---
type: "Bill"
title: "CRIM CD-STALKING&CYBERSTALKING"
description: "Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Changes the elements of the offenses of stalking and cyberstalking. Provides that a person commits stalking when he or she knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, and he or she knows or should know that this course of conduct would cause a reasonable person to: (1) fear for his or her safety or the safety of a third person; or (2) suffer other emotional distress. Provides that if the conduct is committed using electronic communication, the offense is cyberstalking. Provides that a person also commits aggravated stalking when he or she, in conjunction with committing the offense of stalking, violates a stalking no contact order or a civil no contact order. Retains the same penalties for the offenses."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "96th"
identifier: "HB 2542"
citation: "Illinois HB 2542 (96th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 73
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2009-02-20"
last_action: "2009-08-25"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c8cc8a4b-0b99-46c5-be7c-9f535e4050c4"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2542&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=45067&SessionID=76&GA=96"
source_hash: "62aae9f58b2768e6d5a68dd2320e46c7decdec9cb26d1da2c383ceff67cf07cf"
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 2542 (96th) — CRIM CD-STALKING&CYBERSTALKING

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Changes the elements of the offenses of stalking and cyberstalking. Provides that a person commits stalking when he or she knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, and he or she knows or should know that this course of conduct would cause a reasonable person to: (1) fear for his or her safety or the safety of a third person; or (2) suffer other emotional distress. Provides that if the conduct is committed using electronic communication, the offense is cyberstalking. Provides that a person also commits aggravated stalking when he or she, in conjunction with committing the offense of stalking, violates a stalking no contact order or a civil no contact order. Retains the same penalties for the offenses.

## 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=09600HB2542&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=45067&DocNum=2542&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB2542eng&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=45067&DocNum=2542&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB2542enr&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=45067&DocNum=2542&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **58–0** (pass) · upper
- Concurrence, Amendment 2 — **117–0** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **113–1** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Chris Lauzen — cosponsor (person)
- Dan Kotowski — cosponsor (person)
- David Koehler — cosponsor (person)
- Deanna Demuzio — cosponsor (person)
- Don Harmon — cosponsor (person)
- Heather Steans — cosponsor (person)
- Ira I. Silverstein — cosponsor (person)
- Jacqueline Y. Collins — cosponsor (person)
- John J. Millner — cosponsor (person)
- John M. Sullivan — cosponsor (person)
- Karen A. Yarbrough — primary (person)
- Kwame Raoul — cosponsor (person)
- Larry K. Bomke — cosponsor (person)
- Linda Holmes — cosponsor (person)
- Louis S. Viverito — cosponsor (person)
- M. Maggie Crotty — cosponsor (person)
- Mattie Hunter — cosponsor (person)
- Michael W. Frerichs — cosponsor (person)
- Pamela J. Althoff — cosponsor (person)
- William R. Haine — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2009-02-20** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough `filing`
- **2009-02-20** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-02-20** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-02-25** Assigned to Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-03-04** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Suzanne Bassi
- **2009-03-05** Do Pass / Short Debate Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee; 007-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-03-05** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-03-05** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Fred Crespo
- **2009-03-05** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. David E. Miller
- **2009-03-05** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. William Davis
- **2009-03-05** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Esther Golar
- **2009-03-05** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lou Lang
- **2009-03-19** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2009-03-19** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-03-24** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 113-001-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-03-25** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2009-03-25** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-03-25** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia
- **2009-03-25** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson
- **2009-03-25** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-03-25** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-15** Assigned to Criminal Law `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-22** Postponed - Criminal Law
- **2009-04-29** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. A. J. Wilhelmi
- **2009-04-29** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Heather Steans
- **2009-04-29** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Emil Jones, III
- **2009-04-30** Postponed - Criminal Law
- **2009-04-30** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael Noland
- **2009-05-05** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Don Harmon
- **2009-05-05** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson `amendment-introduction`
- **2009-05-05** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-05-07** Do Pass Criminal Law; 008-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-05-07** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 12, 2009
- **2009-05-07** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Kwame Raoul
- **2009-05-07** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford
- **2009-05-07** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Mattie Hunter
- **2009-05-07** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Deanna Demuzio
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael W. Frerichs
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Ira I. Silverstein
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. John J. Millner
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Linda Holmes
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. David Koehler
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. John M. Sullivan
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Louis S. Viverito
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. William R. Haine
- **2009-05-12** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. M. Maggie Crotty
- **2009-05-12** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2009-05-12** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 13, 2009
- **2009-05-13** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Pamela J. Althoff
- **2009-05-13** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Dan Kotowski
- **2009-05-13** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Chris Lauzen
- **2009-05-15** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson `amendment-introduction`
- **2009-05-15** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-05-17** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Assignments Refers to Criminal Law
- **2009-05-18** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommend Do Adopt Criminal Law; 009-000-000
- **2009-05-20** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Larry K. Bomke
- **2009-05-21** Recalled to Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2009-05-21** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted; Hutchinson `amendment-passage`
- **2009-05-21** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading
- **2009-05-21** Third Reading - Passed; 058-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-05-21** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Tabled Pursuant to Rule 5-4(a) `amendment-failure`
- **2009-05-21** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2009-05-21** Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 2
- **2009-05-21** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough
- **2009-05-21** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-05-26** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee; 004-000-000
- **2009-05-30** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 House Concurs 117-000-000
- **2009-05-30** Passed Both Houses
- **2009-06-26** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2009-08-25** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2009-08-25** Effective Date January 1, 2010
- **2009-08-25** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0686 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c8cc8a4b-0b99-46c5-be7c-9f535e4050c4`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).