Hastings supports updating online harassment law

In Illinois, law enforcement officers and prosecutors who charge suspects accused of harassment need updates to the law to reflect today’s use of technology.

State Senator Michael E. Hastings is supporting legislation to reflect the realities of how offenses are being committed in the present day.

“The world is changing fast, and we must keep up,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort).

“There is some really nasty stuff online that has a tangible impact on people. We need to make it clear that in Illinois, you cannot hide behind a screen and threaten people or their families.”

Illinois Senator Michael Hastings, 19th Senate District

Senate Bill 2741 is an initiative of Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and Detective Rich Wistocki, whose organizations see how the nature of harassment has changed with technology.

To prosecute offenders who use these tools, the bill would remove the requirement that the content must be of a sexual nature.

Additionally, it would lay out how violators would be charged for harassment by telephone and by electronic devices.

Making comments, suggestions, or remarks intended to cause significant emotional distress or threats of injury to the recipient or any of their family or household members would be considered violations.

Senate Bill 2741 passed the Senate on Wednesday with bipartisan support.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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