Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris), Sen. Sally Turner (R-Beason), and Sen. Darby Hills (R-Barrington Hills) today unveiled a legislative package aimed at strengthening Illinois law to better protect children from trafficking, grooming, sexual exploitation, and predatory offenders. 

The legislative package is designed to close legal loopholes, increase criminal penalties for serious offenses involving children, and ensure offenders who exploit minors face stronger consequences. 

“Protecting children is one of our most important responsibilities as lawmakers,” said Rezin. “When it comes to child exploitation, grooming, and trafficking, we cannot afford not to act, and we cannot allow our laws to leave room for predators to avoid real consequences.” 

Sen. Rezin filed Senate Bill 284, also known as Andrew’s Law, named after the son of her constituent Michelle Peterson, who has become a leading advocate for stronger protections for children after her son was groomed by a trusted adult. The bill would eliminate plea deals for individuals charged with involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, trafficking in persons involving a minor, or grooming, preventing those charges from being reduced to lesser offenses. Andrew’s Law would also make it a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to work at, volunteer at, or be present at a facility that exclusively provides entertainment for minors.

Sen. Turner is sponsoring Senate Bill 1572, which would increase penalties for human trafficking and related crimes by raising each offense by one felony class. For the most serious Class X offenses, the bill would set a prison sentence of 9 to 45 years. 

“These are not minor offenses, and they should never be treated that way,” Turner said. “Illinois should be very clear that the safety of our kids must come first. This legislation is about making sure our laws recognize the seriousness of these crimes and hold traffickers accountable for the harm they cause.” 

Sen. Hills filed Senate Bill 2381, which would require sex offender registration for individuals convicted of unauthorized video recording of minors in private spaces if the offense was found to be sexually motivated. Sen. Hills’ legislation was introduced in response to an incident in Illinois in which a repeat offender was caught videotaping his students in a bathroom but was not required to register as a sex offender.

According to the senator, this was just one of several incidents that have recently come to light and exposed a serious gap in current Illinois law. As the law currently stands, offenders can avoid sex offender registration even in cases involving the secret recording of children in bathrooms, locker rooms, or other private areas.

“There is a dangerous gap in Illinois law that puts children at risk,” Hills said. “In today’s world of hidden cameras, smartphones, and online distribution, the harm does not end when the recording stops. Digital exploitation can follow a child for years. Our laws must reflect that reality.” 

The senators discussed the legislative package during a Capitol press conference, where they called for stronger protections for children and tougher consequences for offenders who exploit minors. 

The legislators unveiled their legislative package at a State Capitol press conference, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/3603nWhmPRY