HB 2731 — VICTIM CENTERED APPROACH ACT

*LRB10410049RTM20120b* HB2731 104THEngrossed GENERALLRB104 ASSEMBLY10049 StateRTM of20120 Illinoisb andAN 2026ACT HB2731concerning Introducedlocal 2/6/2025,government. by Rep.

Daniel Didech - Rita Mayfield - Bob Morgan SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act ILCS 5/3-9005 from Ch.

34, par.

3-9005 Creates the Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act.

Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall develop a program to represent noncitizen victims of violent crimes in the filing of victim remedies before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office administrative body.

Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall use any funding provided to the pilot program to represent or give counsel to 50 noncitizen victims annually for the next 5 years who were victimized by violent crimes in Lake County.

Provides that the to be eligible for assistance under the program, an individual must:

(1) be a noncitizen victim, who has never been placed in removal proceedings;

(2) have suffered a violent crime in Lake County;

and (3) not be barred from the immigration remedies before the administrative body.

Amends the Counties Code.

Provides that, in counties with a population of more than 500,000, a State's Attorney may act, without fee or appointment, as an attorney to a noncitizen victim in an immigration case only if the noncitizen victim was victimized within the county the State's Attorney serves and is located within the geographic boundaries of the county served by the State's Attorney.

LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b A BILL FOR HB2731 LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b AN ACT concerning local government.

ThisShort Acttitle. may be cited as the Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act.

This Act may be cited as the Equal Justice for Immigrant Crime Victims Pilot Program Act.

FindingsDefinition. and purpose.

TheAs purposeused ofin thethis victimAct, centered"victim approachof pilotqualifying programcriminal isactivity" tohas addressthe significantmeaning barriersgiven to noncitizenthat victimsterm who are victimized in the countyVoices who can't afford counsel for the filing of anImmigrant immigrationCommunities remedyEmpowering beforeSurvivors the(VOICES) administrativeAct. body.

The program aims to provide free immigration counsel and representation to victims for the next 5 years.

Lack of affordable attorneys and qualified organizations create a barrier for victims who are already suffering from a crime of violence and this program supports victims on their path to safety.

The program shall provide funding to the office of the Lake County State's Attorney to create a victim focused legal service where State's Attorney may act, without fee or appointment, as an attorney to a noncitizen victim who experienced victimization in the geographic boundaries of the circuit court for the county served by the State's Attorney.

The victim centered approach pilot program empowers survivors by providing them with immediate legal services that will put them on a path to HB2731 - 2 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b legal status which is often delayed due to lack of funding or resources.

This approach, even though lengthy, starts the survivor's ability to stabilize the survivor's situation and the survivor's family's situation economically or emotionally.

Thus, fostering resilience and enhanced quality of life after undergoing a violent crime.

Lake County State's Attorney victimimmigration centeredrepresentation approachfor crime victims pilot program.

(a) The Lake County State's Attorney shallmay developrepresent a programperson to represent noncitizen victims of violent crimes in the filing of victim remedies before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office administrative body.body if:

The(1) Lake County State's Attorney shall use any funding provided to the pilotperson programis toa represent or give counsel to 50 noncitizen victims annually for the next 5 years who werehas victimizednever bybeen violentplaced crimes in Lakeremoval County.proceedings;

To(2) bethe eligibleLake forCounty assistanceState's underAttorney believes the program,person anis individuala must:victim of qualifying criminal activity because of a crime that occurred in Lake County;

(1)(3) bethe aperson noncitizenis victim,not whobarred hasfrom neverthe beenimmigration placedremedies inbefore removalthe proceedings;administrative body;

(2)and have(4) sufferedthe Lake County State's Attorney may represent the HB2731 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b person without creating a violentconflict crimeof ininterest for the Lake County;County State's Attorney under the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.

and(b) (3)The notLake beCounty barredState's fromAttorney may adopt policies and procedures as the immigrationState's remediesAttorney beforedeems necessary to implement, administer, and carry out the administrativepurposes body.of this Act.

(b)(c) The assistanceLake providedCounty byState's theAttorney Pilotmay Programinitiate includesrepresentation immigrationof representationnoncitizen victims of thequalifying noncitizencrimes victimunder beforethis theAct administrativeon bodyor forbefore aDecember victim31, remedy.2031.

HB2731The -expiration 3of -the LRB104State's 10049Attorney's RTMauthority 20120does bnot, Sectionby 15.itself, terminate or otherwise affect any representation initiated under this Act on or before December 31, 2031.

Section 100.

(2) To prosecute all forfeited bonds and recognizances, and all actions and proceedings for the recovery of debts, revenues, moneys, fines, penalties and HB2731 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b forfeitures accruing to the State or the county, or to any school district or road district in the county;

HB2731 - 4 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b (5) To attend the examination of all persons brought before any judge on habeas corpus, when the prosecution is in the county.

(8) To assist the Attorney General whenever it may be necessary, and in cases of appeal from the county to the HB2731 Engrossed - 4 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b Supreme Court, to which it is the duty of the Attorney General to attend, the State's Attorney shall furnish the Attorney General at least 10 days before such is due to be filed, a manuscript of a proposed statement, brief and argument to be printed and filed on behalf of the people, prepared in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court.

(9) To pay all moneys received by the State's Attorney in trust, without delay, to the officer who by law is HB2731 - 5 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b entitled to the custody thereof.

(13) To notify, by first-class mail, the State Superintendent of Education, the applicable regional HB2731 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b superintendent of schools, and the superintendent of the employing school district or the chief school administrator of the employing nonpublic school, if any, upon the conviction of any individual known to possess a certificate or license issued pursuant to Article 21 or 21B, respectively, of the School Code of any offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of the School Code or any other felony conviction, providing the name of the certificate holder, the fact of the conviction, and the name and location of the court where the conviction occurred.

HB2731 - 6 - LRB104 10049 RTM 20120 b (b) The State's Attorney of each county shall have authority to appoint one or more special investigators to serve subpoenas and summonses, make return of process, and conduct investigations which assist the State's Attorney in the performance of the State's Attorney duties.