Illinois Quick Hits: State officials launch court user survey

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Judicial Conference announced on Tuesday a statewide circuit court user survey to be conducted through July 31.

The anonymous survey will be available in paper and electronic formats at circuit court courthouses across the state and will ask circuit court users about their most recent experience with the Illinois circuit courts.

Officials say the results will be used to inform future policy decisions and improve the court user experience.

The survey can be accessed online.

PRITZKER SIGNS CERTIFICATE OF INNOCENCE ACT

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation that allows people who have been unjustly incarcerated to receive financial compensation from the state.

House Bill 3663 increases the maximum award amount for claims and expands the eligibility provisions for who can file a claim.

The new law takes effect immediately.

NONPROFIT INVESTMENT POOL BILL SIGNED

Among more than 30 bills Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed last Friday is legislation that allows the state treasurer to set up an investment pool.

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said in a statement that his office worked with lawmakers and the governor’s office to pass Senate Bill 2968 after Pritzker vetoed a similar measure last year.

INMATE SENTENCED TO ADDITIONAL TIME FOR PRODUCING CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL

A federal judge has added 224 months of additional prison time to an FCI-Marion inmate’s sentence after he admitted to producing hand-drawn child sexual abuse material while incarcerated.

Christopher L. Collins, 42, pleaded guilty to charges that he created drawings depicting adults sexually assaulting children and provided the drawings to other inmates.

Collins is currently serving a 20-year sentence at Marion for previous child pornography-related convictions.

RIBBON CUTTING HELD FOR $307.1M WELGE BRIDGE

Officials from two states are celebrating the completion of a new bridge connecting Randolph County, Illinois and Perry County, Missouri.

A ribbon cutting was held last weekend for the Don Welge Memorial Bridge, at the river crossing of Illinois 150 and Missouri 51. The $307.1 million project overseen by the Missouri Department of Transportation includes about $143.2 million from Illinois taxpayers.

The Welge bridge replaces the Chester Bridge that was built in 1942.