Sec. 2f-1. 19th and 22nd judicial circuits.

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(a)On December 4, 2006, the 19th judicial circuit is divided into the 19th and 22nd judicial circuits as provided in Section 1 of the Circuit Courts Act. This division does not invalidate any action taken by the 19th judicial circuit or any of its judges, officers, employees, or agents before December 4, 2006. This division does not affect any person's rights, obligations, or duties, including applicable civil and criminal penalties, arising out of any action taken by the 19th judicial circuit or any of its judges, officers, employees, or agents before December 4, 2006.

(b)Of the 7 circuit judgeships elected at large in the 19th circuit before the general election in 2006, the Supreme Court shall assign 5 to the 19th circuit and 2 to the 22nd circuit, based on residency of the circuit judges then holding those judgeships. The 5 assigned to the 19th circuit shall continue to be elected at large, except those at large judgeships that become resident judgeships as provided in subsection (a-5) of Section 2f-2. The 2 assigned to the 22nd circuit shall continue to be elected at large.

(b-5) Except as provided in subsection (b-10), the number of at large judgeships of the 19th judicial circuit shall be the number of at large judgeships specified for the 19th judicial circuit pursuant to subsection

(b)plus only the judgeship designated as vacancy A by the State Board of Elections filled at the 2006 general election. If, before, on, or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, the State Board of Elections has certified or certifies one or more candidates for a judgeship of the 19th judicial circuit designated as vacancy B or C by the State Board of Elections, then all such certifications are revoked and are null and void by operation of law and the names of any such candidates shall not appear upon the 2006 general primary ballot or the 2006 general election ballot for any of those judgeships. Except as provided in subsection (b-10), the number of at large judgeships of the 22nd judicial circuit shall be the number of at large judgeships assigned to the 22nd judicial circuit pursuant to subsection

(b)plus only the judgeship designated as vacancy A by the State Board of Elections filled at the 2006 general election. If, before, on, or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, the State Board of Elections has certified or certifies one or more candidates for the judgeship of the 22nd judicial circuit designated as vacancy B by the State Board of Elections, then any such certifications are revoked and are null and void by operation of law and the names of any such candidates shall not appear upon the 2006 general primary ballot or the 2006 general election ballot for that judgeship.

(b-10) If this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly is held unconstitutional and as a result the judgeships designated by the State Board of Elections as vacancies A, B, and C of the 19th judicial circuit are filled at the 2006 general election, then the number of at large judgeships of the 19th judicial circuit shall be only the number of at large judgeships specified for the 19th judicial circuit pursuant to subsection (b). If this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly is held unconstitutional and as a result the judgeships designated by the State Board of Elections as vacancies A and B of the 22nd judicial circuit are filled at the 2006 general election, then the number of at large judgeships of the 22nd judicial circuit shall be only the number of at large judgeships assigned to the 22nd judicial circuit pursuant to subsection (b).

(b-15) If subsection (b-10) applies, then each vacancy occurring in an at large judgeship of the 19th judicial circuit on or after the holding of unconstitutionality shall not be filled by any means and each of those vacant judgeships is abolished, until the number of at large judgeships of the 19th judicial circuit returns to the number of at large judgeships specified for the 19th judicial circuit by subsection (b-10). If subsection (b-10) applies, then each vacancy occurring in an at large judgeship of the 22nd judicial circuit on or after the holding of unconstitutionality shall not be filled by any means and each of those vacant judgeships is abolished, until the number of at large judgeships of the 22nd judicial circuit returns to the number of at large judgeships specified for the 22nd judicial circuit by subsection (b-10).

(c)The 6 resident judgeships elected from Lake County before the general election in 2006 shall become resident judgeships in the 19th circuit on December 4, 2006, and the 3 resident judgeships elected from McHenry County before the general election in 2006 shall become resident judgeships in the 22nd circuit on December 4, 2006.

(d)On December 4, 2006, the Supreme Court shall allocate the associate judgeships of the 19th circuit before that date between the 19th and 22nd circuits based on the residency of the associate judges; however, the number of associate judges allocated to the 19th circuit shall be no less than the number of associate judges residing in Lake County on March 22, 2004.

(e)On December 4, 2006, the Supreme Court shall allocate personnel, books, records, documents, property (real and personal), funds, assets, liabilities, and pending matters concerning the 19th circuit before that date between the 19th and 22nd circuits based on the population and staffing needs of those circuits and the efficient and proper administration of the judicial system. The rights of employees under applicable collective bargaining agreements are not affected by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(f)The judgeships set forth in this Section include the judgeships authorized under Sections 2g, 2h, and 2j. The judgeships authorized in those Sections are not in addition to those set forth in this Section.