CERTIFICATE-INNOCENCE PAYOUTS

104th Regular Session Introduced by Mattie Hunter and 1 co-sponsor

Urges Illinois’ Court of Claims to pause Certificate of Innocence payouts on request by the awardee and counsel while lawmakers fix COI statutes, with a June 30, 2026 target.

Resolution Adopted

Bill at a glance

Bill type: Senate Resolution (non‑binding)

Bill number: SR 503

Title: CERTIFICATE‑INNOCENCE PAYOUTS

Introduced: May 5, 2025

Status: Resolution adopted (Read & adopted May 7, 2025; reported enrolled)

Sponsors: RaShaun Kemp; Sally Harrell; Sonya Halpern; Kim Jackson; Elena Parent; Donzella James; Nan Orrock; Tonya Anderson; Gail Davenport; Jason Esteves; Elgie R. Sims, Jr.; Mattie Hunter (cosponsor)

Main purpose and intent

SR 503 urges the Illinois State Court of Claims to temporarily pause Certificate of Innocence (COI) monetary payouts — but only when the COI awardee and their attorney(s) request such a pause — while the Illinois General Assembly resolves outstanding issues in the statutory framework for COI awards. The resolution references the Court of Claims’ role under 705 ILCS 505.

Key provisions

Encouragement (request) to the State Court of Claims to pause COI payout disbursements if requested by the awardee and the awardee’s counsel.

The pause is to remain in effect until the legislature addresses the statutory language and federally recommended minimum standards, with an explicit target date of June 30, 2026, by which the General Assembly is expected to work through the nuances of the law.

The resolution is hortatory (urging action); it does not change statutory law or compel the Court of Claims to act.

Who is affected

Certificate of Innocence awardees in Illinois who may be entitled to monetary awards under 705 ILCS 505.

Attorneys representing COI awardees.

The Illinois State Court of Claims (the body that determines and pays COI awards).

The Illinois General Assembly (asked to complete statutory revisions by 6/30/2026).

Procedural and timeline notes

The resolution requests a temporary, case‑by‑case pause only when affirmatively requested by the awardee and their counsel.

Target date for the legislature to resolve statutory language: June 30, 2026.

As a Senate resolution, SR 503 expresses the sentiment of the Senate but does not create legal obligations for the Court of Claims.

Potential impacts

For awardees who request a pause: a delay in receiving COI compensation until the legislative reforms are completed or the awardee withdraws the request.

For the legislature and stakeholders: may provide breathing room to negotiate and adopt more detailed or federally aligned standards for COI awards without immediate fiscal disbursements being finalized under prior statutory language.

For the Court of Claims: a voluntary operational change pending direction from affected awardees and their counsel.

Note on document content

The enrolled text of SR 503 includes an unrelated ceremonial section congratulating “Midtown High School” on a GHSA literary championship (names of individual students and an authorization for the Secretary to provide a copy). This appears to be a separate, ceremonial resolution component and is not substantive to the Certificate of Innocence request. The core substantive element affecting public policy is the urging to pause COI payouts when requested, as summarized above.

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