(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), whoever knowingly and wilfully, by any device or means whatsoever records or attempts to record, the proceedings of a petit jury in any court of the State of Illinois while the jury is deliberating or voting, or listens to or observes, or attempts to listen to or observe, the proceedings of any petit jury of which he is not a member in any court of the State of Illinois while the jury is deliberating or voting, shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. However, if any juror is deaf or hard of hearing, the juror may be accompanied by and may communicate with a court appointed interpreter throughout any period during which the jury is sequestered or engaged in its deliberations. If the jury foreman reasonably believes that the interpreter is doing more than interpreting, nothing in this Act shall prevent him or her from petitioning the court and requesting that the interpreter be replaced with another interpreter.(b) A petit juror in any court of the State of Illinois shall be entitled to take notes in connection with and solely for the purpose of assisting him in the performance of his duties as juror, and the sheriff of the county in which such juror is serving shall provide writing materials for that purpose. Such notes shall remain confidential, and shall be destroyed by the sheriff after the verdict has been returned or a mistrial declared.