Johnson leads measure to strengthen protections for domestic violence survivors, address digital harassment

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Adriane Johnson is advancing legislation that would strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence by modernizing Illinois law to address online harassment, electronic tracking and barriers survivors face when seeking protective orders.

"Abuse doesn't always look the same as it did decades ago," Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) said. "Technology has created new ways for abusers to stalk, harass and intimidate victims. Our laws must evolve to recognize these forms of harm and ensure survivors have the tools they need to stay safe."

Senate Bill 3020 would update the state's criminal laws to better reflect the ways abuse can occur in the digital age and to ensure survivors have greater access to court protections. Johnson's legislation would expand the definition of harassment to include conduct such as electronic tracking, doxing and the nonconsensual creation or dissemination of digitally altered sexual images and other harmful online content.

The measure also seeks to improve access to the legal system for individuals seeking an order of protection. Under the proposal, petitioners could request remote hearings in any Illinois county unless a judge determines there is good cause to deny the request. Currently, remote hearing options are only guaranteed in counties with populations above 250,000.

In addition, Senate Bill 3020 would clarify that survivors cannot be denied an order of protection simply because the offender is incarcerated at the time the order is issued.

The bill also aims to strengthen protections related to orders of protection by allowing courts to grant extensions for any fixed period of time or longer upon good cause, expediting extension hearings when an order is nearing expiration and clarifying that a new incident of abuse is not required to extend an existing order.

"Orders of protection are a critical tool for survivors seeking safety and stability," Johnson said. "This legislation helps ensure those protections remain strong, accessible and responsive to the realities people face today."

Senate Bill 3020 passed the Senate Criminal Law Committee Tuesday.