Child Law

Earlier this month the House appropriations committee (and the full House of Representatives) passed a proposed budget that included $328 million for LSC funding, which already would be a $20 million cut from this year's already reduced level. During the floor debate about this budget, two LSC amendments were introduced, which, if they passed, would have further cut LSC funding. (1) One amendment would have slashed LSC funding from $328 million to $200 million -- which would have been a further cut of $128 million to this year's LSC appropriation. This amendment was soundly defeated and by wider margins than similar amendments in previous years. Representatives Roskam, Hultgren, Manzullo, Schilling, Schock, and Walsh supported this amendment. (2) Another amendment that was voted on that night that would have eliminated all funding for LSC. Representatives Manzullo, Schilling, Schock, and Walsh supported this amendment.

Earlier this month the House appropriations committee (and the full House of Representatives) passed a proposed budget that included $328 million for LSC funding, which already would be a $20 million cut from this year's already reduced level. During the floor debate about this budget, two LSC amendments were introduced, which, if they passed, would have further cut LSC funding. One amendment would have slashed LSC funding from $328 million to $200 million--which would have been a further cut of $128 million to this year's LSC appropriation. This amendment was soundly defeated and by wider margins than similar amendments in previous years. Representatives Roskam, Hultgren, Manzullo, Schilling, Schock, and Walsh supported this amendment. Another amendment that was voted on that night that would have eliminated all funding for LSC. Representatives Manzullo, Schilling, Schock, and Walsh supported this amendment

(Lang, D-Chicago; Steans, D-Chicago) is poised to amend the Illinois Constitution to create standing for victims to participate in criminal proceedings as a party. If passed, it would go on the ballot this November for Illinois citizens to approve or disapprove. It expands several of the ten current rights and creates three new ones. Specifically, HJRCA 29 creates the following rights for victims: (1) The right to be free from “harassment, intimidation, and abuse” throughout the criminal justice process. Currently Section 8.1 requires that victims be treated with fairness and respect for their dignity and privacy. (2) The right to refuse to disclose to the defendant information that is privileged or confidential by law, as determined by a court of law with jurisdiction over the case. (3) The right to confer (instead of communicate) with the prosecution. (4) The right to be heard at any post-arraignment court proceeding in which a right of the victim is at issue and any court proceeding involving a post-arraignment release decision, plea, or sentencing. Currently victims have a right to make a statement to the court at sentencing. (5) The right to have access to information in a report related to any aspect of a defendant’s sentence when available to the defendant as the General Assembly may provide by law. (6) The right to be notified of the conviction, the sentence, the imprisonment, and the release of the accused. (7) The right to have the safety of the victim and the victim's family considered in denying or fixing the amount of bail, determining whether to release the defendant, and setting conditions of release after arrest and conviction. HJRCA 29 is scheduled for hearing today in Senate Executive Committee.