SB3935 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 18060 JRC 31499 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3935

Introduced 2/6/2026, by Sen. Robert Peters

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

725 ILCS 5/112A-11.5
750 ILCS 60/201	from Ch. 40, par. 2312-1

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that a petitioner may not be denied a protective order because the petitioner or the respondent is a minor or solely upon the basis that the respondent or petitioner is incarcerated in a penal institution at the time of the issuance of the order. Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Provides that a petition for an order of protection may be filed by: (i) a crime victim who was abused by an family or household member before the incarceration of the offender in a penal institution, and the offender is incarcerated in a penal institution at the time of the filing of the petition; or (ii) any person who has previously suffered abuse by a family or household member convicted of domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery; any other offense that would constitute domestic violence; or a violent crime as defined in the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act committed against another person. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning domestic violence.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 is amended by changing Section 112A-11.5 as follows:

(725 ILCS 5/112A-11.5)

Sec. 112A-11.5. Issuance of protective order.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (a-5) of this Section, the court shall grant the petition and enter a protective order if the court finds prima facie evidence that a crime involving domestic violence, a sexual offense, or a crime involving stalking has been committed. The following shall be considered prima facie evidence of the crime:

(1) an information, complaint, indictment, or delinquency petition, charging a crime of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking or charging an attempt to commit a crime of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking;

(2) an adjudication of delinquency, a finding of guilt based upon a plea, or a finding of guilt after a trial for a crime of domestic battery, a sexual crime, or stalking or an attempt to commit a crime of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking;

(3) any dispositional order issued under Section 5-710 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, the imposition of supervision, conditional discharge, probation, periodic imprisonment, parole, aftercare release, or mandatory supervised release for a crime of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking or an attempt to commit a crime of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking, or imprisonment in conjunction with a bond forfeiture warrant; or

(4) the entry of a protective order in a separate civil case brought by the petitioner against the respondent.

(a-5) The respondent may rebut prima facie evidence of the crime under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Section by presenting evidence of a meritorious defense. The respondent shall file a written notice alleging a meritorious defense which shall be verified and supported by affidavit. The verified notice and affidavit shall set forth the evidence that will be presented at a hearing. If the court finds that the evidence presented at the hearing establishes a meritorious defense by a preponderance of the evidence, the court may decide not to issue a protective order.

(b) The petitioner shall not be denied a protective order because the petitioner or the respondent is a minor or solely upon the basis that the respondent or petitioner is incarcerated in a penal institution at the time of the issuance of the order.

(c) The court, when determining whether or not to issue a protective order, may not require physical injury on the person of the victim.

(d) If the court issues a final protective order under this Section, the court shall afford the petitioner and respondent an opportunity to be heard on the remedies requested in the petition.

(Source: P.A. 100-199, eff. 1-1-18; 100-597, eff. 6-29-18.)

Section 10. The Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 is amended by changing Section 201 as follows:

(750 ILCS 60/201) (from Ch. 40, par. 2312-1)

Sec. 201. Persons protected by this Act.

(a) The following persons are protected by this Act:

(i) any person abused by a family or household member;

(ii) any high-risk adult with disabilities who is abused, neglected, or exploited by a family or household member;

(iii) any minor child or dependent adult in the care of such person;

(iv) any person residing or employed at a private home or public shelter which is housing an abused family or household member; and

(v) any of the following persons if the person is abused by a family or household member of a child:

(A) a foster parent of that child if the child has been placed in the foster parent's home by the Department of Children and Family Services or by another state's public child welfare agency;

(B) a legally appointed guardian or legally appointed custodian of that child;

(C) an adoptive parent of that child; or

(D) a prospective adoptive parent of that child if the child has been placed in the prospective adoptive parent's home pursuant to the Adoption Act or pursuant to another state's law.

For purposes of this paragraph (a)(v), individuals who would have been considered "family or household members" of the child under subsection (6) of Section 103 of this Act before a termination of the parental rights with respect to the child continue to meet the definition of "family or household members" of the child.

(b) A petition for an order of protection may be filed only:

(i) by a person who has been abused by a family or household member or by any person on behalf of a minor child or an adult who has been abused by a family or household member and who, because of age, health, disability, or inaccessibility, cannot file the petition;

(ii) by any person on behalf of a high-risk adult with disabilities who has been abused, neglected, or exploited by a family or household member;

(iii) by any of the following persons if the person is abused by a family or household member of a child:

(A) a foster parent of that child if the child has been placed in the foster parent's home by the Department of Children and Family Services or by another state's public child welfare agency;

(B) a legally appointed guardian or legally appointed custodian of that child;

(C) an adoptive parent of that child;

(D) a prospective adoptive parent of that child if the child has been placed in the prospective adoptive parent's home pursuant to the Adoption Act or pursuant to another state's law.

For purposes of this paragraph (b)(iii), individuals who would have been considered "family or household members" of the child under subsection (6) of Section 103 of this Act before a termination of the parental rights with respect to the child continue to meet the definition of "family or household members" of the child;

(iv) by a crime victim who was abused by a family or household member an offender prior to the incarceration of the offender in a penal institution and such offender is incarcerated in a penal institution at the time of the filing of the petition; or

(v) by any person who has previously suffered abuse by a family or household member person convicted of (1) domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery, or any other offense that would constitute domestic violence or (2) a violent crime, as defined in Section 3 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act, committed against another person.

A petition for an order of protection may not be denied solely upon the basis that the respondent or petitioner is incarcerated in a penal institution at the time of the filing of the petition.

(c) Any petition properly filed under this Act may seek protection for any additional persons protected by this Act.

(Source: P.A. 104-11, eff. 6-20-25.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.