", "state", "terms of trust", "trust instrument", and "will". Creates the Electronic Nontestamentary Estate Planning Documents Article. Sets forth provisions related to: construction; scope; principles of law and equity; use of an electronic record or signature; recognition of an electronic nontestamentary estate planning document and electronic signature; attribution and effect of an electronic record and electronic signature; notarization and acknowledgment; witnessing and attestation; retention of an electronic record; certification of a paper copy; admissibility in evidence; relation to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act; application; and severability. Makes conforming changes in the Probate Act of 1975. Effective January 1, 2024.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-07-28 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0301 [HB2269 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HB2269-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning civil law.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by changing | |||||||||||||||||||
5 | Sections 1-2.25, 8-1, and 8-2 as follows:
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6 | (755 ILCS 5/1-2.25) | |||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 1-2.25.
Where this Act requires information to be | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | "written" or "in writing", or provides for certain | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | consequences if it is not, an electronic record under the | |||||||||||||||||||
10 | Electronic Wills , Electronic Estate Planning Documents, and | |||||||||||||||||||
11 | Remote Witnesses Act satisfies the provisions of this Act. | |||||||||||||||||||
12 | (Source: P.A. 102-167, eff. 7-26-21.)
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13 | (755 ILCS 5/8-1) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 8-1)
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14 | Sec. 8-1. Contest of
admission of will to probate; notice. | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | (a) Within 6 months after the admission
to probate of a | |||||||||||||||||||
16 | domestic will in accordance with the provisions
of Section 6-4 | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | or Section 20-20 or 20-25 of the Electronic Wills , Electronic | |||||||||||||||||||
18 | Estate Planning Documents, and Remote Witnesses Act, or of a | |||||||||||||||||||
19 | foreign will in accordance with the provisions of
Article VII | |||||||||||||||||||
20 | of this Act, any interested person may file a petition in the | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | proceeding
for the administration of the testator's estate or, | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | if no proceeding is
pending,
in the court in which the will was |
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1 | admitted to probate, to contest the validity
of the will.
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2 | (b) The petitioner shall cause a copy of the petition to be | ||||||
3 | mailed or
delivered
to the representative, to his or her
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4 | attorney of
record, and to each heir and legatee whose name is | ||||||
5 | listed in the petition to
admit the will to probate and in any | ||||||
6 | amended petition filed in accordance with
Section 6-11,
at the | ||||||
7 | address stated in the petition or amended petition. Filing a
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8 | pleading constitutes a waiver of the mailing or delivery of | ||||||
9 | the notice to the
person filing the pleading. Failure to mail | ||||||
10 | or deliver a copy of the petition
to an heir or a legatee does | ||||||
11 | not extend the time within which a petition to
contest
the will | ||||||
12 | may be filed under subsection (a) of this Section or affect the
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13 | validity of the judgment judgement entered in the proceeding.
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14 | (c) Any contestant or proponent may demand a
trial by | ||||||
15 | jury. An issue
shall be made whether or not the instrument | ||||||
16 | produced is
the will of the testator. The contestant shall in | ||||||
17 | the first instance proceed
with proof to establish the | ||||||
18 | invalidity of the will. At the close of the
contestant's case, | ||||||
19 | the proponent may present evidence to sustain the will.
An | ||||||
20 | authenticated transcript of the testimony of any witness or | ||||||
21 | other party taken at the
time of the hearing on the admission | ||||||
22 | of the will to probate, or an affidavit
of any witness or other | ||||||
23 | party received as evidence under subsection 6-4(b), paragraphs | ||||||
24 | (c) and (e) of Section 20-20 of the Electronic Wills , | ||||||
25 | Electronic Estate Planning Documents, and Remote Witnesses | ||||||
26 | Act, or Section 20-25 of the Electronic Wills , Electronic |
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1 | Estate Planning Documents, and Remote Witnesses Act, is | ||||||
2 | admissible in
evidence.
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3 | (d) The right to institute or continue a proceeding to | ||||||
4 | contest the validity
of a will survives and descends to the | ||||||
5 | heir, legatee, representative, grantee
or assignee of the | ||||||
6 | person entitled to institute the proceeding.
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7 | (e) It is the duty of the representative to defend a | ||||||
8 | proceeding to contest
the validity of the will. The court may | ||||||
9 | order the representative to defend
the proceeding or prosecute | ||||||
10 | an appeal from the judgment. If the representative
fails or | ||||||
11 | refuses to do so when ordered by the court, or if there is no
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12 | representative then acting, the court, upon its
motion or on | ||||||
13 | application of any interested person, may appoint a special
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14 | administrator to defend or appeal in his stead.
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15 | (f) An action to set aside or contest the validity of a | ||||||
16 | revocable inter
vivos trust agreement or declaration of trust | ||||||
17 | to which a legacy is provided by
the settlor's will which is | ||||||
18 | admitted to probate shall be commenced within and
not after | ||||||
19 | the time to contest the validity of a will as provided in
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20 | subsection (a) of this Section
and Section 13-223 of the Code | ||||||
21 | of Civil Procedure.
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22 | (g) This amendatory Act of 1995 applies to pending cases | ||||||
23 | as well as cases
commenced on or after its effective date.
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24 | (Source: P.A. 102-167, eff. 7-26-21.)
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25 | (755 ILCS 5/8-2) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 8-2)
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1 | Sec. 8-2. Contest of denial of admission of will to | ||||||
2 | probate.
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3 | (a) Within
6 months after the entry of an order denying | ||||||
4 | admission to probate of a domestic
will in accordance with the | ||||||
5 | provisions of Section 6-4 or Section 20-20 or 20-25 of the | ||||||
6 | Electronic Wills , Electronic Estate Planning Documents, and | ||||||
7 | Remote Witnesses Act, or of a foreign will
in accordance with | ||||||
8 | the provisions of Article VII of this Act, any interested | ||||||
9 | person
desiring to contest the denial of admission may file a | ||||||
10 | petition to admit
the will to probate in the proceeding for the | ||||||
11 | administration of the
decedent's estate
or, if no proceeding | ||||||
12 | is pending, in the court which
denied admission of the
will to | ||||||
13 | probate. The petition must state the facts required to be | ||||||
14 | stated
in Section 6-2 or 6-20, whichever is applicable.
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15 | (b) The petitioner shall cause a copy of the petition to be | ||||||
16 | mailed or
delivered
to the representative, to his or her | ||||||
17 | attorney of record, and to
each
heir and legatee whose name is | ||||||
18 | listed in the petition to admit the will to
probate and in any | ||||||
19 | amended petition filed in accordance with Section 6-11, at
the | ||||||
20 | address stated in the petition or amended petition. Filing a | ||||||
21 | pleading
constitutes a waiver of the
mailing or delivery of | ||||||
22 | the notice to the person
filing the pleading. Failure to mail | ||||||
23 | or deliver a copy of the petition to an
heir or legatee does | ||||||
24 | not extend the time within which a petition to admit the
will
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25 | to probate may be filed under subsection (a) of Section 8-1 or
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26 | affect the validity of the judgment entered in the proceeding.
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1 | (c) Any proponent or contestant may demand a
trial by | ||||||
2 | jury. An issue
shall be made whether or not the instrument | ||||||
3 | produced is the will of the
testator. The proponent shall in | ||||||
4 | the first instance proceed
with proof to establish the | ||||||
5 | validity of the will and may introduce any evidence
competent | ||||||
6 | to establish a will. Any interested person may oppose the | ||||||
7 | petition
and may introduce any evidence admissible in a will | ||||||
8 | contest under Section
8-1. At the close of the contestant's | ||||||
9 | case, the proponent may present further
evidence to sustain | ||||||
10 | the will.
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11 | (d) The right to institute or continue a proceeding to | ||||||
12 | contest the denial
of admission of a will to probate survives | ||||||
13 | and descends to the heir, legatee,
representative, grantee or | ||||||
14 | assignee of the person entitled to institute
the proceeding.
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15 | (e) The court may order the representative to defend a | ||||||
16 | proceeding to probate
the will or prosecute an appeal from the | ||||||
17 | judgment. If the representative
fails or refuses to do so when | ||||||
18 | ordered by the court, or if there is no
representative then | ||||||
19 | acting, the court, upon its
motion or on application of any | ||||||
20 | interested person, may appoint a special
administrator to do | ||||||
21 | so in his stead.
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22 | (f) A person named as executor in a will that has been | ||||||
23 | denied admission
to probate has no duty to file or support a | ||||||
24 | petition under Section 8-2.
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25 | (g) This amendatory Act of 1995 applies to pending cases | ||||||
26 | as well as cases
commenced on or after its effective date.
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1 | (Source: P.A. 102-167, eff. 7-26-21.)
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2 | Section 10. The Electronic Wills and Remote Witnesses Act | ||||||
3 | is amended by changing Sections 1-1, 1-5, 1-15, and 1-20 and by | ||||||
4 | adding Article 11 as follows:
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5 | (755 ILCS 6/1-1)
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6 | Sec. 1-1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||
7 | Electronic Wills , Electronic Estate Planning Documents, and | ||||||
8 | Remote Witnesses Act.
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9 | (Source: P.A. 102-167, eff. 7-26-21.)
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10 | (755 ILCS 6/1-5)
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11 | Sec. 1-5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to provide | ||||||
12 | for: (1) the valid execution, attestation, self-proving, and | ||||||
13 | probate of electronic wills, paper copies of electronic wills, | ||||||
14 | and wills attested to by witnesses through audio-video | ||||||
15 | communication; (2) the valid execution of electronic | ||||||
16 | nontestamentary estate planning documents and validation of | ||||||
17 | electronic signatures on nontestamentary estate planning | ||||||
18 | documents; and (3) (2) the valid execution, attestation, and | ||||||
19 | witnessing of documents, other than wills, through audio-video | ||||||
20 | communication.
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21 | (Source: P.A. 102-167, eff. 7-26-21.)
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22 | (755 ILCS 6/1-15)
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1 | Sec. 1-15. Relation to Probate Act of 1975 , other | ||||||
2 | statutes, and common law. All electronic wills, paper copies | ||||||
3 | of electronic wills, and wills attested to under this Act are | ||||||
4 | subject to all requirements of the Probate Act of 1975 and the | ||||||
5 | common law, but to the extent the common law or any provision | ||||||
6 | of the Probate Act of 1975 conflicts with or is modified by | ||||||
7 | this Act, the requirements of this Act control. | ||||||
8 | Nontestamentary estate planning documents executed in | ||||||
9 | accordance with this Act are subject to all requirements of | ||||||
10 | the various statutes applicable thereto, but to the extent the | ||||||
11 | common law or any statute conflicts with or is modified by this | ||||||
12 | Act, the requirements of this Act control.
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13 | (Source: P.A. 102-167, eff. 7-26-21.)
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14 | (755 ILCS 6/1-20)
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15 | Sec. 1-20. Definitions. As used in this Act: | ||||||
16 | "Audio-video communication" means communication by which a | ||||||
17 | person can hear, see, and communicate with another person in | ||||||
18 | real time using electronic means. A person's visual or hearing | ||||||
19 | impairment does not prohibit or limit that person's use of | ||||||
20 | audio-visual communication under this Act. | ||||||
21 | "Electronic" means relating to technology having | ||||||
22 | electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, | ||||||
23 | electromagnetic, or similar capabilities. | ||||||
24 | "Electronic record" means a record generated, | ||||||
25 | communicated, received, or stored by electronic means for use |
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1 | in an information system or for transmission from one | ||||||
2 | information system to another. | ||||||
3 | "Electronic signature" means a signature in electronic | ||||||
4 | form that uses a security procedure under the Electronic | ||||||
5 | Commerce Security Act and attached to or logically associated | ||||||
6 | with an electronic record. | ||||||
7 | "Electronic will" is a will that is created and maintained | ||||||
8 | as a tamper-evident electronic record. | ||||||
9 | "Identity proofing" means a process or service through | ||||||
10 | which a third person affirms the identity of an individual | ||||||
11 | through a review of personal information from public and | ||||||
12 | proprietary data sources, including: (1) by means of dynamic | ||||||
13 | knowledge-based authentication, including a review of personal | ||||||
14 | information from public or proprietary data sources; or (2) by | ||||||
15 | means of an analysis of biometric data, including, but not | ||||||
16 | limited to, facial recognition, voiceprint analysis, or | ||||||
17 | fingerprint analysis. | ||||||
18 | "Information" includes data, text, images, codes, computer | ||||||
19 | programs, software, and databases. | ||||||
20 | "Nontestamentary estate planning document" means a record | ||||||
21 | relating to estate planning that is readable as text at the | ||||||
22 | time of signing and is not a will or contained in a will. | ||||||
23 | "Nontestamentary estate planning document" includes a record | ||||||
24 | readable as text at the time of signing that creates, | ||||||
25 | exercises, modifies, releases, or revokes: (1) a trust | ||||||
26 | instrument;
(2) a trust power that under the terms of the trust |
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1 | requires a signed record;
(3) a certification of a trust under | ||||||
2 | Section 1013 of the Illinois Trust Code;
(4) a power of | ||||||
3 | attorney that is durable under Article II of the Illinois | ||||||
4 | Power of Attorney Act;
(5) an agent's certification under | ||||||
5 | Section 2-8 of the Illinois Power of Attorney Act of the | ||||||
6 | validity of a power of attorney and the agent's authority;
(6) | ||||||
7 | a power of appointment;
(7) an advance directive, including a | ||||||
8 | health care power of attorney, directive to physicians, | ||||||
9 | natural death statement, living will, and medical or physician | ||||||
10 | order for life-sustaining treatment;
(8) a record directing | ||||||
11 | the disposition of an individual's body after death;
(9) a | ||||||
12 | nomination of a guardian for the signing individual;
(10) a | ||||||
13 | nomination of a guardian for a minor child or disabled adult | ||||||
14 | child;
(11) a mental health treatment declaration;
(12) a | ||||||
15 | community property survivorship agreement;
(13) a disclaimer | ||||||
16 | under Section 2-7 of the Probate Act of 1975; and
(14) any | ||||||
17 | other record intended to carry out an individual's intent | ||||||
18 | regarding property or health care while incapacitated or on | ||||||
19 | death. "Nontestamentary estate planning document" does not | ||||||
20 | include a deed of real property or a certificate of title for a | ||||||
21 | vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft. | ||||||
22 | "Paper copy" means a tamper-evident electronic record that | ||||||
23 | is printed and contains the following: (1) the text of the | ||||||
24 | document; (2) the electronic signature of the signer; (3) a | ||||||
25 | readable copy of the evidence of any changes displayed in the | ||||||
26 | electronic record; and (4) any exhibits, attestation clauses, |
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1 | affidavits, or other items forming a part of the document or | ||||||
2 | contained in the electronic record. | ||||||
3 | "Paper document" means a document that is written or | ||||||
4 | printed on paper. | ||||||
5 | "Person" means an individual, estate, business or | ||||||
6 | nonprofit entity, government or governmental subdivision, | ||||||
7 | agency, or instrumentality, or other legal entity. | ||||||
8 | "Physical presence" means being in the same physical | ||||||
9 | location as another person and close enough to see and know the | ||||||
10 | other person is signing a document. | ||||||
11 | "Power of attorney" means a record that grants authority | ||||||
12 | to an agent to act in place of the principal, even if the term | ||||||
13 | is not used in the record. | ||||||
14 | "Presence" includes: (1) physical presence; or (2) being | ||||||
15 | in a different physical location from another person, but | ||||||
16 | able, using audio-video communication, to know the person is | ||||||
17 | signing a document in real time. | ||||||
18 | "Record" means information: (1) inscribed on a tangible | ||||||
19 | medium; or
(2) stored in an electronic or other medium and | ||||||
20 | retrievable in a perceivable
form. | ||||||
21 | "Remote witness" means a person attesting to a document | ||||||
22 | who is in the presence of the signer or testator through | ||||||
23 | audio-video communication. | ||||||
24 | "Rule of law" means any statute, ordinance, common law | ||||||
25 | rule, court decision, or other rule of law enacted, | ||||||
26 | established, or promulgated by this State or any agency, |
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1 | commission, department, court, other authority, or political | ||||||
2 | subdivision of this State. | ||||||
3 | "Security procedure" means a procedure to verify that an | ||||||
4 | electronic signature, record, or performance is that of a | ||||||
5 | specific person or to detect a change or error in an electronic | ||||||
6 | record. "Security procedure" includes a procedure that uses an | ||||||
7 | algorithm, code, identifying word or number, encryption, or | ||||||
8 | callback or other acknowledgment procedure. | ||||||
9 | "Settlor" means a person, including a testator, that | ||||||
10 | creates or contributes property to a trust. | ||||||
11 | "Signature" includes an electronic signature and an ink | ||||||
12 | signature. | ||||||
13 | "Sign" means, with present intent to authenticate or adopt | ||||||
14 | a record, to:
(1) execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or
(2) | ||||||
15 | attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic | ||||||
16 | signature. | ||||||
17 | "State" means a state of the United States, the District | ||||||
18 | of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or | ||||||
19 | other territory or possession subject to the jurisdiction of | ||||||
20 | the United States. "State" includes a federally recognized | ||||||
21 | Indian tribe. | ||||||
22 | "Tamper-evident" means a feature of an electronic record | ||||||
23 | by which any change to the electronic record is displayed. | ||||||
24 | "Terms of trust" means: (1) the manifestation of the | ||||||
25 | settlor's intent regarding a trust's provisions as (i) | ||||||
26 | expressed in the trust instrument or
(ii) established by other |
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1 | evidence that would be admissible in a judicial proceeding; or
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2 | (2) the trust's provisions as established, determined, or | ||||||
3 | amended by (i) a trustee or other person in accordance with | ||||||
4 | applicable law,
(ii) a court order, or
(iii) a nonjudicial | ||||||
5 | settlement agreement under Section 111 of the Illinois Trust | ||||||
6 | Code. | ||||||
7 | "Trust instrument" means an instrument executed by the | ||||||
8 | settlor that contains terms of the trust, including any | ||||||
9 | amendments. | ||||||
10 | "Will" includes a codicil and a testamentary instrument | ||||||
11 | that merely appoints an executor, revokes or revises another | ||||||
12 | will, nominates a guardian, or expressly excludes or limits | ||||||
13 | the right of an individual or class to succeed to property of | ||||||
14 | the decedent passing by intestate succession.
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15 | (Source: P.A. 102-167, eff. 7-26-21.)
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16 | (755 ILCS 6/Art. 11 heading new) | ||||||
17 | Article 11. Electronic Nontestamentary Estate Planning | ||||||
18 | Documents | ||||||
19 | (755 ILCS 6/11-5 new) | ||||||
20 | Sec. 11-5. Construction. This Article shall be construed | ||||||
21 | and applied to: | ||||||
22 | (1) facilitate electronic estate planning documents | ||||||
23 | and signatures consistent with other law; and | ||||||
24 | (2) be consistent with reasonable practices concerning |
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1 | electronic documents and signatures and continued | ||||||
2 | expansion of those practices.
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3 | (755 ILCS 6/11-10 new) | ||||||
4 | Sec. 11-10. Scope. | ||||||
5 | (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), this Article | ||||||
6 | applies to an electronic nontestamentary estate planning | ||||||
7 | document and an electronic signature on a nontestamentary | ||||||
8 | estate planning document. | ||||||
9 | (b) This Article does not apply to a nontestamentary | ||||||
10 | estate planning document if the document precludes use of an | ||||||
11 | electronic record or electronic signature. | ||||||
12 | (c) This Article does not affect the validity of an | ||||||
13 | electronic record or electronic signature that is valid under: | ||||||
14 | (1) the Illinois Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; | ||||||
15 | (2) any other Section of this Act; or | ||||||
16 | (3) any other State law relating to nontestamentary | ||||||
17 | estate planning documents.
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18 | (755 ILCS 6/11-15 new) | ||||||
19 | Sec. 11-15. Principles of law and equity. The law of this | ||||||
20 | State and principles of equity applicable to a nontestamentary | ||||||
21 | estate planning document apply to an electronic | ||||||
22 | nontestamentary estate planning document except as modified by | ||||||
23 | this Article.
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1 | (755 ILCS 6/11-20 new) | ||||||
2 | Sec. 11-20. Use of electronic record or signature not | ||||||
3 | required. | ||||||
4 | (a) This Article does not require a nontestamentary estate | ||||||
5 | planning document or signature on a nontestamentary estate | ||||||
6 | planning document to be created, generated, sent, | ||||||
7 | communicated, received, stored, or otherwise processed or used | ||||||
8 | by electronic means or in electronic form. | ||||||
9 | (b) A person is not required to have a nontestamentary | ||||||
10 | estate planning document in electronic form or signed | ||||||
11 | electronically even if the person previously created or signed | ||||||
12 | a nontestamentary estate planning document by electronic | ||||||
13 | means. | ||||||
14 | (c) A person may not waive the provisions of this Section.
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15 | (755 ILCS 6/11-25 new) | ||||||
16 | Sec. 11-25. Recognition of electronic nontestamentary | ||||||
17 | estate planning document and electronic signature. | ||||||
18 | (a) A nontestamentary estate planning document or a | ||||||
19 | signature on a nontestamentary estate planning document may | ||||||
20 | not be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it | ||||||
21 | is in electronic form. | ||||||
22 | (b) If other law of this State requires a nontestamentary | ||||||
23 | estate planning document to be in writing, an electronic | ||||||
24 | record of the document satisfies the requirement. | ||||||
25 | (c) If other law of this State requires a signature on a |
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1 | nontestamentary estate planning document, an electronic | ||||||
2 | signature satisfies the requirement.
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3 | (755 ILCS 6/11-30 new) | ||||||
4 | Sec. 11-30. Attribution and effect of electronic record | ||||||
5 | and electronic signature. | ||||||
6 | (a) An electronic nontestamentary estate planning document | ||||||
7 | or electronic signature on an electronic nontestamentary | ||||||
8 | estate planning document is attributable to a person if it was | ||||||
9 | the act of the person. The act of the person may be shown in | ||||||
10 | any manner, including by showing the efficacy of a security | ||||||
11 | procedure applied to determine the person to which the | ||||||
12 | electronic record or electronic signature was attributable. | ||||||
13 | (b) The effect of attribution to a person under subsection | ||||||
14 | (a) of a document or signature is determined from the context | ||||||
15 | and surrounding circumstances at the time of its creation, | ||||||
16 | execution, or adoption and as provided by other law.
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17 | (755 ILCS 6/11-35 new) | ||||||
18 | Sec. 11-35. Notarization and acknowledgment. If other law | ||||||
19 | of this State requires a signature or record to be notarized, | ||||||
20 | acknowledged, verified, or made under oath, the requirement is | ||||||
21 | satisfied with respect to an electronic nontestamentary estate | ||||||
22 | planning document if an individual authorized to perform the | ||||||
23 | notarization, acknowledgment, verification, or oath attaches | ||||||
24 | or logically associates the individual's electronic signature |
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1 | on the document together with all other information required | ||||||
2 | to be included under the other law.
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3 | (755 ILCS 6/11-40 new) | ||||||
4 | Sec. 11-40. Witnessing and attestation. | ||||||
5 | (a) If other law of this State bases the validity of a | ||||||
6 | nontestamentary estate planning document on whether it is | ||||||
7 | signed, witnessed, or attested by another individual, the | ||||||
8 | signature, witnessing, or attestation of that individual may | ||||||
9 | be electronic. | ||||||
10 | (b) As used in this subsection (b), "electronic presence" | ||||||
11 | means that 2 or more individuals in different locations are | ||||||
12 | able to communicate in real time to the same extent as if the | ||||||
13 | individuals were physically present in the same location. If | ||||||
14 | other law of this State bases the validity of a | ||||||
15 | nontestamentary estate planning document on whether it is | ||||||
16 | signed, witnessed, or attested by another individual in the | ||||||
17 | presence of the individual signing the document, the presence | ||||||
18 | requirement is satisfied if the individuals are in each | ||||||
19 | other's electronic presence.
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20 | (755 ILCS 6/11-45 new) | ||||||
21 | Sec. 11-45. Retention of electronic record; original. | ||||||
22 | (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), if other law of | ||||||
23 | this State requires an electronic nontestamentary estate | ||||||
24 | planning document to be retained, transmitted, copied, or |
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1 | filed, the requirement is satisfied by retaining, | ||||||
2 | transmitting, copying, or filing an electronic record that: | ||||||
3 | (1) accurately reflects the information in the | ||||||
4 | document after it was first generated in final form as an | ||||||
5 | electronic record or under Section 11-30; and | ||||||
6 | (2) remains accessible to the extent required by the | ||||||
7 | other law. | ||||||
8 | (b) A requirement under subsection (a) to retain a record | ||||||
9 | does not apply to information the sole purpose of which is to | ||||||
10 | enable the record to be sent, communicated, or received. | ||||||
11 | (c) A person may satisfy subsection (a) by using the | ||||||
12 | services of another person. | ||||||
13 | (d) If other law of this State requires a nontestamentary | ||||||
14 | estate planning document to be presented or retained in its | ||||||
15 | original form, or provides consequences if a nontestamentary | ||||||
16 | estate planning document is not presented or retained in its | ||||||
17 | original form, an electronic record retained in accordance | ||||||
18 | with subsection (a) satisfies the other law. | ||||||
19 | (e) This Section does not preclude a governmental agency | ||||||
20 | from specifying requirements for the retention of a record | ||||||
21 | subject to the agency's jurisdiction in addition to those in | ||||||
22 | this Section. In this Section, "governmental agency" means an | ||||||
23 | executive, legislative, or judicial agency, department, board, | ||||||
24 | commission, authority, institution, or instrumentality of the | ||||||
25 | federal government or of a state or of a county, municipality, | ||||||
26 | or other political subdivision of a state.
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1 | (755 ILCS 6/11-50 new) | ||||||
2 | Sec. 11-50. Certification of paper copy. An individual may | ||||||
3 | create a certified paper copy of an electronic nontestamentary | ||||||
4 | estate planning document by affirming under penalty of perjury | ||||||
5 | that the paper copy is a complete and accurate copy of the | ||||||
6 | document.
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7 | (755 ILCS 6/11-55 new) | ||||||
8 | Sec. 11-55. Admissibility in evidence. Evidence relating | ||||||
9 | to an electronic nontestamentary estate planning document or | ||||||
10 | an electronic signature on the document may not be excluded in | ||||||
11 | a proceeding solely because it is in electronic form.
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12 | (755 ILCS 6/11-60 new) | ||||||
13 | Sec. 11-60. Relation to the Electronic Signatures in | ||||||
14 | Global and National Commerce Act. This Article modifies, | ||||||
15 | limits, or supersedes the Electronic Signatures in Global and | ||||||
16 | National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001 et seq., but | ||||||
17 | does not modify, limit, or supersede 15 U.S.C. Section 7001(c) | ||||||
18 | or authorize electronic delivery of any of the notices | ||||||
19 | described in 15 U.S.C. Section 7003(b).
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20 | (755 ILCS 6/11-65 new) | ||||||
21 | Sec. 11-65. Application. This Article applies to an | ||||||
22 | electronic nontestamentary estate planning document created, |
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1 | signed, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | before, on, or after the effective date of this amendatory Act | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | of the 103rd General Assembly.
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4 | (755 ILCS 6/11-70 new) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Sec. 11-70. Severability. If a provision of this Article | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | or its application to a person or circumstance is held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | invalid, the invalidity does not affect another provision or | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | application that can be given effect without the invalid | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | provision.
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10 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | 1, 2024.
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