Opinion ID: 2039836
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Truth-in-Sentencing

Text: Defendant also contended in the appellate court that Public Act 89-404, which created the truth-in-sentencing law, was enacted by the General Assembly in violation of the single subject clause of the Illinois Constitution. Ill. Const.1970, art. IV, § 8(d). Because defendant was sentenced under the truth-in-sentencing law, he contended that his sentence was void. Defendant sought an order for the appellate court mandating that he receive day-for-day good-conduct credit, as was provided in the statute in effect prior to the enactment of Public Act 89-404. See 730 ILCS 5/3-6-3 (West 1994). The appellate court denied defendant's request, holding that defendant could not assert such a challenge on direct appeal because the application of the laws was a matter outside the scope of the sentencing hearing. 296 Ill.App.3d at 211, 230 Ill.Dec. 584, 694 N.E.2d 215. The State concedes that the appellate court's resolution of this issue conflicts with this court's decision in People v. Reedy, 186 Ill.2d 1, 237 Ill.Dec. 74, 708 N.E.2d 1114 (1999). There, we held that defendants sentenced under the truth-in-sentencing provisions could challenge the enactment's constitutionality on direct appeal. Reedy, 186 Ill.2d at 6-8, 237 Ill.Dec. 74, 708 N.E.2d 1114. Moreover, in Reedy, we agreed that Public Act 89-404 was enacted in violation of the single subject rule and was therefore unconstitutional. We further held that Public Act 90-592 (Pub. Act 90-592, eff. June 19, 1998), applying to offenses committed on or after June 19, 1998, served to cure the effect that the former act's invalidation had on the truth-in-sentencing law. Reedy, 186 Ill.2d at 17-18, 237 Ill.Dec. 74, 708 N.E.2d 1114. The State concedes that because the offenses at issue in this case took place prior to June 19, 1998, defendant is entitled to day-for-day good-conduct credit against his sentence. We therefore modify the judgment in this case accordingly.