SPRINGFIELD — Today, children have internet access at every turn — from tablets to phones and other smart devices — putting them at greater risk of exploitation. To help protect children from this growing threat, State Senator Julie Morrison is working with the Illinois State Police to expand their authority to investigate and put an end to these internet crimes.

“Online predators don’t limit themselves based on county lines, so neither should our police investigations,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This legislation removes barriers to allow state police to act quickly and effectively when children are targeted online.”

House Bill 2586 would give ISP’s Division of Criminal Investigation broader jurisdiction to pursue online child exploitation cases and work alongside local task forces across the state. The legislation aims to improve response times, close jurisdictional gaps and strengthen coordination between agencies working to protect children from digital threats. These changes would bring Illinois in line with Alicia’s Law, a national initiative that empowers specialized law enforcement units to track and prosecute predators who target children online.

In addition to expanding protections for children, the bill includes several technical changes to update ISP’s procedures related to task force liability coverage, the security of criminal justice systems and the handling of commercial vehicle safety checks.

“Internet crimes against children task forces are critical for identifying and stopping the criminal exploitation of children,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Through our partnerships with law enforcement agencies across the state, and at all levels, we’ll continue to identify child predators and bring them to justice.”

House Bill 2586 passed the Senate Criminal Law Committee on Tuesday.