Illinois 104th Regular Session Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 14 D · 3 R cosponsors

SB 2741 — CRIM CD-HATE CRIME&HARASSMENT

Last action — Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 13, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 74% · high confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 18 sponsors

    2 primary, 16 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (14 D · 3 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill addresses hate crimes and harassment.

This legislation aims to address issues related to hate crimes and harassment. It seeks to update or modify existing laws pertaining to these offenses.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

105 added · 259 removed

Plain-language change summary

The changes to Bill SB 2741 involve combining the laws on harassment by telephone and harassment through electronic communications into one statute. A significant addition is the clarification that a person can be charged with harassment if they make comments intended to cause emotional distress, even if those comments are not related to any specific reasonable purpose. This adjustment matters because it broadens the definition of harassment and aims to provide better protection for individuals who may experience emotional distress due to such communications.

→
Previous
Latest
*LRB10416302RLC29688b* SB2741 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois and 2026 SB2741 Introduced 1/13/2026, by Sen.
SB2741 Engrossed LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b AN ACT concerning criminal law.
Linda Holmes SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
ILCS 5/12-7.1 from Ch.
38, par.
12-7.1 ILCS 5/26.5-2 ILCS 5/26.5-5 ILCS 5/26.5-3 rep.
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012.
Combines harassment by telephone and harassment through electronic communications into one statute.
Provides that a person also commits the offense by knowingly making any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal with the intent to harass another and that comment, request, suggestion, or proposal is not necessary to accomplish a purpose that is reasonable under the circumstances, that would cause a reasonable person emotional distress and does cause emotional distress to another.
LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b A BILL FOR SB2741 LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b AN ACT concerning criminal law.
The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by changing Sections 12-7.1, 26.5-2 and 26.5-5 as follows:
The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by changing Sections 26.5-2 and 26.5-3 as follows:
(720 ILCS 5/12-7.1) (from Ch.
(720 ILCS 5/26.5-2) Sec.
38, par.
12-7.1) Sec.
12-7.1.
Hate crime.
(a) A person commits hate crime when, by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals, regardless of the existence of any other motivating factor or factors, he or she commits assault, battery, aggravated assault, intimidation, stalking, cyberstalking, misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass to residence, misdemeanor criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to vehicle, criminal trespass to real property, mob action, disorderly conduct, transmission of obscene messages, harassment by telephone, or harassment through electronic communications as these crimes are defined in Sections 12-1, 12-2, 12-3(a), 12-7.3, 12-7.5, 16-1, 19-4, 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 25-1, 26-1, 26.5-1, 26.5-2, and paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3) of Section 12-6, and paragraphs SB2741 - 2 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b (a)(2) and (a)(5) of Section 26.5-3 of this Code, respectively.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (b-5), hate crime is a Class 4 felony for a first offense and a Class 2 felony for a second or subsequent offense.
(b-5) Hate crime is a Class 3 felony for a first offense and a Class 2 felony for a second or subsequent offense if committed:
(1) in, or upon the exterior or grounds of, a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place identified or associated with a particular religion or used for religious worship or other religious purpose;
(2) in a cemetery, mortuary, or other facility used for the purpose of burial or memorializing the dead;
(3) in a school or other educational facility, including an administrative facility or public or private dormitory facility of or associated with the school or other educational facility;
(4) in a public park or an ethnic or religious community center;
(5) on the real property comprising any location specified in clauses (1) through (4) of this subsection (b-5);
or (6) on a public way within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising any location specified in clauses (1) through (4) of this subsection (b-5).
SB2741 - 3 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b (b-10) Upon imposition of any sentence, the trial court shall also either order restitution paid to the victim or impose a fine in an amount to be determined by the court based on the severity of the crime and the injury or damages suffered by the victim.
In addition, any order of probation or conditional discharge entered following a conviction or an adjudication of delinquency shall include a condition that the offender perform public or community service of no less than 200 hours if that service is established in the county where the offender was convicted of hate crime.
In addition, any order of probation or conditional discharge entered following a conviction or an adjudication of delinquency shall include a condition that the offender enroll in an educational program discouraging hate crimes involving the protected class identified in subsection (a) that gave rise to the offense the offender committed.
The educational program must be attended by the offender in-person and may be administered, as determined by the court, by a university, college, community college, non-profit organization, the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission, or any other organization that provides educational programs discouraging hate crimes, except that programs administered online or that can otherwise be attended remotely are prohibited.
The court may also impose any other condition of probation or conditional discharge under this Section.
If the court sentences the offender to imprisonment or periodic imprisonment for a violation of this Section, as a SB2741 - 4 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b condition of the offender's mandatory supervised release, the court shall require that the offender perform public or community service of no less than 200 hours and enroll in an educational program discouraging hate crimes involving the protected class identified in subsection (a) that gave rise to the offense the offender committed.
(c) Independent of any criminal prosecution or the result of a criminal prosecution, any person suffering injury to his or her person, damage to his or her property, intimidation as defined in paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3) of Section 12-6 of this Code, stalking as defined in Section 12-7.3 of this Code, cyberstalking as defined in Section 12-7.5 of this Code, disorderly conduct as defined in paragraph (a)(1), (a)(4), (a)(5), or (a)(6) of Section 26-1 of this Code, transmission of obscene messages as defined in Section 26.5-1 of this Code, harassment by telephone or electronic communication, or both, as defined in Section 26.5-2 of this Code, or harassment through electronic communications as defined in paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(5) of Section 26.5-3 of this Code as a result of a hate crime may bring a civil action for damages, injunction or other appropriate relief.
The court may award actual damages, including damages for emotional distress, as well as punitive damages.
The court may impose a civil penalty up to $25,000 for each violation of this subsection (c).
A judgment in favor of a person who brings a civil action under this subsection (c) shall include SB2741 - 5 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b attorney's fees and costs.
After consulting with the local State's Attorney, the Attorney General may bring a civil action in the name of the People of the State for an injunction or other equitable relief under this subsection (c).
In addition, the Attorney General may request and the court may impose a civil penalty up to $25,000 for each violation under this subsection (c).
The parents or legal guardians, other than guardians appointed pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, of an unemancipated minor shall be liable for the amount of any judgment for all damages rendered against such minor under this subsection (c) in any amount not exceeding the amount provided under Section 5 of the Parental Responsibility Law.
(d) "Sexual orientation" has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph (O-1) of Section 1-103 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.
(Source:
P.A.
Show all 73 changed rows (33 more)
Previous
Latest
102-235, eff.
1-1-22;
102-468, eff.
1-1-22;
102-813, eff.
5-13-22.) (720 ILCS 5/26.5-2) Sec.
Harassment by telephone or electronic communication, or both.
Harassment by telephone.
(a) A person commits harassment by telephone or electronic communication, or both, when he or she uses telephone communication or electronic communication, or both, for any of the following purposes:
(a) A person commits harassment by telephone when he or she uses telephone communication for any of the following purposes:
SB2741 - 6 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b (1) Making any comment, request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy or indecent with an intent to offend or knowingly making any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal with the intent to harass another and that comment, request, suggestion, or proposal is not necessary to accomplish a purpose that is reasonable under the circumstances, that would cause a reasonable person emotional distress and does cause emotional distress to another;
(1) Making any comment, request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy or indecent with an intent to offend;
(2) Making a telephone call or transmitting an electronic communication, or both, whether or not conversation or electronic communication ensues, with intent to abuse, threaten injury to, or the property of, any person to whom an electronic communication is directed or to any of his or her family or household members or harass any person at the called number or at the person's email or text message address;
(1.1) Making any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal which is known or intended to cause another person significant emotional distress and would cause a reasonable person to experience significant emotional distress;
(3) Making or causing the telephone or electronic communication, or both, of another repeatedly to ring or the electronic communication to be repeatedly made, with intent to harass any person at the called number or at the person's email or text message address;
(2) Making a telephone call, whether or not conversation ensues, with intent to abuse, threaten injury to, or the property of, any person at the called number or to any of his or her family or household members or harass any person at the called number;
(4) Making repeated telephone calls or electronic communications, or both, during which conversation or text or email messages ensue ensues, solely to harass any person at the called number or at the intended electronic SB2741 - 7 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b address;
SB2741 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b (3) Making or causing the telephone of another repeatedly to ring, with intent to harass any person at the called number;
(5) Making a telephone call or electronic communication, or both, or knowingly inducing a person to make a telephone call or electronic communication, or both, for the purpose of harassing another person who is under 13 years of age, regardless of whether the person under 13 years of age consents to the harassment, if the defendant is at least 16 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense;
(4) Making repeated telephone calls, during which conversation ensues, solely to harass any person at the called number;
or (6) Knowingly permitting any telephone or electronic communication, or both, under one's control to be used for any of the purposes mentioned herein.
(5) Making a telephone call or knowingly inducing a person to make a telephone call for the purpose of harassing another person who is under 13 years of age, regardless of whether the person under 13 years of age consents to the harassment, if the defendant is at least 16 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense;
or (6) Knowingly permitting any telephone under one's control to be used for any of the purposes mentioned herein.
(c) Telecommunications carriers, commercial mobile service providers, and providers of information services, including, but not limited to, Internet service providers and hosting service providers, are not liable under this Section, except for willful and wanton misconduct, by virtue of the SB2741 - 8 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b transmission, storage, or caching of electronic communications or messages of others or by virtue of the provision of other related telecommunications, commercial mobile services, or information services used by others in violation of this Section.
1-1-13.) (720 ILCS 5/26.5-5) Sec.
1-1-13.) SB2741 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b (720 ILCS 5/26.5-3) Sec.
26.5-5.
26.5-3.
Sentence.
Harassment through electronic communications.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a person who violates any of the provisions of Section 26.5-1 or , 26.5-2, or 26.5-3 of this Article is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
(a) A person commits harassment through electronic communications when he or she uses electronic communication for any of the following purposes:
Except as provided in subsection (b), a second or subsequent violation of Section 26.5-1 or , 26.5-2, or 26.5-3 of this Article is a Class A misdemeanor, for which the court shall impose a minimum of 14 days in jail or, if public or community service is established in the county in which the offender was convicted, 240 hours of public or community service.
(1) Making any comment, request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene with an intent to offend;
(b) In any of the following circumstances, a person who violates Section 26.5-1 or , 26.5-2, or 26.5-3 of this Article shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony:
(1.1) Making any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal which is known or intended to cause another person significant emotional distress and would cause a reasonable person to experience significant emotional distress;
(1) The person has 3 or more prior violations in the last 10 years of harassment by telephone, harassment through electronic communications, or any similar offense of any other state;
(2) Interrupting, with the intent to harass, the telephone service or the electronic communication service of any person, including transmitting any file, document, or other communication which prevents that person from using his or her telephone service or electronic communications device;
(2) The person has previously violated the harassment SB2741 - 9 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b by telephone provisions, or the harassment through electronic communications provisions, or committed any similar offense in any other state with the same victim or a member of the victim's family or household;
(3) Transmitting to any person, with the intent to harass, abuse, or threaten injury to, or the property of, the person to whom an electronic communication is directed, or to any of his or her family or household members, and regardless of whether the communication is read in its entirety or at all, any file, document, or other communication which prevents that person from using SB2741 Engrossed - 4 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b his or her telephone service or electronic communications device;
(3) At the time of the offense, the offender was under conditions of pretrial release, probation, conditional discharge, mandatory supervised release or was the subject of an order of protection, in this or any other state, prohibiting contact with the victim or any member of the victim's family or household;
(4) Transmitting an electronic communication or knowingly inducing a person to transmit an electronic communication for the purpose of harassing another person who is under 13 years of age, regardless of whether the person under 13 years of age consents to the harassment, if the defendant is at least 16 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense;
(4) In the course of the offense, the offender threatened to kill the victim or any member of the victim's family or household;
(5) Making repeated electronic communications, during which conversation or text or email messages ensue, solely to harass the person to whom the electronic communication is directed Threatening injury to the person or to the property of the person to whom an electronic communication is directed or to any of his or her family or household members;
(5) The person has been convicted in the last 10 years of a forcible felony as defined in Section 2-8 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;
or (6) Knowingly permitting any electronic communications device to be used for any of the purposes mentioned in this subsection (a).
(6) The person violates paragraph (5) of Section 26.5-2 or paragraph (4) of Section 26.5-3;
(b) Telecommunications carriers, commercial mobile service providers, and providers of information services, including, but not limited to, Internet service providers and hosting service providers, are not liable under this Section, except for willful and wanton misconduct, by virtue of the transmission, storage, or caching of electronic communications or messages of others or by virtue of the provision of other SB2741 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b related telecommunications, commercial mobile services, or information services used by others in violation of this Section.
or (7) The person was at least 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense and the victim was under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense.
(c) The court may order any person convicted under this Article to submit to a psychiatric examination.
101-652, eff.
97-1108, eff.
1-1-23.) SB2741 - 10 - LRB104 16302 RLC 29688 b (720 ILCS 5/26.5-3 rep.) Section 10.
1-1-13.)
The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by repealing Section 26.5-3.
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

Amendments

1 amendment

Click Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.

Action History

  1. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen

  2. Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

  3. Third Reading/Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) June 2, 2026

  4. Third Reading/Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 31, 2026

  5. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Dave Vella

  6. Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate

  7. Second Reading - Short Debate

  8. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Steve Stadelman

  9. Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate

  10. Do Pass / Short Debate Judiciary - Criminal Committee; 014-000-000

  11. Assigned to Judiciary - Criminal Committee

  12. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicole La Ha

  13. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit

  14. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Robert "Bob" Rita

  15. Referred to Rules Committee

  16. First Reading

  17. Chief House Sponsor Rep. Jeff Keicher

  18. Arrived in House

  19. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura M. Murphy

  20. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Li Arellano, Jr.

  21. Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael E. Hastings

  22. Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Lakesia Collins

  23. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Willie Preston

  24. Third Reading - Passed; 056-000-000

  25. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael W. Halpin

  26. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

  27. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Porfirio

  28. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mattie Hunter

  29. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Craig Wilcox

  30. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 26, 2026

  31. Second Reading

  32. Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 25, 2026

  33. Do Pass as Amended Criminal Law; 009-000-000

  34. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted

  35. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Criminal Law

  36. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments

  37. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Linda Holmes

  38. Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As March 27, 2026

  39. Assigned to Criminal Law

  40. Referred to Assignments

  41. First Reading

  42. Filed with Secretary by Sen. Linda Holmes

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

2 sponsors · 16 co-sponsors · 165 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (16)

Not signed on (165)

165 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 165 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Third Reading

Passed 14 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 9001
Republican 5000
Total 14001
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar Democrat Yea
Bob Morgan Democrat Yea
Dave Vella Democrat Yea
Edgar González, Jr. Democrat Yea
Justin Slaughter Democrat Yea
Kelly M. Cassidy Democrat Yea
Kevin John Olickal Democrat Not Voting
Lisa Davis Democrat Yea
Rick Ryan Democrat Yea
Will Guzzardi Democrat Yea
David Friess Republican Yea
Dennis Tipsword Republican Yea
Jeff Keicher Republican Yea
Patrick Sheehan Republican Yea
Patrick Windhorst Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Third Reading

Passed 56 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 3000
Democrat 33003
Republican 19000
Total 55003
% of votes cast 95%0%0%5%
How each member voted (58)
Member Party Vote
Simmons — Yea
Glowiak Hilton — Yea
Loughran Cappel — Yea
Bill Cunningham Democrat Yea
Celina Villanueva Democrat Yea
Christopher Belt Democrat Not Voting
Cristina Castro Democrat Yea
David Koehler Democrat Yea
Doris Turner Democrat Yea
Elgie R. Sims, Jr. Democrat Yea
Emil Jones, III Democrat Yea
Graciela Guzmán Democrat Yea
Gregg Johnson Democrat Yea
Javier L. Cervantes Democrat Yea
Julie A. Morrison Democrat Yea
Karina Villa Democrat Yea
Kimberly A. Lightford Democrat Yea
Lakesia Collins Democrat Yea
Laura Ellman Democrat Yea
Laura Fine Democrat Yea
Laura M. Murphy Democrat Yea
Linda Holmes Democrat Yea
Mark L. Walker Democrat Yea
Mary Edly-Allen Democrat Yea
Mattie Hunter Democrat Yea
Michael E. Hastings Democrat Yea
Michael W. Halpin Democrat Yea
Mike Porfirio Democrat Not Voting
Napoleon Harris III Democrat Yea
Omar Aquino Democrat Yea
Patrick J. Joyce Democrat Yea
Paul Faraci Democrat Yea
Rachel Ventura Democrat Yea
Ram Villivalam Democrat Yea
Robert F. Martwick Democrat Yea
Robert Peters Democrat Not Voting
Sara Feigenholtz Democrat Yea
Steve Stadelman Democrat Yea
Willie Preston Democrat Yea
Andrew S. Chesney Republican Yea
Chapin Rose Republican Yea
Chris Balkema Republican Yea
Craig Wilcox Republican Yea
Dale Fowler Republican Yea
Darby A. Hills Republican Yea
Dave Syverson Republican Yea
Donald P. DeWitte Republican Yea
Erica Harriss Republican Yea
Jason Plummer Republican Yea
Jil Tracy Republican Yea
John F. Curran Republican Yea
Li Arellano, Jr. Republican Yea
Neil Anderson Republican Yea
Sally J. Turner Republican Yea
Seth Lewis Republican Yea
Steve McClure Republican Yea
Sue Rezin Republican Yea
Terri Bryant Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Criminal Law

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 6001
Republican 1002
Total 7003
% of votes cast 70%0%0%30%
How each member voted (10)
Member Party Vote
Celina Villanueva Democrat Yea
Elgie R. Sims, Jr. Democrat Yea
Javier L. Cervantes Democrat Yea
Lakesia Collins Democrat Yea
Linda Holmes Democrat Yea
Michael E. Hastings Democrat Yea
Robert Peters Democrat Not Voting
Jil Tracy Republican Yea
Steve McClure Republican Not Voting
Terri Bryant Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 2741?
SB 2741 is sponsored by La Ha, Linda Holmes (Democrat), Lakesia Collins (Democrat), Michael E. Hastings (Democrat), Craig Wilcox (Republican), Mattie Hunter (Democrat), Mike Porfirio (Democrat), Sara Feigenholtz (Democrat), Michael W. Halpin (Democrat), Willie Preston (Democrat), Li Arellano, Jr. (Republican), Laura M. Murphy (Democrat), Steve Stadelman (Democrat), Mary Edly-Allen (Democrat), Jeff Keicher (Republican), Robert "Bob" Rita (Democrat), Stephanie A. Kifowit (Democrat), and Dave Vella (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 2741?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 13, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 2741?
Track SB 2741 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 2741

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 2741

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →