Bill Text: IL HB2989 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall in each institution or facility (rather than establish a pilot program in one or more institutions or facilities of the Department) permit committed persons to remotely visit friends and family members (rather than just family members) through interactive video conferences. Provides that the Department shall (rather than may) enter into agreements with third-party organizations to provide video conference facilities for friends and family members of committed persons. The Department shall (rather than may) determine who is a friend or family member eligible to participate in the program and the conditions in which and times when the video conferences may be conducted. Provides that the Department shall require each institution and facility of the Department to have locked and monitored electronic tablets for committed persons to use for educational purposes.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-6)

Status: (Passed) 2017-08-18 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 100-0142 [HB2989 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HB2989-Engrossed.html



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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
5changing Section 3-7-2 as follows:
6 (730 ILCS 5/3-7-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-7-2)
7 Sec. 3-7-2. Facilities.
8 (a) All institutions and facilities of the Department shall
9provide every committed person with access to toilet
10facilities, barber facilities, bathing facilities at least
11once each week, a library of legal materials and published
12materials including newspapers and magazines approved by the
13Director. A committed person may not receive any materials that
14the Director deems pornographic.
15 (b) (Blank).
16 (c) All institutions and facilities of the Department shall
17provide facilities for every committed person to leave his cell
18for at least one hour each day unless the chief administrative
19officer determines that it would be harmful or dangerous to the
20security or safety of the institution or facility.
21 (d) All institutions and facilities of the Department shall
22provide every committed person with a wholesome and nutritional
23diet at regularly scheduled hours, drinking water, clothing

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1adequate for the season, bedding, soap and towels and medical
2and dental care.
3 (e) All institutions and facilities of the Department shall
4permit every committed person to send and receive an unlimited
5number of uncensored letters, provided, however, that the
6Director may order that mail be inspected and read for reasons
7of the security, safety or morale of the institution or
8facility.
9 (f) All of the institutions and facilities of the
10Department shall permit every committed person to receive
11visitors, except in case of abuse of the visiting privilege or
12when the chief administrative officer determines that such
13visiting would be harmful or dangerous to the security, safety
14or morale of the institution or facility. The chief
15administrative officer shall have the right to restrict
16visitation to non-contact visits for reasons of safety,
17security, and order, including, but not limited to, restricting
18contact visits for committed persons engaged in gang activity.
19No committed person in a super maximum security facility or on
20disciplinary segregation is allowed contact visits. Any
21committed person found in possession of illegal drugs or who
22fails a drug test shall not be permitted contact visits for a
23period of at least 6 months. Any committed person involved in
24gang activities or found guilty of assault committed against a
25Department employee shall not be permitted contact visits for a
26period of at least 6 months. The Department shall offer every

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1visitor appropriate written information concerning HIV and
2AIDS, including information concerning how to contact the
3Illinois Department of Public Health for counseling
4information. The Department shall develop the written
5materials in consultation with the Department of Public Health.
6The Department shall ensure that all such information and
7materials are culturally sensitive and reflect cultural
8diversity as appropriate. Implementation of the changes made to
9this Section by this amendatory Act of the 94th General
10Assembly is subject to appropriation.
11 (f-5) (Blank).
12 (f-10) The Department may not restrict or limit in-person
13visits to committed persons due to the availability of
14interactive video conferences.
15 (f-15)(1) The Department shall issue a standard written
16policy for each institution and facility of the Department that
17provides for:
18 (A) the number of in-person visits each committed
19 person is entitled to per week and per month;
20 (B) the hours of in-person visits;
21 (C) the type of identification required for visitors at
22 least 18 years of age; and
23 (D) the type of identification, if any, required for
24 visitors under 18 years of age.
25 (2) This policy shall be posted on the Department website
26and at each facility.

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1 (3) The Department shall post on its website daily any
2restrictions or denials of visitation for that day and the
3succeeding 5 calendar days, including those based on a lockdown
4of the facility, to inform family members and other visitors.
5 (g) All institutions and facilities of the Department shall
6permit religious ministrations and sacraments to be available
7to every committed person, but attendance at religious services
8shall not be required.
9 (h) Within 90 days after December 31, 1996, the Department
10shall prohibit the use of curtains, cell-coverings, or any
11other matter or object that obstructs or otherwise impairs the
12line of vision into a committed person's cell.
13(Source: P.A. 99-933, eff. 1-27-17.)
14 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
151, 2018.
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