---
type: "Bill"
title: "CRIM CD-LASER AT AIRCRAFT"
description: "Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Prohibits knowingly discharging a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft in the process of taking off, landing, or while in flight. Provides that the penalty is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines \"aircraft\" and \"laser\"."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "97th"
identifier: "HB 167"
citation: "Illinois HB 167 (97th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 40
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2011-01-13"
last_action: "2011-07-21"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/df75ce81-c93f-4609-98d1-cced10ce0208"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=167&GAID=11&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=54740&SessionID=84&GA=97"
source_hash: "9a54ae0cbbf51a54d6a38a12655d071b011ab16b2cc2c8ed94940cb05435ba31"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois HB 167 (97th) — CRIM CD-LASER AT AIRCRAFT

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Prohibits knowingly discharging a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft in the process of taking off, landing, or while in flight. Provides that the penalty is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines "aircraft" and "laser".

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700HB0167&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=54740&DocNum=167&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700HB0167eng&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=54740&DocNum=167&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700HB0167enr&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=54740&DocNum=167&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **110–0** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **55–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Dave Winters — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2011-01-13** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Dave Winters `filing`
- **2011-01-18** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2011-01-18** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2011-02-08** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Sidney H. Mathias
- **2011-02-08** Assigned to Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee `referral-committee`
- **2011-02-17** Do Pass / Short Debate Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee; 007-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2011-02-17** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2011-02-17** Remove Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Sidney H. Mathias
- **2011-02-17** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Mike Bost
- **2011-02-17** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Dennis M. Reboletti
- **2011-02-17** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael J. Zalewski
- **2011-02-17** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Jim Sacia
- **2011-02-17** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Sidney H. Mathias
- **2011-02-17** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Anthony DeLuca
- **2011-02-17** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman
- **2011-02-22** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2011-02-22** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2011-02-23** Remove Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Jim Sacia
- **2011-02-23** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Jim Sacia
- **2011-02-23** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Rosemary Mulligan
- **2011-02-24** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 110-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2011-02-24** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Mike Fortner
- **2011-02-24** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Patricia R. Bellock
- **2011-02-24** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Monique D. Davis
- **2011-03-02** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2011-03-02** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading March 3, 2011 `reading-1`
- **2011-03-02** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Dan Kotowski
- **2011-03-02** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2011-03-02** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2011-04-27** Assigned to Criminal Law `referral-committee`
- **2011-05-06** Do Pass Criminal Law; 007-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2011-05-06** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 10, 2011
- **2011-05-12** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2011-05-12** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 13, 2011
- **2011-05-17** Third Reading - Passed; 055-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2011-05-17** Passed Both Houses
- **2011-06-15** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2011-07-21** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2011-07-21** Effective Date January 1, 2012
- **2011-07-21** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 97-0153 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/df75ce81-c93f-4609-98d1-cced10ce0208`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).