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HB 3702

Relating to critical ground water areas; declaring an emergency.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ken Helm and 1 co-sponsor

HB 3702 strengthens victim participation in PRB proceedings by allowing more victim input, mandating training and staff support, and creating a Survivor Safety and Support Fund.

In committee upon adjournment.
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Bill Summary · HB 3702

HB 3702 — Summary (2025)

Status: In committee upon adjournment (as of 2025-06-28)
Introduced: Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (filed Feb–Mar 2025)
Title: Relating to critical ground water areas; declaring an emergency. (Note: bill text as introduced primarily amends victims/witness, Prisoner Review Board, corrections, pension, and finance statutes.)
Effective date: Immediately (emergency clause)

Purpose / Intent

HB 3702 strengthens victim participation and support in Prisoner Review Board (PRB) proceedings, creates organizational capacity for victim/witness services at the PRB, requires training for PRB members/commissioners, mandates certain background checks before parole revocation decisions, and establishes a Survivor Safety and Support Fund. It also makes conforming changes to the State Finance Act and Illinois Pension Code.

Key provisions

  • Victim notification and input

    • Requires the PRB to publish on its public website and provide to registered victims clear information on how to submit victim impact statements.
    • Requires the PRB to accept and consider victim impact statements from any registered victim.
    • Explicitly permits any registered victim — including persons protected by final plenary, non-emergency, or emergency orders of protection under the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 or the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 — to present victim statements for PRB consideration.
    • Requires that victim statements be redacted from transcripts or recordings provided to anyone other than PRB members and the petitioner/parole candidate (i.e., statements are protected from broader public disclosure).

  • PRB training and staffing

    • Mandates that each PRB member and commissioner complete a training course developed and administered in consultation with the Department of Corrections.
    • Training must be provided to new members/commissioners within 30 days of starting service and before they participate in hearings.
    • The bill establishes content/requirements for that training (text sets training standards).

  • Administrative and support structures

    • Creates a Director of Victim and Witness Services under PRB jurisdiction to oversee victim/witness support related to PRB matters.
    • Creates the Survivor Safety and Support Fund as a special fund in the State treasury to support survivors who are parties to ongoing criminal or civil cases against a petitioner or parole candidate, or who are registered victims through the PRB or Department of Corrections.

  • Parole revocation procedure

    • Requires the PRB to run a LEADS (Law Enforcement Agencies Data System) report before deciding whether to revoke an offender’s parole or mandatory supervised release.

  • Conforming statutory changes

    • Amends the State Finance Act to add the new special fund.
    • Amends the Illinois Pension Code (Section 18-127) to make conforming changes relating to annuity suspension/reemployment rules as they apply to persons serving under the PRB (clarifying pension treatment for certain PRB service).

Who is affected

  • Crime victims and registered victims: expanded ability to submit victim impact statements, clearer submission procedures, and protections for statement confidentiality in public records.
  • Prisoner Review Board members/commissioners: new mandatory training and coordination with Dept. of Corrections; oversight of a new Director of Victim and Witness Services.
  • Petitioners/parole candidates: PRB will consider victim statements in deliberations and run LEADS checks before making revocation decisions.
  • Department of Corrections: consultative role in developing PRB training; integration with victim registration systems.
  • State treasury/administration: establishes a new special fund (Survivor Safety and Support Fund) — funding and administration details would follow in implementation.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced Feb–Mar 2025; multiple committee referrals (Judiciary — Criminal; Rules; Agriculture/Land Use/Natural Resources/Water; Public Education).
  • As of 2025-06-28, the bill is “in committee upon adjournment.”
  • The bill contains an emergency effective date (effective immediately upon enactment).

Implementation & fiscal considerations

  • The bill creates new administrative duties (training development, a PRB director position, outreach/publication obligations) and a new special fund; legislative or executive action will be required to appropriate monies to implement the Fund and staff the Director position. The bill text does not include specific appropriations.

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

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