HB1979ham002 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee

Filed: 3/22/2007

09500HB1979ham002 LRB095 09506 RLC 34137 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1979

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1979 by replacing lines 4 through 23 on page 1 and all of pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and lines 1 and 2 on page 10 with the following:

"Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding Section 10-5.1 as follows:

(720 ILCS 5/10-5.1 new)

Sec. 10-5.1. Luring of a minor.

(a) A person commits the offense of luring of a minor when the offender is 21 years of age or older and knowingly contacts or communicates electronically to the minor:

(1) knowing the minor is under 15 years of age;

(2) with the intent to persuade, lure or transport the minor away from his or her home, or other location known by the minor's parent or legal guardian to be the place where the minor is to be located;

(3) without the express consent of the person's parent or legal guardian;

(4) with the intent to avoid the consent of the person's parent or legal guardian; and

(5) is a stranger to the parents or legal guardian of the minor.

(b) A person commits the offense of luring of a minor when the offender is at least 18 years of age but under 21 years of age and knowingly contacts or communicates electronically to the minor:

(1) knowing the minor is under 15 years of age;

(2) with the intent to persuade, lure, or transport the minor away from his or her home or other location known by the minor's parent or legal guardian, to be the place where the minor is to be located;

(3) for an unlawful purpose;

(4) without the express consent of the person's parent or legal guardian;

(5) with the intent to avoid the express consent of the person's parent or legal guardian;

(6) after so communicating, commits any act in furtherance of the intent; and

(7) is a stranger to the parents or legal guardian of the minor.

(c) Definitions. For purposes of this Section:

(1) "Emergency situation" means a situation in which the minor is threatened with imminent bodily harm, emotional harm or psychological harm.

(2) "Express consent" means oral or written permission that is positive, direct, and unequivocal, requiring no inference or implication to supply its meaning.

(3) "Contacts or communicates electronically" includes but is not limited to, any attempt to make contact or communicate telephonically or through the Internet or text messages.

(4) "Luring" shall mean any knowing act to solicit, entice, tempt, or attempt to attract the minor.

(5) "Minor" shall mean any person under the age of 15.

(6) "Stranger" shall have its common and ordinary meaning, including but not limited to, a person over 21 years of age that is either not known by the parents of the minor or does not have any association with the parents of the minor.

(7) "Unlawful purpose" shall mean any violation of State law or a similar federal or sister state law or local ordinance.

(d) This Section may not be interpreted to criminalize an act or person contacting a minor within the scope and course of his employment, or status as a volunteer of a recognized civic, charitable or youth organization.

(e) This Section is intended to protect minors and to help parents and legal guardians exercise reasonable care, supervision, protection, and control over minor children.

(f) Affirmative defenses.

(1) It shall be an affirmative defense to any offense under this Section 10-5.1 that the accused reasonably believed that the minor was over the age of 15.

(2) It shall be an affirmative defense to any offense under this Section 10-5.1 that the accused is assisting the minor in an emergency situation.

(3) It shall not be a defense to the prosecution of any offense under this Section 10-5.1 if the person who is contacted by the offender is posing as a minor and is in actuality an adult law enforcement officer.

(g) Penalties.

(1) A first offense of luring of a minor under subsection (a) shall be a Class 4 felony. A person convicted of luring of a minor under subsection (a) shall undergo a sex offender evaluation prior to a sentence being imposed. An offense of luring of a minor under subsection (a) when a person has a prior conviction in Illinois of a sex offense as defined in the Sex Offender Registration Act, or any substantially similar federal, Uniform Code of Military Justice, sister state, or foreign government offense, is guilty of a Class 2 felony.

(2) A first offense of luring of a minor under subsection (b) is a Class B misdemeanor.

(3) A second or subsequent offense of luring of a minor under subsection (a) is a Class 3 felony. A second or subsequent offense of luring of a minor under subsection (b) is a Class 4 felony. A second or subsequent offense when a person has a prior conviction in Illinois of a sex offense as defined in the Sex Offender Registration Act, or any substantially similar federal, Uniform Code of Military Justice, sister state, or foreign government offense, is a Class 1 felony. A defendant convicted a second time of an offense under subsection (a) or (b) shall register as a sexual predator of children pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act.

(4) A third or subsequent offense is a Class 1 felony. A third or subsequent offense when a person has a prior conviction in Illinois of a sex offense as defined in the Sex Offender Registration Act, or any substantially similar federal, Uniform Code of Military Justice, sister state, or foreign government offense, is a Class X felony.

(h) For violations of subsection (a), jurisdiction shall be established if the transmission that constitutes the offense either originates in this State or is received in this State and does not apply to emergency situations. For violations of subsection (b), jurisdiction shall be established in any county where the act in furtherance of the commission of the offense is committed, in the county where the minor resides, or in the county where the offender resides.".