IL SB0179

Amends the medical release procedure for prisoners by making hearings public by default, unless the petitioner requests a non-public hearing, and requires members of the public to be permitted to freely attend without restriction

Requires the Prisoner Review Board to provide public notice of eligible petitioners' names, docket numbers, counsel, and hearing dates, and to provide copies of medical evaluations and records to petitioners or their attorneys when scheduling hearings

Prohibits the Prisoner Review Board from imposing additional restrictions, limitations, or requirements beyond what the statute specifies for medical release applications

Mandates that when denying a medical release application, the Board must publish a decision letter explaining the reasoning for each statutory factor considered and include the estimated annual cost of the petitioner's continued incarceration, including medical care costs

Expands annual reporting requirements to include whether petitioners had legal representation, whether hearings were public or non-public, and which institution housed the petitioner at the time of application