HB 2625

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a proceeding in the prosecution of an offense of criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery, or aggravated domestic battery, in which the victim is a child or a person with a moderate, severe, or profound intellectual disability or a victim affected by a developmental disability, the child victim or victim with a moderate, severe, or profound intellectual disability or a victim affected by a developmental disability does not need to testify or be present in court for the judge to make the determination of whether the testimony of such person will result in the person suffering serious emotional distress such that the person cannot reasonably communicate or that the person will suffer severe emotional distress that is likely to cause the person to suffer severe adverse effects. Provides that there is a rebuttable presumption that the testimony of a victim who is a child under 13 years of age shall testify outside the courtroom and the child's testimony shall be shown in the courtroom by means of a 2-way closed circuit television (rather than closed circuit television). Provides that before the court permits the testimony of a victim outside the courtroom that is to be shown in the courtroom by means of a closed circuit television, the court must make a finding that the testimony by means of a 2-way closed circuit television (rather than closed circuit television) does not prejudice the defendant.