Sec. 5-5.5-25. Certificate of good conduct.

356 words·~2 min read·/il/chapter-730/act-5/5-5-5-25·

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)A certificate of good conduct may be granted as provided in this Section to relieve an eligible offender of any employment, occupational licensing, or housing bar. The certificate may be limited to one or more disabilities or bars or may relieve the individual of all disabilities and bars.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a certificate of good conduct does not relieve an offender of any employment-related disability imposed by law by reason of his or her conviction of a crime that would prevent his or her employment by the Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, or any other law enforcement agency in the State.

(a-6) A certificate of good conduct may be granted as provided in this Section to an eligible offender as defined in Section 5-5.5-5 of this Code who has demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that he or she has been a law-abiding citizen and is fully rehabilitated.

(b)(i) A certificate of good conduct may not, however, in any way prevent any judicial proceeding, administrative, licensing, or other body, board, or authority from considering the conviction specified in the certificate.

(ii)A certificate of good conduct shall not limit or prevent the introduction of evidence of a prior conviction for purposes of impeachment of a witness in a judicial or other proceeding where otherwise authorized by the applicable rules of evidence.

(iii)A certificate of good conduct does not limit any employer, landlord, judicial proceeding, administrative, licensing, or other body, board, or authority from accessing criminal background information; nor does it hide, alter, or expunge the record.

(c)An employer is not civilly or criminally liable for an act or omission by an employee who has been issued a certificate of good conduct, except for a willful or wanton act by the employer in hiring the employee who has been issued a certificate of good conduct.

(d)The existence of a certificate of good conduct does not preclude a landlord or an administrative, licensing, or other body, board, or authority from retaining full discretion to grant or deny the application for housing or licensure.