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HB 5558

COUNTIES CD-COUNTY LIBRARY

104th Regular Session Introduced by Kimberly Du Buclet

HB5558 requires county law libraries to be open with courthouse hours, broad public access, and updates funding and governance of the County Law Library Fund.

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Bill Summary · HB 5558

HB5558 (104th General Assembly, Illinois) Summary

Purpose
- Amends the Counties Code to modify how county law libraries operate and how they are funded and managed. The bill aims to ensure county law libraries are open whenever the courthouse is open and to adjust the authority and processes surrounding the collection and use of library fees.

Main Provisions
- operability of county law libraries
- County law libraries must be open whenever the county courthouse is open.
- Libraries may be closed only for operational necessity or as determined by the county board.
- Libraries may be located in the county seat and in additional branch locations as the county board deems necessary.
- Access is broad: freely available to all licensed Illinois attorneys, judges, other public officers of the county, and the public. Services may include self-help centers and other legal assistance programs, offered on-site and online.

  • funding and fee structure

    • The county bears the expense of establishing and maintaining the libraries (including any self-help centers and legal aid programs).
    • A county law library fee of $2 is charged by clerks of all trial courts at the county seat, with the presence of a written notice from the county board authorizing the library.
    • The county board may authorize an additional county law library fee up to $21 through December 31, 2021, and $20 on and after January 1, 2022. This fee is collected at the time of filing the first pleading, paper, or other appearance in all civil cases; if multiple parties are represented, only a single fee is charged.
    • Fees are in addition to other clerk fees and are remitted monthly to the county treasurer or another designated county office and held in a County Law Library Fund.

  • fund management and disbursement

    • Disbursements from the County Law Library Fund are made by the county treasurer on orders of the resident circuit judges (majority vote) in counties with fewer or more than 2,000,000 inhabitants, with different governance structures:
    • In counties with more than 2,000,000 residents: a library committee (not fewer than 9 members) may be appointed to advise on disbursements and library operations.
    • In single-circuit counties with 2,000,000 or fewer inhabitants: the chief judge determines personnel needs; salaries are set by the county board; disbursement orders must be pre-audited.
    • All orders are pre-audited and funds audited; reports are provided to the county board and judges.
    • No fees are charged in criminal or quasi-criminal cases, venue-change matters, or orders reviewing administrative decisions.
    • Funds may not be used for lobbying activities.

Impact and Affected Parties
- Affected: county law libraries, county clerks, county treasurers, circuit judges, county boards, attorneys, judges, public officers, and the general public seeking legal information.
- The bill enhances access to county law libraries and clarifies financial governance and oversight of library funds.

Procedural and Timeline Notes
- Introduced February 13, 2026 by Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet.
- Pending procedural steps include committee considerations and floor action; amendments may adjust fee levels or governance details.
- Current law references and past adjustments remain in effect unless superseded by this act.

Sponsor
- Primary sponsor: Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet (also co-sponsor).

Overall, HB5558 standardizes access to county law libraries, mandates open-library operations aligned with courthouse hours, and updates the funding mechanism and governance of the County Law Library Fund to support library services and related programs.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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