Until recently, torturing animals was only a misdemeanor in Illinois. However, individuals who intentionally torture animals will now face up to three years in prison and will be forced to undergo psychological and psychiatric evaluations for a first offense.
Public Act 91-229 expands the definition of ``child'' with regard to the offense of child pornography to include any material that conveys the impression that the [material] is of a person under the age of 18.
Governor George Ryan recently signed four pieces of legislation that amend existing sex offense statutes to more forcefully combat an increased number of Internet-related sex offenses.
Governor George Ryan recently signed four pieces of legislation that amend existing sex offense statutes to more forcefully combat an increased number of Internet-related sex offenses.
Public Act 91-226 redefines the offense of indecent solicitation of a child to apply to additional incidents, including more Internet-related incidents.
On September 1, 1999, the third district of the Illinois Appellate Court reversed the trial court's decision to rescind the statutory summary suspension of the defendant's driver's license after the defendant was arrested for DUI.
Public Act 91-225 permits the creation of a ``multicounty Statewide Grand Jury'' to ``investigate, indict, and prosecute'' certain sex offenses when they are facilitated by the use of a computer.
Public Act 91-262 makes a domestic battery offender ``liable for the cost of any counseling required'' for a child under 18 years of age who ``was present and witnessed the domestic battery.''
Prior to Public Act 91-112, any first-time offense of domestic battery was a Class A misdemeanor, unless the offender previously violated an order of protection.
Four pieces of legislation signed in mid-July by Governor George Ryan are the latest in a series of enactments augmenting the Illinois DUI law, 625 ILCS 5/11-501, and other DUI-related provisions.
Public Act 90-122 mandates a six- to 28-year prison term for a defendant found guilty of reckless homicide involving two or more deaths in a single course of conduct when the defendant is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
"Gunrunning'' constitutes the "violation of any of the paragraphs of section 24-3'' of the Illinois Criminal Code, 720 ILCS 5 et seq, when three or more firearms are transferred.
According to 720 ILCS 5/24-1.2, "aggravated discharge of a firearm'' is, inter alia, firing a gun at a person, or into a building or vehicle when the shooter knows it is occupied.
PA 91-18 will penalize a person who knowingly leaves a firearm where a minor under 14 years of age can access it if the minor later causes death or serious bodily harm with it.
On May 20, 1999, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the appellate and circuit courts and found insufficient evidence to convict the defendant of aggravated discharge of a firearm (720 ILCS 24/5; 1.2(a) (West 1994)) under a theory of accountability (720 ILCS 5/5-2 (West 1994)).
