SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson’s new law uplifts domestic violence survivors, addresses emerging forms of digital abuse and expands access to legal protections.
“Our laws must evolve to reflect the realities of the digital era and the way that technology can be used against domestic violence survivors,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Survivors deserve laws that prioritize their safety, privacy and peace of mind. We do this by strengthening our laws to ensure that survivors are protected from threats, stalking and intimidation in all forms including digital harassment.”
Senate Bill 3020 updates the state’s criminal laws to better reflect the ways abuse can occur in the digital age and ensures survivors have greater access to court protections. Johnson’s law expands the definition of harassment to include conduct such as electronic tracking, doxing and the nonconsensual creation or dissemination of digitally altered sexual images and other harmful online content.
The law seeks to improve access to the legal system for individuals seeking an order of protection. Petitioners can request remote hearings in any Illinois county unless a judge determines there is good cause to deny the request. Previously, remote hearing options are only guaranteed in counties with populations above 250,000.
In addition, Senate Bill 3020 clarifies that survivors cannot be denied an order of protection simply because the offender is incarcerated at the time the order is issued.
The law also strengthens protections related to orders of protection by allowing courts to grant extensions for any fixed period of time or longer upon good cause, expediting extension hearings when an order is nearing expiration and clarifying that a violation or a new incident of abuse is not required to extend an existing order.
“The internet has created new ways for abusers to harass, stalk and intimidate survivors long after they leave unsafe situations,” Johnson said. “Protecting domestic violence survivors means recognizing that online abuse can be just as harmful and dangerous as abuse that happens in person.”
Senate Bill 3020 was signed into law Friday.
