Bill
HB 3624
Authorizes a pilot IDOC canine unit to detect contraband drugs in mail screening at facilities with 100+ inmates; rules on operation, training, care, and evaluation to follow.
HB 3624 Summary: CD CORR-DRUG DETECTION DOG
Overview
HB 3624 would amend the Illinois Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5/3-2-2) to authorize and regulate a pilot canine unit within the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). The bill requires the Director of Corrections to establish a contraband-screening program using a trained drug-detection canine in mail sorting and screening areas at correctional facilities housing 100 or more inmates. The program would be governed by department-wide rules detailing the operation, staffing, equipment, training, care, and evaluation of the canine units and canines.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of a canine unit pilot program within IDOC.
- Scope: Contraband screening using a leashed, controlled canine trained to detect illegal drugs.
- Location/limitation: Implemented in mail sorting and screening areas at each correctional institution/facility housing 100+ committed persons.
- Regulatory framework (rulemaking requirements).
- IDOC must adopt rules establishing standards on:
- Operation and chain of command of canine units
- Assignment and uniforms of canine handlers
- Shifts, training, and equipment for handlers and canines
- Training for drug detection and veterinary care
- Provision of contraband drugs to handlers for training purposes
- Transportation, care, and responsibility for canines
- Selection standards for canines and handlers
- Post-service placement of canines, handler qualifications, and ongoing evaluation
- Any other standards necessary for effective operation
- Scope of implementation
- The program is designed as a pilot; details on duration, evaluation metrics, and expansion are to be set by rulemaking.
Affected Parties and Institutions
- Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and its facilities
- Correctional staff, particularly canine handlers and supervisors
- Inmates housed in facilities with 100+ inmates
- Veterinary and training professionals contracted or employed by IDOC
- Other state agencies involved in rulemaking and oversight of corrections
Procedural and Timeline Aspects
- Legislative path (highlights):
- Filed February 7, 2025; introduced February 18, 2025 (Rep. La Shawn K. Ford)
- Assigned to Judiciary - Criminal Committee; later routed through Rules Committee
- Status noted as Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
- Read first time on or around March 25, 2025; additional referrals noted
- The bill relies on future rulemaking to specify operational details, timelines, and evaluation criteria; no explicit start date for the pilot is provided in the introduced text.
Sponsors
- Primary: Rep. La Shawn K. Ford
Notes
- The bill represents a shift toward formalized covert contraband detection within mail screening, using canine drug-detection capabilities. It emphasizes regulatory standards over detailed internal procedures, deferring many specifics to subsequent rules adopted by IDOC.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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