During the 2024 Spring Legislative Session, I was proud to co-sponsor House Resolution 810 which declares October 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As your State Representative, I feel it is important to help raise awareness for domestic violence survivors to help break the vicious cycle of abuse that impacts people from all walks of life.
I made it a top priority during the spring to hit the ground running and sponsor important legislation that aids the fight against different types of abuse in our state. Below are a few bills I backed to do just that:
HB222: Provides that no contributory fault may be attributed to a plaintiff bringing an action for damages for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse.
HB681: Strengthens protections for domestic violence survivors and expands the rights of victims to provide statements to the Prisoner Review Board. Requires the Prisoner Review Board to immediately notify victims if an offender is released early, pardoned, or given special release conditions.
HB4241: Expands the definition of abuse to include students over the age of 18.
HB4896: Requires schools to clearly post guidelines and reporting methods for boundary violations between students and staff members.
HB5467: Provides there is no time limit to prosecute offenses such as trafficking or involuntary servitude if the victim was under the age of 18 at the time of the crime.
HB5470: Expands the definition of involuntary sexual servitude of a minor.
HB5541: Streamlines the verification and registration process for sex offenders.
While these are important pieces of legislation that can help lessen instances of abuse in our state, these bills are just the beginning. It will take a community-wide effort to truly break the cycle of domestic violence here in Illinois. Together, we can make a positive impact on those we care for and our broader communities to create a place where we all feel safe.
If you or someone you know needs help, follow the links below to learn about resources in your area or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline the texting ‘START’ to 88788.
Domestic Violence Resources | Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County (cookcountyclerkofcourt.org)