Office of the City Clerk - Record #: R2014-711

• Record #: R2014-711
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Failed to Pass
• Intro date: 10/8/2014
• Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Human Relations
• Final action: 5/20/2015
• Title: Call for hearing(s) regarding filing and processing costs associated with sealing or expunging criminal records
• Sponsors: Mitts, Emma, Thompson, JoAnn, Moreno, Proco Joe, Fioretti, Bob, Dowell, Pat, Burns, William D., Hairston, Leslie A., Sawyer, Roderick T., Holmes, Natashia, Harris, Michelle A., Beale, Anthony, Pope, John, Balcer, James, Cardenas, George A., Foulkes, Toni, Thomas, Latasha R., Lane, Lona, O'Shea, Matthew J., Willie B. Cochran, Brookins, Jr., Howard, Munoz, Ricardo, Zalewski, Michael R., Chandler, Michael D., Solis, Daniel, Burnett, Jr., Walter, Maldonado, Roberto, Ervin, Jason C., Graham, Deborah L., Reboyras, Ariel, Suarez, Regner Ray, Waguespack, Scott, Austin, Carrie M., Colón, Rey, Sposato, Nicholas, Cullerton, Timothy M., Laurino, Margaret, O'Connor, Patrick, O'Connor, Mary, Reilly, Brendan, Silverstein, Debra L., Tunney, Thomas, Arena, John, Cappleman, James, Pawar, Ameya, Osterman, Harry, Moore, Joseph, Smith, Michele
• Topic: COMMITTEE/PUBLIC HEARINGS - Committee on Human Relations
• Related files: R2015-407

Date	Journal Page Number	Action By	Action	Result
5/20/2015		City Council	Failed to Pass	Fail
10/8/2014	93447	City Council	Referred

Type: Title:

Committee(s) Assignment:

Cappleman (46) Pawar (47) Osterman (48) Moore (49) Smith (43) Resolution

Call for hearing(s) concerning costs for sealing or expunging criminal records

Committee on Human Relations

/

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Section 5.2 ofthe Illinois Criminal Investigation Act ("the Act"), codified at 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, establishes a legal process to enable persons to seal or expunge their criminal record; and

WHEREAS, In Illinois, a person's criminal record contains his or her full arrest record;

and

WHEREAS, As a result, in Illinois, even in cases where a person who was arrested is not prosecuted for the underlying criminal offense, or is prosecuted but is found "not guilty" ofthe underlying criminal offense, the person must take affirmative steps to have his or her criminal record sealed or expunged; and

WHEREAS, Despite good faith efforts by The Office ofthe State Appellate Defender to improve its website to help persons clear their criminal records on their own and without the need for an attorney, the process of getting one's criminal record sealed or expunged in such cases remains daunting and is widely perceived as difficult and overwhelming; and

WHEREAS, It is costly to get one'is criminal record sealed or expunged. Filing fees, which vary from county to county, must be^ paid at the courthouse. A $60 processing fee is payable to the Illinois State Police. In addition, some local law enforcement assess their own processing fees. And, even though it is notjnecessary to enlist the aid of an attorney to seal or expunge a criminal record, many people nevertheless feel compelled to do so, thereby adding significantly to the overall cost of this process; and

WHEREAS, Many individuals, who were arrested but never prosecuted for the underlying criminal offense, or who were arrested but were found "not guilty" of the underlying criminal offense, will benefit if the Criminal Investigation Act is amended to make it easier and less costly for persons in this situation to have their criminal record sealed or expunged; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago, assembled this 8^th day of October, 2014, do hereby direct the Chicago City Council Committee on Human Relations to hold an informational hearing on this matter; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Governor Patrick Quinn; Illinois Senate President John J. Cullerton; Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno; Speaker of the House MichaeJ^JTMadigan; and Illinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, as a sign of our concern yfith this iiripertant issue.

Alderman Emma Mitts, 37^th Ward

Alaerman JoAr

 

Jo Ann Thomson, 16^th Ward

 

 

'Ward

Alderman Michelle Harris, 8 Ward

Aldehtfanlona Lane, 18* Ward

Alderman ProcoJoe Morano, 1^st Ward

Afderman Matt O'Shfel, 19^th Ward

 

 

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Ajdertpan Ricardo Munoz, 21 Ward

 

jAjderman .fames A. Balcer, 11^th Ward /

Alderman AnenETReboyras, 30™ Ward

Alderman Roderick Sawyer, 6r Ward Alderman Natashia Holmes, 7 V

AldermartAwfhony Beale, 9^th Ward

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Aldermaijf\lohn A. Pope, lOyWard

Alderman* George a\ Cardenas, 12^th Ward

Alderman Marty Quinn, 13 Ward

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Afde^ma/Ttoichael Chafer, if< Ward Alderman Daniel. £ Solis,^5^th Ward

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man Roberto fft^emtfupe¹ Ward UJ^ljof- SiA/^-fy

 

 

Alderman Scot/Waguespack, 32^nd Ward

 

Latasha R. Thomas, 17^th Ward

Alderman Edward M. Burke, 14^th Ward

Alderman Toni Foulkes, 15 Ward AJtferman Jojrtrfn^hompsijln, 16^th Ward

Aldermar\Ray SuareQ 31^st Ward

Alderman Deborah L. Mell, 33^rd Ward Alderman Carrie M. Austin, 34^th Ward

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Alderman Nicholas Sposaro, 36 Wan

Alderrnan Emma Mitts, 37^tn Ward

 

Alderman Tinfothy M. Cullerton, 38^th Ward Alderman Margaret La^idrioy&5^T7Ward Alderman Patrick J. O'Connor, 40^th Ward

 

Aldejuaoan Mary ^O'Connor, 41^st Ward

 

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