---
type: "Bill"
title: "GANG CRIME WITNESS-SUNSET"
description: "Amends the Gang Crime Witness Protection Act. Extends the repeal date of the Act from July 1, 2004 to July 1, 2012. Effective immediately."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "93rd"
identifier: "HB 538"
citation: "Illinois HB 538 (93rd)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 51
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2003-01-30"
last_action: "2003-07-22"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/da2f9312-7f19-4e57-b9ae-faf1a48ad2b2"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=538&GAID=3&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=975&SessionID=3&GA=93"
source_hash: "83201b548e1e55ed110ef81608c851adad11b9397dcbb3e78126b9501b0715d6"
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 538 (93rd) — GANG CRIME WITNESS-SUNSET

Amends the Gang Crime Witness Protection Act. Extends the repeal date of the Act from July 1, 2004 to July 1, 2012. Effective immediately.

## 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=09300HB0538&GA=93&SessionId=3&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=975&DocNum=538&GAID=3&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09300HB0538eng&GA=93&SessionId=3&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=975&DocNum=538&GAID=3&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09300HB0538enr&GA=93&SessionId=3&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=975&DocNum=538&GAID=3&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **58–0** (pass) · upper
- Concurrence, Amendment 1 — **114–1** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **115–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Edward J. Acevedo — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2003-01-30** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Edward J. Acevedo `filing`
- **2003-01-30** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2003-01-30** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2003-02-04** Assigned to Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee `referral-committee`
- **2003-02-21** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee `amendment-introduction`
- **2003-02-21** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee; 013-000-000 `amendment-passage`
- **2003-02-21** Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee; 013-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2003-02-21** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2003-02-26** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2003-02-26** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2003-02-28** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Kenneth Dunkin
- **2003-03-18** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 115-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2003-03-18** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. William Delgado
- **2003-03-18** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Cynthia Soto
- **2003-03-18** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Richard T. Bradley
- **2003-03-18** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2003-03-18** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading March 19, 2003 `reading-1`
- **2003-03-20** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. John J. Cullerton
- **2003-03-21** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2003-03-21** Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2003-04-10** Assigned to Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2003-05-01** Do Pass Judiciary; 008-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2003-05-01** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 6, 2003
- **2003-05-01** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. John J. Cullerton `amendment-introduction`
- **2003-05-01** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2003-05-06** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2003-05-06** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 7, 2003
- **2003-05-07** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. John J. Cullerton `amendment-introduction`
- **2003-05-07** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2003-05-07** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Judiciary
- **2003-05-07** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Judiciary
- **2003-05-08** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Be Approved for Consideration Judiciary; 010-000-000
- **2003-05-08** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Postponed - Judiciary
- **2003-05-08** Recalled to Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2003-05-08** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted; Cullerton `amendment-passage`
- **2003-05-08** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 9, 2003
- **2003-05-09** Third Reading - Passed; 058-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2003-05-09** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Tabled Pursuant to Rule 5-4(a) `amendment-failure`
- **2003-05-09** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2003-05-09** Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 1
- **2003-05-16** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Edward J. Acevedo; Motion #1
- **2003-05-16** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2003-05-20** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Recommends be Adopted Rules Committee; 003-002-000
- **2003-05-23** Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 31, 2003
- **2003-05-27** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 House Concurs 114-001-000
- **2003-05-27** House Concurs in SA 1
- **2003-05-27** Passed Both Houses
- **2003-06-25** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2003-07-22** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2003-07-22** Effective Date July 22, 2003
- **2003-07-22** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 93-0257 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/da2f9312-7f19-4e57-b9ae-faf1a48ad2b2`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).