HB5287 - Credit for Change Act Summary

• Establishes "day-for-day" sentence credit allowing incarcerated persons to receive one day of sentence credit for each day served in prison, except those serving natural life sentences

• Eliminates existing provisions requiring prisoners to serve various percentages of their sentences (50%, 75%, 85%, or 100%) based on offense type, including for first degree murder, terrorism, aggravated criminal sexual assault, and other serious felonies

• Requires the Department of Corrections to recalculate release dates for all current inmates within 6 months of the effective date, applying the new day-for-day credit retroactively regardless of conviction or sentencing date

• Mandates the Department to provide inmates with detailed information about sentence credits in print, on the Department's website, and posted visibly at each facility

• Effective date of January 1, 2027, with the stated goals of addressing racial inequities in sentencing, reducing prison overcrowding, and aligning Illinois with rehabilitation-focused policies in other states