Chambana Sun

Carol Ammons introduced HB2764 in the Illinois House on Feb. 5, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in specified provisions of law, a person serving a term of imprisonment, including terms of natural life, in a Department of Corrections institution or facility is eligible for earned reentry. Provides that for the first year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 35 consecutive years. Provides that for the second year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 25 consecutive years. Provides that for the third year following the effective date of the amendatory Act and each year thereafter, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 20 consecutive years. Provides that hearings for earned reentry shall be administered by the Prisoner Review Board. Establishes procedures for the hearing. Removes provision that no person serving a term of natural life imprisonment may be paroled or released except through executive clemency. Provides that if any incarcerated person is released on earned reentry, his or her sentence shall be considered complete after the term of mandatory supervised release. Applies retroactively. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to delay parole or mandatory supervised release consideration for petitioners who are or will be eligible for release earlier than the provision provides. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed as a limit, substitution, or bar on a person's right to sentencing relief, or any other manner of relief, obtained by order of a court in proceedings other than as provided in the provision. Contains a severability provision. Defines "earned reentry". Effective January 1, 2026."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Unified Code of Corrections to establish eligibility for earned reentry for incarcerated individuals, including those serving life sentences. It provides an implementation schedule, making inmates eligible after serving 35 consecutive years in the first year following enactment, 25 years in the second year, and 20 years thereafter. Earned reentry, overseen by the Prisoner Review Board, involves hearings considering various factors including rehabilitation and future plans. The bill removes the prohibition for parole or release for life sentences exempted by executive clemency and applies retroactively. Released individuals' sentences are completed following supervised release. The bill mandates notifications to victims' families, allows incarcerated individuals to bring legal representatives to hearings, and provides access to master record files. It aims to address issues of systemic racism, mass incarceration, and excessive sentencing while aligning with Illinois' constitutional goal of restoring incarcerated individuals to useful citizenship. The effective date is Jan. 1, 2026.

Carol Ammons has proposed another two bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Carol Ammons is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 103rd House District. She replaced previous state representative Naomi Jakobsson in 2015.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB2764	02/05/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in specified provisions of law, a person serving a term of imprisonment, including terms of natural life, in a Department of Corrections institution or facility is eligible for earned reentry. Provides that for the first year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 35 consecutive years. Provides that for the second year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 25 consecutive years. Provides that for the third year following the effective date of the amendatory Act and each year thereafter, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 20 consecutive years. Provides that hearings for earned reentry shall be administered by the Prisoner Review Board. Establishes procedures for the hearing. Removes provision that no person serving a term of natural life imprisonment may be paroled or released except through executive clemency. Provides that if any incarcerated person is released on earned reentry, his or her sentence shall be considered complete after the term of mandatory supervised release. Applies retroactively. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to delay parole or mandatory supervised release consideration for petitioners who are or will be eligible for release earlier than the provision provides. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed as a limit, substitution, or bar on a person's right to sentencing relief, or any other manner of relief, obtained by order of a court in proceedings other than as provided in the provision. Contains a severability provision. Defines "earned reentry". Effective January 1, 2026.
HB2466	02/03/2025	Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Removes a provision specifically excluding academic programs for incarcerated students from the definition of "institution of higher learning", "qualified institution", and "institution". In provisions concerning the AIM HIGH Grant Program, removes the grant eligibility requirement that an applicant not be incarcerated.
HB1581	01/22/2025	Creates the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act. Provides that all general operating expenses for public universities shall be distributed by the Board of Higher Education through a funding formula for eligible public institutions and shall be administered by the Board. Defines "eligible public institution". Sets forth provisions concerning the adequacy targets and resource profiles of eligible public institutions. Provides for the distribution of State appropriations and the calculation of the base funding minimum for each eligible public institution. Provides that the Board shall oversee an accountability and transparency framework for assessing the distribution and use of all funds appropriated by the funding formula and evaluating the funds' effects on institutional outcomes pertaining to student affordability, enrollment, persistence, and outcome metrics. Provides for reporting and the establishment of an Accountability and Transparency Committee. Provides that the Board shall establish a Funding Formula Review Panel tasked with studying and reviewing topics pertaining to the implementation and impact of the funding formula. Contains provisions concerning the Board's annual budget request and the collection of data. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Removes certain provisions concerning budget proposals. Effective immediately.