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Illinois House Bill HB1643

Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB1643 Compare Versions

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11 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1643 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Creates the Department of Corrections Independent Ombudsperson Law. Provides that the Corrections Oversight Committee shall appoint the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall serve a term of 6 years and may be only removed from office by the Governor for cause. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall not be a current or former employee of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, or a contractor for those departments. Establishes the duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall: (1) monitor and inspect facilities of the Department of Corrections; (2) investigate unresolved complaints from committed persons, their families, and corrections staff regarding correctional facility conditions and treatment of committed persons; (3) create a uniform reporting system and collect and analyze data related to deaths, suicides, sexual and physical assaults, lockdowns, staff vacancies and committed persons-to-staff ratios, visits to committed persons, and use of solitary confinement in correctional facilities; (4) conduct regular inspections of correctional facilities at least once every year for facilities not meeting standards, and at least once every 36 months for facilities that are meeting standards; and (5) publicly issue periodic facility inspection reports and an annual report with recommendations and a summary of data. Establishes other duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall report regularly on its activities, investigations, and inspections, including an annual report, which shall be presented to and discussed at a meeting of the Corrections Oversight Committee and make other reports on topics of special interest. Provides that all reports of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall be made available to the public online and provided to the Director of Corrections, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Effective July 1, 2026. LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1643 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Creates the Department of Corrections Independent Ombudsperson Law. Provides that the Corrections Oversight Committee shall appoint the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall serve a term of 6 years and may be only removed from office by the Governor for cause. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall not be a current or former employee of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, or a contractor for those departments. Establishes the duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall: (1) monitor and inspect facilities of the Department of Corrections; (2) investigate unresolved complaints from committed persons, their families, and corrections staff regarding correctional facility conditions and treatment of committed persons; (3) create a uniform reporting system and collect and analyze data related to deaths, suicides, sexual and physical assaults, lockdowns, staff vacancies and committed persons-to-staff ratios, visits to committed persons, and use of solitary confinement in correctional facilities; (4) conduct regular inspections of correctional facilities at least once every year for facilities not meeting standards, and at least once every 36 months for facilities that are meeting standards; and (5) publicly issue periodic facility inspection reports and an annual report with recommendations and a summary of data. Establishes other duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall report regularly on its activities, investigations, and inspections, including an annual report, which shall be presented to and discussed at a meeting of the Corrections Oversight Committee and make other reports on topics of special interest. Provides that all reports of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall be made available to the public online and provided to the Director of Corrections, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Effective July 1, 2026. LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b A BILL FOR
22 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1643 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
33 See Index See Index
44 See Index
55 Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Creates the Department of Corrections Independent Ombudsperson Law. Provides that the Corrections Oversight Committee shall appoint the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall serve a term of 6 years and may be only removed from office by the Governor for cause. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall not be a current or former employee of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, or a contractor for those departments. Establishes the duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall: (1) monitor and inspect facilities of the Department of Corrections; (2) investigate unresolved complaints from committed persons, their families, and corrections staff regarding correctional facility conditions and treatment of committed persons; (3) create a uniform reporting system and collect and analyze data related to deaths, suicides, sexual and physical assaults, lockdowns, staff vacancies and committed persons-to-staff ratios, visits to committed persons, and use of solitary confinement in correctional facilities; (4) conduct regular inspections of correctional facilities at least once every year for facilities not meeting standards, and at least once every 36 months for facilities that are meeting standards; and (5) publicly issue periodic facility inspection reports and an annual report with recommendations and a summary of data. Establishes other duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall report regularly on its activities, investigations, and inspections, including an annual report, which shall be presented to and discussed at a meeting of the Corrections Oversight Committee and make other reports on topics of special interest. Provides that all reports of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall be made available to the public online and provided to the Director of Corrections, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Effective July 1, 2026.
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1111 1 AN ACT concerning criminal law.
1212 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
1313 3 represented in the General Assembly:
1414 4 Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by
1515 5 adding Article 2.8 to Chapter III as follows:
1616 6 (730 ILCS 5/Ch. III Art. 2.8 heading new)
1717 7 ARTICLE 2.8. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS INDEPENDENT
1818 8 OMBUDSPERSON
1919 9 (730 ILCS 5/3-2.8-1 new)
2020 10 Sec. 3-2.8-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as
2121 11 the Department of Corrections Independent Ombudsperson Law.
2222 12 (730 ILCS 5/3-2.8-2 new)
2323 13 Sec. 3-2.8-2. Purpose. The General Assembly finds that to
2424 14 increase transparency and accountability in the State
2525 15 corrections system, an Independent Corrections Ombudsperson's
2626 16 office should be created to investigate complaints, inspect
2727 17 correctional facilities, and recommend improvements in this
2828 18 State's corrections system.
2929 19 (730 ILCS 5/3-2.8-3 new)
3030 20 Sec. 3-2.8-3. Appointment of Independent Corrections
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3434 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1643 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3535 See Index See Index
3636 See Index
3737 Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Creates the Department of Corrections Independent Ombudsperson Law. Provides that the Corrections Oversight Committee shall appoint the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall serve a term of 6 years and may be only removed from office by the Governor for cause. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall not be a current or former employee of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, or a contractor for those departments. Establishes the duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall: (1) monitor and inspect facilities of the Department of Corrections; (2) investigate unresolved complaints from committed persons, their families, and corrections staff regarding correctional facility conditions and treatment of committed persons; (3) create a uniform reporting system and collect and analyze data related to deaths, suicides, sexual and physical assaults, lockdowns, staff vacancies and committed persons-to-staff ratios, visits to committed persons, and use of solitary confinement in correctional facilities; (4) conduct regular inspections of correctional facilities at least once every year for facilities not meeting standards, and at least once every 36 months for facilities that are meeting standards; and (5) publicly issue periodic facility inspection reports and an annual report with recommendations and a summary of data. Establishes other duties of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. Provides that the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall report regularly on its activities, investigations, and inspections, including an annual report, which shall be presented to and discussed at a meeting of the Corrections Oversight Committee and make other reports on topics of special interest. Provides that all reports of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall be made available to the public online and provided to the Director of Corrections, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Effective July 1, 2026.
3838 LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b
3939 LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b
4040 A BILL FOR
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4646 See Index
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6565 1 Ombudsperson. The Corrections Oversight Committee created by
6666 2 the Independent Corrections Oversight Committee Act shall
6767 3 appoint the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson. The
6868 4 Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall serve a term of 6
6969 5 years and may be only removed from office by the Governor for
7070 6 cause. The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall not be a
7171 7 current or former employee of the Department of Corrections,
7272 8 the Department of Juvenile Justice, or a contractor for those
7373 9 Departments.
7474 10 (730 ILCS 5/3-2.8-4 new)
7575 11 Sec. 3-2.8-4. Independent Corrections Ombudsperson's
7676 12 duties.
7777 13 (a) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall:
7878 14 (1) monitor and inspect facilities of the Department
7979 15 of Corrections;
8080 16 (2) investigate unresolved complaints from committed
8181 17 persons, their families, and corrections staff regarding
8282 18 correctional facility conditions and treatment of
8383 19 committed persons;
8484 20 (3) create a uniform reporting system and collect and
8585 21 analyze data related to deaths, suicides, sexual and
8686 22 physical assaults, lockdowns, staff vacancies and
8787 23 committed persons-to-staff ratios, visits to committed
8888 24 persons, and use of solitary confinement in correctional
8989 25 facilities;
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100100 1 (4) conduct regular inspections of correctional
101101 2 facilities at least once every year for facilities not
102102 3 meeting standards, and at least once every 36 months for
103103 4 facilities that are meeting standards; and
104104 5 (5) publicly issue periodic facility inspection
105105 6 reports and an annual report with recommendations and a
106106 7 summary of data.
107107 8 (b) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson may:
108108 9 (1) access and inspect any correctional facility at
109109 10 any time, with or without prior notice to the Department
110110 11 of Corrections or facility officials;
111111 12 (2) have confidential and privileged interviews with
112112 13 any corrections staff or committed person;
113113 14 (3) access and review any Department of Corrections
114114 15 documents related to correctional facility operations or
115115 16 complaints received;
116116 17 (4) establish a telephone hotline and complaint
117117 18 submission forms for committed persons, their family
118118 19 members, and corrections staff to use to submit complaints
119119 20 to the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson via the
120120 21 Internet, submission of a paper form, or submission of the
121121 22 form via a secure, confidential Intranet system inside the
122122 23 correctional facility.
123123 24 (c) The Department of Corrections must respond in writing
124124 25 within 20 days with a corrective action plan. The Independent
125125 26 Corrections Ombudsperson shall monitor the Department's
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136136 1 compliance with corrective action plans issued in response to
137137 2 inspection reports and recommendations.
138138 3 (d) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall
139139 4 promptly respond to complaints and explain in writing any
140140 5 decisions not to take action. The Independent Corrections
141141 6 Ombudsperson shall treat complaints received as confidential
142142 7 and protect the anonymity of people submitting complaints. The
143143 8 Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall initiate
144144 9 investigations, on the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson's
145145 10 own or in response to requests from corrections staff or
146146 11 committed persons or their families, relating to correctional
147147 12 facility conditions, abuse, or neglect, Department of
148148 13 Corrections decisions or actions or omissions, policies,
149149 14 rules, or procedures, or alleged legal violations by
150150 15 correctional staff that adversely affect the health, safety,
151151 16 welfare, and rights of committed persons.
152152 17 (e) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall issue a
153153 18 decision on any investigations to the committed person
154154 19 involved and to the Department of Corrections, with an
155155 20 explanation of its decision and recommendations.
156156 21 (f) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall request
157157 22 that the Department of Corrections respond to an Ombudsperson
158158 23 decision on an investigation in writing, with an explanation
159159 24 of the Department's action or inaction on the Independent
160160 25 Corrections Ombudsperson's recommendations.
161161 26 (g) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall report
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172172 1 significant committed persons' health, safety, welfare, and
173173 2 rehabilitation issues to the Governor, Attorney General, the
174174 3 Director of Corrections, and the House and Senate Judiciary
175175 4 Committees.
176176 5 (h) The Department of Corrections, its employees, or
177177 6 contractors may not terminate its employees nor retaliate
178178 7 against any person who submits a complaint to the Independent
179179 8 Corrections Ombudsperson. If the Department of Corrections
180180 9 discharges an employee in retaliation for making complaints to
181181 10 the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson, the terminated
182182 11 employee may seek back-pay in a civil action against the
183183 12 Department.
184184 13 (i) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall report
185185 14 regularly on its activities, investigations, and inspections,
186186 15 including an annual report, which shall be presented to and
187187 16 discussed at a meeting of the Corrections Oversight Committee
188188 17 and make other reports on topics of special interest. All
189189 18 reports of the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson shall be
190190 19 made available to the public online and provided to the
191191 20 Director of Corrections, the Governor, the Attorney General,
192192 21 and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
193193 22 (j) The Independent Corrections Ombudsperson may hire
194194 23 staff and unpaid volunteers and contract with experts to help
195195 24 perform the Independent Corrections Ombudsperson's duties.
196196 25 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
197197 26 2026.
198198 HB1643- 6 -LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b 1 INDEX 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance HB1643- 6 -LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b HB1643 - 6 - LRB104 08512 HLH 18564 b 1 INDEX 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
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201201 1 INDEX
202202 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
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214214 1 INDEX
215215 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
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