Fully Free: The Campaign to end Permanent Punishments works to break down the persistent barriers to success faced by an estimated 3.3 million adults in Illinois who have been arrested or convicted of a crime. The campaign's most recent publication "Never Fully Free: The Scale and Impact of Permanent Punishment," investigates the impact of the 1,189 laws in Illinois that penalize people, often indefinitely, for having a criminal record. Read the report to learn about the restrictions hindering access to education, employment, and housing, and the disproportionate impact of these restrictions on people of color.
In 2022, the campaign supported the Families’ Right to Estate Equity (FREE) Act (SB 3098 / HB 4490), which would have eliminated language that prohibits a person with a felony conviction from serving as an executor or administrator of an estate after a loved one passes away. The passage of this legislation would have aligned Illinois with the 35 other states in the U.S. that do not have a law preventing people with felony convictions from carrying out the last wishes and affairs of a family member.
In 2023, legislation, HB 1268 (the FREE Act), was reintroduced. This updated bill provides that a person who has been convicted of a felony is qualified to act as an executor if (1) the testator names that person as an executor and expressly acknowledges in the will that the testator is aware that the person has been convicted of a felony; and (2) the person is otherwise qualified to act as an executor. HB 1268 passed the House and Senate and was signed into law.
