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 "As parents, we worry about what our children might be doing
online. We worry about who they are talking to and who might be
watching them," said Blagojevich. "And as a parent, I am happy to
sign this law, which gives law enforcement officials the tools they
need to protect minors from predators who may be watching our
children on the Internet. I would like to thank the sponsors for
their work to keep our children safe."
House Bill 1979, sponsored by state Rep. Ruth Munson, R-Elgin,
and state Sen. John Millner, R-Bloomingdale, also strongly increases
the penalties for luring a minor in Illinois.
The legislation establishes the offense of "luring a minor" for
individuals over the age of 18 who attempt to persuade a child under
the age of 15 via telephone, Internet or text messaging to leave the
protection of his or her home and parents or guardians for the
purpose of committing a misdemeanor or felony.
Penalties for luring a minor include:
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When the offender is 21 or older: one to three years as a Class 4
felony, and requires a sex offender evaluation prior to sentencing;
two to five years for a second offense, which makes it a Class 3
felony; and four to 15 years for third or subsequent offenses, which
makes it a Class 1 felony.
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When the offender is between the ages of 18 and 20: maximum of
six months as a Class B misdemeanor; one to three years for a second
offense, which makes it a Class 4 felony; and four to 15 years for
third or subsequent offenses, which makes it a Class 1 felony.
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A second or subsequent offense requires an offender to register
as a sexual predator.
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If an offender has a prior conviction for a sex offense: three to
seven years for first offense, which constitutes a Class 2 felony;
four to 15 years for a second offense, which constitutes a Class 1
felony; and six to 30 years for a third or subsequent offenses,
which makes it a Class X felony.
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 "The Internet has made the impossible possible," said Munson,
bill sponsor in the House. "But it has also provided a window of
opportunity for those who wish to harm our children. I would like to
thank the governor for signing this law and making it more difficult
for sex offenders to climb through that window."
In addition to protecting children from sexual predators, House
Bill 1979 also protects consumers from individuals who pose as
public officers or public employees to commit identity theft. The
law defines "public officers" as individuals who are elected or
appointed to carry out a public duty for the state, and a "public
employee" as an individual who is paid by the state and performs
official functions on behalf of the state of Illinois.
Individuals who impersonate public employees or public officials
in order to steal someone's identity may be charged with a Class 4
felony, which is punishable by up to three years in prison.
"Public officials and public employees can be especially
vulnerable to identity theft due to the service they provide the
state," said Millner, bill sponsor in the Senate. "The governor's
signature on this law will toughen penalties for those who attempt
to take advantage of them."
The legislation takes effect June 1, 2008.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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