HB2881 Summary

• Creates automatic issuance of certificate of innocence when a person is released from prison after conviction is reversed, vacated, charges dismissed, or found not guilty at retrial, without requiring a petition.

• Expands eligibility for job search and placement services through the Department of Employment to include persons who received a certificate of innocence under the new Section 2-702.5, in addition to those with gubernatorial pardons based on innocence.

• Establishes Court of Claims jurisdiction over claims for time unjustly served in prison, with awards capped at $85,350 for 5 years or less, $170,000 for 5-14 years, and $199,150 for over 14 years, subject to annual inflation adjustments up to 5%.

• Requires automatic Court of Claims hearing within 120 days after certificate of innocence issuance or gubernatorial pardon, with certificate transmission serving as conclusive evidence of claim validity.

• Adds definition of "wrongfully imprisoned person" to the Unified Code of Corrections covering those receiving either a gubernatorial pardon or certificate of innocence under Section 2-702 or 2-702.5.