Bill
SB 1217
Requires the Prisoner Review Board to immediately notify victims who requested alerts whenever a prisoner is released early or granted clemency, with documentation of efforts.
Status & source
- Amends: Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act, 725 ILCS 120/4.5.
- Bill ID/version: LRB10403910RLC13934b (Introduced by Sen. Terri Bryant; text dated 1/24/2025).
- Current procedural status (per provided file): Rule 3‑9(a) / Re‑referred to Assignments (April 11, 2025).
- Related/companion bills: HB 2825, HB 718.
Purpose
- To strengthen victim notification requirements by requiring the Prisoner Review Board to immediately notify victims who have requested notification whenever a prisoner is released early or receives clemency-type relief.
Key provisions
- Mandatory immediate notification: If a victim previously requested notification, the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) must immediately inform that victim of any of the following actions affecting a prisoner who was confined by the State:
- Early release from State custody (including release based on sentence credit),
- Pardon,
- Commutation,
- Furlough,
- Any other granting of sentence credit that results in release.
- Applies to defendants found “guilty but mentally ill” as well as other convictions: When a defendant who has been found guilty but mentally ill receives any of the above forms of release or clemency, the PRB must also immediately notify the victim (if the victim requested notification).
- Notification logistics:
- Notification must be based on the most recent residence or other contact information available to the Board.
- If no current contact information is available, the PRB must make “all reasonable efforts” to obtain the information and then notify the victim.
- Supplemental requirement: This PRB notification duty is in addition to any notification obligations under other statewide victim‑notification systems.
- Documentation requirement: If a victim alleges they did not receive notification, the PRB must document its notification efforts (i.e., a record of attempts made).
Who is affected
- Primary beneficiaries: crime victims who have requested notifications under the statute.
- Responsible parties: Prisoner Review Board (administrative burden for timely notice, recordkeeping, and locating contact information).
- Secondary effects: Departments/agencies that share offender and victim contact information with the PRB (may need process/IT adjustments).
Procedural/timeline impacts
- The bill creates an “immediate” notification duty keyed to specific release or clemency events — requiring rapid operational response by the PRB.
- Requires the PRB to search for current contact data when none is on file and to retain documentation of notification attempts if challenged.
Potential implications / considerations
- Enhances victim protections and awareness of offender status changes.
- Could increase administrative workload and data‑sharing requirements for the PRB and related agencies (updates to procedures, staffing, or systems may be necessary).
- The documentation requirement provides a record to resolve disputes when victims claim they were not notified.
- Because the duty is limited to victims who previously requested notification, outreach and opt‑in mechanisms remain important to ensure victims receive protections.
Note on mixed materials in file
- The provided file also contains unrelated language from a different SB 1217 ( Arizona statute on county advertising/electronic newspapers ) and assorted cross‑jurisdictional procedural entries. This summary focuses solely on the Illinois Rights of Crime Victims amendment (725 ILCS 120/4.5) described above.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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