Bill Text: IL HB0038 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill, except: (1) provides that aggravated battery committed by knowingly causing great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement is a Class 2 felony (rather than a Class 1 felony in the engrossed bill) when the person causes great bodily harm or permanent disability to an individual whom the person knows to be a member of a congregation engaged in prayer or other religious activities at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship; and (2) provides that the offense of unlawful use of weapons also includes carrying or possessing with intent to use the same unlawfully against another, any firearm (rather than any firearm, knife, or other dangerous weapon in the engrossed bill) in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship (deletes school).

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 101-0223 [HB0038 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HB0038-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 101-0223
HB0038 Enrolled LRB101 00237 SLF 45241 b
AN ACT concerning criminal law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by changing
Sections 9-1, 12-2, 12-3.05, and 24-1 as follows:
(720 ILCS 5/9-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 9-1)
Sec. 9-1. First degree murder; death penalties;
exceptions; separate hearings; proof; findings; appellate
procedures; reversals. First degree murder; death penalties;
exceptions; separate hearings; proof; findings; appellate
procedures; reversals.
(a) A person who kills an individual without lawful
justification commits first degree murder if, in performing the
acts which cause the death:
(1) he or she either intends to kill or do great bodily
harm to that individual or another, or knows that such acts
will cause death to that individual or another; or
(2) he or she knows that such acts create a strong
probability of death or great bodily harm to that
individual or another; or
(3) he or she is attempting or committing a forcible
felony other than second degree murder.
(b) Aggravating Factors. A defendant who at the time of the

commission of the offense has attained the age of 18 or more
and who has been found guilty of first degree murder may be
sentenced to death if:
(1) the murdered individual was a peace officer or
fireman killed in the course of performing his official
duties, to prevent the performance of his or her official
duties, or in retaliation for performing his or her
official duties, and the defendant knew or should have
known that the murdered individual was a peace officer or
fireman; or
(2) the murdered individual was an employee of an
institution or facility of the Department of Corrections,
or any similar local correctional agency, killed in the
course of performing his or her official duties, to prevent
the performance of his or her official duties, or in
retaliation for performing his or her official duties, or
the murdered individual was an inmate at such institution
or facility and was killed on the grounds thereof, or the
murdered individual was otherwise present in such
institution or facility with the knowledge and approval of
the chief administrative officer thereof; or
(3) the defendant has been convicted of murdering two
or more individuals under subsection (a) of this Section or
under any law of the United States or of any state which is
substantially similar to subsection (a) of this Section
regardless of whether the deaths occurred as the result of

the same act or of several related or unrelated acts so
long as the deaths were the result of either an intent to
kill more than one person or of separate acts which the
defendant knew would cause death or create a strong
probability of death or great bodily harm to the murdered
individual or another; or
(4) the murdered individual was killed as a result of
the hijacking of an airplane, train, ship, bus, or other
public conveyance; or
(5) the defendant committed the murder pursuant to a
contract, agreement, or understanding by which he or she
was to receive money or anything of value in return for
committing the murder or procured another to commit the
murder for money or anything of value; or
(6) the murdered individual was killed in the course of
another felony if:
(a) the murdered individual:
(i) was actually killed by the defendant, or
(ii) received physical injuries personally
inflicted by the defendant substantially
contemporaneously with physical injuries caused by
one or more persons for whose conduct the defendant
is legally accountable under Section 5-2 of this
Code, and the physical injuries inflicted by
either the defendant or the other person or persons
for whose conduct he is legally accountable caused

the death of the murdered individual; and
(b) in performing the acts which caused the death
of the murdered individual or which resulted in
physical injuries personally inflicted by the
defendant on the murdered individual under the
circumstances of subdivision (ii) of subparagraph (a)
of paragraph (6) of subsection (b) of this Section, the
defendant acted with the intent to kill the murdered
individual or with the knowledge that his acts created
a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to
the murdered individual or another; and
(c) the other felony was an inherently violent
crime or the attempt to commit an inherently violent
crime. In this subparagraph (c), "inherently violent
crime" includes, but is not limited to, armed robbery,
robbery, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child,
aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated
kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated
arson, aggravated stalking, residential burglary, and
home invasion; or
(7) the murdered individual was under 12 years of age
and the death resulted from exceptionally brutal or heinous
behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
(8) the defendant committed the murder with intent to
prevent the murdered individual from testifying or
participating in any criminal investigation or prosecution

or giving material assistance to the State in any
investigation or prosecution, either against the defendant
or another; or the defendant committed the murder because
the murdered individual was a witness in any prosecution or
gave material assistance to the State in any investigation
or prosecution, either against the defendant or another;
for purposes of this paragraph (8), "participating in any
criminal investigation or prosecution" is intended to
include those appearing in the proceedings in any capacity
such as trial judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys,
investigators, witnesses, or jurors; or
(9) the defendant, while committing an offense
punishable under Sections 401, 401.1, 401.2, 405, 405.2,
407 or 407.1 or subsection (b) of Section 404 of the
Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or while engaged in a
conspiracy or solicitation to commit such offense,
intentionally killed an individual or counseled,
commanded, induced, procured or caused the intentional
killing of the murdered individual; or
(10) the defendant was incarcerated in an institution
or facility of the Department of Corrections at the time of
the murder, and while committing an offense punishable as a
felony under Illinois law, or while engaged in a conspiracy
or solicitation to commit such offense, intentionally
killed an individual or counseled, commanded, induced,
procured or caused the intentional killing of the murdered

individual; or
(11) the murder was committed in a cold, calculated and
premeditated manner pursuant to a preconceived plan,
scheme or design to take a human life by unlawful means,
and the conduct of the defendant created a reasonable
expectation that the death of a human being would result
therefrom; or
(12) the murdered individual was an emergency medical
technician - ambulance, emergency medical technician -
intermediate, emergency medical technician - paramedic,
ambulance driver, or other medical assistance or first aid
personnel, employed by a municipality or other
governmental unit, killed in the course of performing his
official duties, to prevent the performance of his official
duties, or in retaliation for performing his official
duties, and the defendant knew or should have known that
the murdered individual was an emergency medical
technician - ambulance, emergency medical technician -
intermediate, emergency medical technician - paramedic,
ambulance driver, or other medical assistance or first aid
personnel; or
(13) the defendant was a principal administrator,
organizer, or leader of a calculated criminal drug
conspiracy consisting of a hierarchical position of
authority superior to that of all other members of the
conspiracy, and the defendant counseled, commanded,

induced, procured, or caused the intentional killing of the
murdered person; or
(14) the murder was intentional and involved the
infliction of torture. For the purpose of this Section
torture means the infliction of or subjection to extreme
physical pain, motivated by an intent to increase or
prolong the pain, suffering or agony of the victim; or
(15) the murder was committed as a result of the
intentional discharge of a firearm by the defendant from a
motor vehicle and the victim was not present within the
motor vehicle; or
(16) the murdered individual was 60 years of age or
older and the death resulted from exceptionally brutal or
heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
(17) the murdered individual was a person with a
disability and the defendant knew or should have known that
the murdered individual was a person with a disability. For
purposes of this paragraph (17), "person with a disability"
means a person who suffers from a permanent physical or
mental impairment resulting from disease, an injury, a
functional disorder, or a congenital condition that
renders the person incapable of adequately providing for
his or her own health or personal care; or
(18) the murder was committed by reason of any person's
activity as a community policing volunteer or to prevent
any person from engaging in activity as a community

policing volunteer; or
(19) the murdered individual was subject to an order of
protection and the murder was committed by a person against
whom the same order of protection was issued under the
Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986; or
(20) the murdered individual was known by the defendant
to be a teacher or other person employed in any school and
the teacher or other employee is upon the grounds of a
school or grounds adjacent to a school, or is in any part
of a building used for school purposes; or
(21) the murder was committed by the defendant in
connection with or as a result of the offense of terrorism
as defined in Section 29D-14.9 of this Code; or .
(22) the murdered individual was a member of a
congregation engaged in prayer or other religious
activities at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other
building, structure, or place used for religious worship.
(b-5) Aggravating Factor; Natural Life Imprisonment. A
defendant who has been found guilty of first degree murder and
who at the time of the commission of the offense had attained
the age of 18 years or more may be sentenced to natural life
imprisonment if (i) the murdered individual was a physician,
physician assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice
registered nurse, (ii) the defendant knew or should have known
that the murdered individual was a physician, physician
assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice

registered nurse, and (iii) the murdered individual was killed
in the course of acting in his or her capacity as a physician,
physician assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice
registered nurse, or to prevent him or her from acting in that
capacity, or in retaliation for his or her acting in that
capacity.
(c) Consideration of factors in Aggravation and
Mitigation.
The court shall consider, or shall instruct the jury to
consider any aggravating and any mitigating factors which are
relevant to the imposition of the death penalty. Aggravating
factors may include but need not be limited to those factors
set forth in subsection (b). Mitigating factors may include but
need not be limited to the following:
(1) the defendant has no significant history of prior
criminal activity;
(2) the murder was committed while the defendant was
under the influence of extreme mental or emotional
disturbance, although not such as to constitute a defense
to prosecution;
(3) the murdered individual was a participant in the
defendant's homicidal conduct or consented to the
homicidal act;
(4) the defendant acted under the compulsion of threat
or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great
bodily harm;

(5) the defendant was not personally present during
commission of the act or acts causing death;
(6) the defendant's background includes a history of
extreme emotional or physical abuse;
(7) the defendant suffers from a reduced mental
capacity.
Provided, however, that an action that does not otherwise
mitigate first degree murder cannot qualify as a mitigating
factor for first degree murder because of the discovery,
knowledge, or disclosure of the victim's sexual orientation as
defined in Section 1-103 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.
(d) Separate sentencing hearing.
Where requested by the State, the court shall conduct a
separate sentencing proceeding to determine the existence of
factors set forth in subsection (b) and to consider any
aggravating or mitigating factors as indicated in subsection
(c). The proceeding shall be conducted:
(1) before the jury that determined the defendant's
guilt; or
(2) before a jury impanelled for the purpose of the
proceeding if:
A. the defendant was convicted upon a plea of
guilty; or
B. the defendant was convicted after a trial before
the court sitting without a jury; or
C. the court for good cause shown discharges the

jury that determined the defendant's guilt; or
(3) before the court alone if the defendant waives a
jury for the separate proceeding.
(e) Evidence and Argument.
During the proceeding any information relevant to any of
the factors set forth in subsection (b) may be presented by
either the State or the defendant under the rules governing the
admission of evidence at criminal trials. Any information
relevant to any additional aggravating factors or any
mitigating factors indicated in subsection (c) may be presented
by the State or defendant regardless of its admissibility under
the rules governing the admission of evidence at criminal
trials. The State and the defendant shall be given fair
opportunity to rebut any information received at the hearing.
(f) Proof.
The burden of proof of establishing the existence of any of
the factors set forth in subsection (b) is on the State and
shall not be satisfied unless established beyond a reasonable
doubt.
(g) Procedure - Jury.
If at the separate sentencing proceeding the jury finds
that none of the factors set forth in subsection (b) exists,
the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
Corrections. If there is a unanimous finding by the jury that
one or more of the factors set forth in subsection (b) exist,

the jury shall consider aggravating and mitigating factors as
instructed by the court and shall determine whether the
sentence of death shall be imposed. If the jury determines
unanimously, after weighing the factors in aggravation and
mitigation, that death is the appropriate sentence, the court
shall sentence the defendant to death. If the court does not
concur with the jury determination that death is the
appropriate sentence, the court shall set forth reasons in
writing including what facts or circumstances the court relied
upon, along with any relevant documents, that compelled the
court to non-concur with the sentence. This document and any
attachments shall be part of the record for appellate review.
The court shall be bound by the jury's sentencing
determination.
If after weighing the factors in aggravation and
mitigation, one or more jurors determines that death is not the
appropriate sentence, the court shall sentence the defendant to
a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
Corrections.
(h) Procedure - No Jury.
In a proceeding before the court alone, if the court finds
that none of the factors found in subsection (b) exists, the
court shall sentence the defendant to a term of imprisonment
under Chapter V of the Unified Code of Corrections.
If the Court determines that one or more of the factors set
forth in subsection (b) exists, the Court shall consider any

aggravating and mitigating factors as indicated in subsection
(c). If the Court determines, after weighing the factors in
aggravation and mitigation, that death is the appropriate
sentence, the Court shall sentence the defendant to death.
If the court finds that death is not the appropriate
sentence, the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
Corrections.
(h-5) Decertification as a capital case.
In a case in which the defendant has been found guilty of
first degree murder by a judge or jury, or a case on remand for
resentencing, and the State seeks the death penalty as an
appropriate sentence, on the court's own motion or the written
motion of the defendant, the court may decertify the case as a
death penalty case if the court finds that the only evidence
supporting the defendant's conviction is the uncorroborated
testimony of an informant witness, as defined in Section 115-21
of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, concerning the
confession or admission of the defendant or that the sole
evidence against the defendant is a single eyewitness or single
accomplice without any other corroborating evidence. If the
court decertifies the case as a capital case under either of
the grounds set forth above, the court shall issue a written
finding. The State may pursue its right to appeal the
decertification pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 604(a)(1). If
the court does not decertify the case as a capital case, the

matter shall proceed to the eligibility phase of the sentencing
hearing.
(i) Appellate Procedure.
The conviction and sentence of death shall be subject to
automatic review by the Supreme Court. Such review shall be in
accordance with rules promulgated by the Supreme Court. The
Illinois Supreme Court may overturn the death sentence, and
order the imposition of imprisonment under Chapter V of the
Unified Code of Corrections if the court finds that the death
sentence is fundamentally unjust as applied to the particular
case. If the Illinois Supreme Court finds that the death
sentence is fundamentally unjust as applied to the particular
case, independent of any procedural grounds for relief, the
Illinois Supreme Court shall issue a written opinion explaining
this finding.
(j) Disposition of reversed death sentence.
In the event that the death penalty in this Act is held to
be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States
or of the State of Illinois, any person convicted of first
degree murder shall be sentenced by the court to a term of
imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
Corrections.
In the event that any death sentence pursuant to the
sentencing provisions of this Section is declared
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States or
of the State of Illinois, the court having jurisdiction over a

person previously sentenced to death shall cause the defendant
to be brought before the court, and the court shall sentence
the defendant to a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the
Unified Code of Corrections.
(k) Guidelines for seeking the death penalty.
The Attorney General and State's Attorneys Association
shall consult on voluntary guidelines for procedures governing
whether or not to seek the death penalty. The guidelines do not
have the force of law and are only advisory in nature.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 100-460, eff. 1-1-18;
100-513, eff. 1-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)
(720 ILCS 5/12-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 12-2)
Sec. 12-2. Aggravated assault.
(a) Offense based on location of conduct. A person commits
aggravated assault when he or she commits an assault against an
individual who is on or about a public way, public property, a
public place of accommodation or amusement, or a sports venue,
or in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building,
structure, or place used for religious worship.
(b) Offense based on status of victim. A person commits
aggravated assault when, in committing an assault, he or she
knows the individual assaulted to be any of the following:
(1) A person with a physical disability or a person 60
years of age or older and the assault is without legal
justification.

(2) A teacher or school employee upon school grounds or
grounds adjacent to a school or in any part of a building
used for school purposes.
(3) A park district employee upon park grounds or
grounds adjacent to a park or in any part of a building
used for park purposes.
(4) A community policing volunteer, private security
officer, or utility worker:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) assaulted to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) assaulted in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(4.1) A peace officer, fireman, emergency management
worker, or emergency medical services personnel:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) assaulted to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) assaulted in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(5) A correctional officer or probation officer:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) assaulted to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) assaulted in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.

(6) A correctional institution employee, a county
juvenile detention center employee who provides direct and
continuous supervision of residents of a juvenile
detention center, including a county juvenile detention
center employee who supervises recreational activity for
residents of a juvenile detention center, or a Department
of Human Services employee, Department of Human Services
officer, or employee of a subcontractor of the Department
of Human Services supervising or controlling sexually
dangerous persons or sexually violent persons:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) assaulted to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) assaulted in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(7) An employee of the State of Illinois, a municipal
corporation therein, or a political subdivision thereof,
performing his or her official duties.
(8) A transit employee performing his or her official
duties, or a transit passenger.
(9) A sports official or coach actively participating
in any level of athletic competition within a sports venue,
on an indoor playing field or outdoor playing field, or
within the immediate vicinity of such a facility or field.
(10) A person authorized to serve process under Section
2-202 of the Code of Civil Procedure or a special process

server appointed by the circuit court, while that
individual is in the performance of his or her duties as a
process server.
(c) Offense based on use of firearm, device, or motor
vehicle. A person commits aggravated assault when, in
committing an assault, he or she does any of the following:
(1) Uses a deadly weapon, an air rifle as defined in
Section 24.8-0.1 of this Act, or any device manufactured
and designed to be substantially similar in appearance to a
firearm, other than by discharging a firearm.
(2) Discharges a firearm, other than from a motor
vehicle.
(3) Discharges a firearm from a motor vehicle.
(4) Wears a hood, robe, or mask to conceal his or her
identity.
(5) Knowingly and without lawful justification shines
or flashes a laser gun sight or other laser device attached
to a firearm, or used in concert with a firearm, so that
the laser beam strikes near or in the immediate vicinity of
any person.
(6) Uses a firearm, other than by discharging the
firearm, against a peace officer, community policing
volunteer, fireman, private security officer, emergency
management worker, emergency medical services personnel,
employee of a police department, employee of a sheriff's
department, or traffic control municipal employee:

(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) assaulted to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) assaulted in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(7) Without justification operates a motor vehicle in a
manner which places a person, other than a person listed in
subdivision (b)(4), in reasonable apprehension of being
struck by the moving motor vehicle.
(8) Without justification operates a motor vehicle in a
manner which places a person listed in subdivision (b)(4),
in reasonable apprehension of being struck by the moving
motor vehicle.
(9) Knowingly video or audio records the offense with
the intent to disseminate the recording.
(d) Sentence. Aggravated assault as defined in subdivision
(a), (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4), (b)(7), (b)(8), (b)(9),
(c)(1), (c)(4), or (c)(9) is a Class A misdemeanor, except that
aggravated assault as defined in subdivision (b)(4) and (b)(7)
is a Class 4 felony if a Category I, Category II, or Category
III weapon is used in the commission of the assault. Aggravated
assault as defined in subdivision (b)(4.1), (b)(5), (b)(6),
(b)(10), (c)(2), (c)(5), (c)(6), or (c)(7) is a Class 4 felony.
Aggravated assault as defined in subdivision (c)(3) or (c)(8)
is a Class 3 felony.
(e) For the purposes of this Section, "Category I weapon",

"Category II weapon, and "Category III weapon" have the
meanings ascribed to those terms in Section 33A-1 of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 98-385, eff. 1-1-14; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-143,
eff. 7-27-15; 99-256, eff. 1-1-16; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16;
99-816, eff. 8-15-16.)
(720 ILCS 5/12-3.05) (was 720 ILCS 5/12-4)
Sec. 12-3.05. Aggravated battery.
(a) Offense based on injury. A person commits aggravated
battery when, in committing a battery, other than by the
discharge of a firearm, he or she knowingly does any of the
following:
(1) Causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or
disfigurement.
(2) Causes severe and permanent disability, great
bodily harm, or disfigurement by means of a caustic or
flammable substance, a poisonous gas, a deadly biological
or chemical contaminant or agent, a radioactive substance,
or a bomb or explosive compound.
(3) Causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or
disfigurement to an individual whom the person knows to be
a peace officer, community policing volunteer, fireman,
private security officer, correctional institution
employee, or Department of Human Services employee
supervising or controlling sexually dangerous persons or
sexually violent persons:

(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) battered in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(4) Causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or
disfigurement to an individual 60 years of age or older.
(5) Strangles another individual.
(b) Offense based on injury to a child or person with an
intellectual disability. A person who is at least 18 years of
age commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery,
he or she knowingly and without legal justification by any
means:
(1) causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or
disfigurement to any child under the age of 13 years, or to
any person with a severe or profound intellectual
disability; or
(2) causes bodily harm or disability or disfigurement
to any child under the age of 13 years or to any person
with a severe or profound intellectual disability.
(c) Offense based on location of conduct. A person commits
aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by
the discharge of a firearm, he or she is or the person battered
is on or about a public way, public property, a public place of
accommodation or amusement, a sports venue, or a domestic
violence shelter, or in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other

building, structure, or place used for religious worship.
(d) Offense based on status of victim. A person commits
aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by
discharge of a firearm, he or she knows the individual battered
to be any of the following:
(1) A person 60 years of age or older.
(2) A person who is pregnant or has a physical
disability.
(3) A teacher or school employee upon school grounds or
grounds adjacent to a school or in any part of a building
used for school purposes.
(4) A peace officer, community policing volunteer,
fireman, private security officer, correctional
institution employee, or Department of Human Services
employee supervising or controlling sexually dangerous
persons or sexually violent persons:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) battered in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(5) A judge, emergency management worker, emergency
medical services personnel, or utility worker:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or

(iii) battered in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(6) An officer or employee of the State of Illinois, a
unit of local government, or a school district, while
performing his or her official duties.
(7) A transit employee performing his or her official
duties, or a transit passenger.
(8) A taxi driver on duty.
(9) A merchant who detains the person for an alleged
commission of retail theft under Section 16-26 of this Code
and the person without legal justification by any means
causes bodily harm to the merchant.
(10) A person authorized to serve process under Section
2-202 of the Code of Civil Procedure or a special process
server appointed by the circuit court while that individual
is in the performance of his or her duties as a process
server.
(11) A nurse while in the performance of his or her
duties as a nurse.
(e) Offense based on use of a firearm. A person commits
aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, he or she
knowingly does any of the following:
(1) Discharges a firearm, other than a machine gun or a
firearm equipped with a silencer, and causes any injury to
another person.
(2) Discharges a firearm, other than a machine gun or a

firearm equipped with a silencer, and causes any injury to
a person he or she knows to be a peace officer, community
policing volunteer, person summoned by a police officer,
fireman, private security officer, correctional
institution employee, or emergency management worker:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) battered in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(3) Discharges a firearm, other than a machine gun or a
firearm equipped with a silencer, and causes any injury to
a person he or she knows to be emergency medical services
personnel:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) battered in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(4) Discharges a firearm and causes any injury to a
person he or she knows to be a teacher, a student in a
school, or a school employee, and the teacher, student, or
employee is upon school grounds or grounds adjacent to a
school or in any part of a building used for school
purposes.
(5) Discharges a machine gun or a firearm equipped with

a silencer, and causes any injury to another person.
(6) Discharges a machine gun or a firearm equipped with
a silencer, and causes any injury to a person he or she
knows to be a peace officer, community policing volunteer,
person summoned by a police officer, fireman, private
security officer, correctional institution employee or
emergency management worker:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) battered in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(7) Discharges a machine gun or a firearm equipped with
a silencer, and causes any injury to a person he or she
knows to be emergency medical services personnel:
(i) performing his or her official duties;
(ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her
official duties; or
(iii) battered in retaliation for performing his
or her official duties.
(8) Discharges a machine gun or a firearm equipped with
a silencer, and causes any injury to a person he or she
knows to be a teacher, or a student in a school, or a
school employee, and the teacher, student, or employee is
upon school grounds or grounds adjacent to a school or in
any part of a building used for school purposes.

(f) Offense based on use of a weapon or device. A person
commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, he or
she does any of the following:
(1) Uses a deadly weapon other than by discharge of a
firearm, or uses an air rifle as defined in Section
24.8-0.1 of this Code.
(2) Wears a hood, robe, or mask to conceal his or her
identity.
(3) Knowingly and without lawful justification shines
or flashes a laser gunsight or other laser device attached
to a firearm, or used in concert with a firearm, so that
the laser beam strikes upon or against the person of
another.
(4) Knowingly video or audio records the offense with
the intent to disseminate the recording.
(g) Offense based on certain conduct. A person commits
aggravated battery when, other than by discharge of a firearm,
he or she does any of the following:
(1) Violates Section 401 of the Illinois Controlled
Substances Act by unlawfully delivering a controlled
substance to another and any user experiences great bodily
harm or permanent disability as a result of the injection,
inhalation, or ingestion of any amount of the controlled
substance.
(2) Knowingly administers to an individual or causes
him or her to take, without his or her consent or by threat

or deception, and for other than medical purposes, any
intoxicating, poisonous, stupefying, narcotic, anesthetic,
or controlled substance, or gives to another person any
food containing any substance or object intended to cause
physical injury if eaten.
(3) Knowingly causes or attempts to cause a
correctional institution employee or Department of Human
Services employee to come into contact with blood, seminal
fluid, urine, or feces by throwing, tossing, or expelling
the fluid or material, and the person is an inmate of a
penal institution or is a sexually dangerous person or
sexually violent person in the custody of the Department of
Human Services.
(h) Sentence. Unless otherwise provided, aggravated
battery is a Class 3 felony.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (a)(4),
(d)(4), or (g)(3) is a Class 2 felony.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (a)(3) or
(g)(1) is a Class 1 felony.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (a)(1) is a
Class 1 felony when the aggravated battery was intentional and
involved the infliction of torture, as defined in paragraph
(14) of subsection (b) of Section 9-1 of this Code, as the
infliction of or subjection to extreme physical pain, motivated
by an intent to increase or prolong the pain, suffering, or
agony of the victim.

Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (a)(1) is a
Class 2 felony when the person causes great bodily harm or
permanent disability to an individual whom the person knows to
be a member of a congregation engaged in prayer or other
religious activities at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other
building, structure, or place used for religious worship.
Aggravated battery under subdivision (a)(5) is a Class 1
felony if:
(A) the person used or attempted to use a dangerous
instrument while committing the offense; or
(B) the person caused great bodily harm or permanent
disability or disfigurement to the other person while
committing the offense; or
(C) the person has been previously convicted of a
violation of subdivision (a)(5) under the laws of this
State or laws similar to subdivision (a)(5) of any other
state.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (e)(1) is a
Class X felony.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (a)(2) is a
Class X felony for which a person shall be sentenced to a term
of imprisonment of a minimum of 6 years and a maximum of 45
years.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (e)(5) is a
Class X felony for which a person shall be sentenced to a term
of imprisonment of a minimum of 12 years and a maximum of 45

years.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (e)(2),
(e)(3), or (e)(4) is a Class X felony for which a person shall
be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of a minimum of 15 years
and a maximum of 60 years.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (e)(6),
(e)(7), or (e)(8) is a Class X felony for which a person shall
be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of a minimum of 20 years
and a maximum of 60 years.
Aggravated battery as defined in subdivision (b)(1) is a
Class X felony, except that:
(1) if the person committed the offense while armed
with a firearm, 15 years shall be added to the term of
imprisonment imposed by the court;
(2) if, during the commission of the offense, the
person personally discharged a firearm, 20 years shall be
added to the term of imprisonment imposed by the court;
(3) if, during the commission of the offense, the
person personally discharged a firearm that proximately
caused great bodily harm, permanent disability, permanent
disfigurement, or death to another person, 25 years or up
to a term of natural life shall be added to the term of
imprisonment imposed by the court.
(i) Definitions. In For the purposes of this Section:
"Building or other structure used to provide shelter" has
the meaning ascribed to "shelter" in Section 1 of the Domestic

Violence Shelters Act.
"Domestic violence" has the meaning ascribed to it in
Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.
"Domestic violence shelter" means any building or other
structure used to provide shelter or other services to victims
or to the dependent children of victims of domestic violence
pursuant to the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 or the
Domestic Violence Shelters Act, or any place within 500 feet of
such a building or other structure in the case of a person who
is going to or from such a building or other structure.
"Firearm" has the meaning provided under Section 1.1 of the
Firearm Owners Identification Card Act, and does not include an
air rifle as defined by Section 24.8-0.1 of this Code.
"Machine gun" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section
24-1 of this Code.
"Merchant" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 16-0.1
of this Code.
"Strangle" means intentionally impeding the normal
breathing or circulation of the blood of an individual by
applying pressure on the throat or neck of that individual or
by blocking the nose or mouth of that individual.
(Source: P.A. 98-369, eff. 1-1-14; 98-385, eff. 1-1-14; 98-756,
eff. 7-16-14; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-816, eff. 8-15-16.)
(720 ILCS 5/24-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 24-1)
Sec. 24-1. Unlawful use of weapons.

(a) A person commits the offense of unlawful use of weapons
when he knowingly:
(1) Sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses or
carries any bludgeon, black-jack, slung-shot, sand-club,
sand-bag, metal knuckles or other knuckle weapon
regardless of its composition, throwing star, or any knife,
commonly referred to as a switchblade knife, which has a
blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to
a button, spring or other device in the handle of the
knife, or a ballistic knife, which is a device that propels
a knifelike blade as a projectile by means of a coil
spring, elastic material or compressed gas; or
(2) Carries or possesses with intent to use the same
unlawfully against another, a dagger, dirk, billy,
dangerous knife, razor, stiletto, broken bottle or other
piece of glass, stun gun or taser or any other dangerous or
deadly weapon or instrument of like character; or
(2.5) Carries or possesses with intent to use the same
unlawfully against another, any firearm in a church,
synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place
used for religious worship; or
(3) Carries on or about his person or in any vehicle, a
tear gas gun projector or bomb or any object containing
noxious liquid gas or substance, other than an object
containing a non-lethal noxious liquid gas or substance
designed solely for personal defense carried by a person 18

years of age or older; or
(4) Carries or possesses in any vehicle or concealed on
or about his person except when on his land or in his own
abode, legal dwelling, or fixed place of business, or on
the land or in the legal dwelling of another person as an
invitee with that person's permission, any pistol,
revolver, stun gun or taser or other firearm, except that
this subsection (a) (4) does not apply to or affect
transportation of weapons that meet one of the following
conditions:
(i) are broken down in a non-functioning state; or
(ii) are not immediately accessible; or
(iii) are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm
carrying box, shipping box, or other container by a
person who has been issued a currently valid Firearm
Owner's Identification Card; or
(iv) are carried or possessed in accordance with
the Firearm Concealed Carry Act by a person who has
been issued a currently valid license under the Firearm
Concealed Carry Act; or
(5) Sets a spring gun; or
(6) Possesses any device or attachment of any kind
designed, used or intended for use in silencing the report
of any firearm; or
(7) Sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses or
carries:

(i) a machine gun, which shall be defined for the
purposes of this subsection as any weapon, which
shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily
restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot
without manually reloading by a single function of the
trigger, including the frame or receiver of any such
weapon, or sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses,
or carries any combination of parts designed or
intended for use in converting any weapon into a
machine gun, or any combination or parts from which a
machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the
possession or under the control of a person;
(ii) any rifle having one or more barrels less than
16 inches in length or a shotgun having one or more
barrels less than 18 inches in length or any weapon
made from a rifle or shotgun, whether by alteration,
modification, or otherwise, if such a weapon as
modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches;
or
(iii) any bomb, bomb-shell, grenade, bottle or
other container containing an explosive substance of
over one-quarter ounce for like purposes, such as, but
not limited to, black powder bombs and Molotov
cocktails or artillery projectiles; or
(8) Carries or possesses any firearm, stun gun or taser
or other deadly weapon in any place which is licensed to

sell intoxicating beverages, or at any public gathering
held pursuant to a license issued by any governmental body
or any public gathering at which an admission is charged,
excluding a place where a showing, demonstration or lecture
involving the exhibition of unloaded firearms is
conducted.
This subsection (a)(8) does not apply to any auction or
raffle of a firearm held pursuant to a license or permit
issued by a governmental body, nor does it apply to persons
engaged in firearm safety training courses; or
(9) Carries or possesses in a vehicle or on or about
his or her person any pistol, revolver, stun gun or taser
or firearm or ballistic knife, when he or she is hooded,
robed or masked in such manner as to conceal his or her
identity; or
(10) Carries or possesses on or about his or her
person, upon any public street, alley, or other public
lands within the corporate limits of a city, village, or
incorporated town, except when an invitee thereon or
therein, for the purpose of the display of such weapon or
the lawful commerce in weapons, or except when on his land
or in his or her own abode, legal dwelling, or fixed place
of business, or on the land or in the legal dwelling of
another person as an invitee with that person's permission,
any pistol, revolver, stun gun, or taser or other firearm,
except that this subsection (a) (10) does not apply to or

affect transportation of weapons that meet one of the
following conditions:
(i) are broken down in a non-functioning state; or
(ii) are not immediately accessible; or
(iii) are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm
carrying box, shipping box, or other container by a
person who has been issued a currently valid Firearm
Owner's Identification Card; or
(iv) are carried or possessed in accordance with
the Firearm Concealed Carry Act by a person who has
been issued a currently valid license under the Firearm
Concealed Carry Act.
A "stun gun or taser", as used in this paragraph (a)
means (i) any device which is powered by electrical
charging units, such as, batteries, and which fires one or
several barbs attached to a length of wire and which, upon
hitting a human, can send out a current capable of
disrupting the person's nervous system in such a manner as
to render him incapable of normal functioning or (ii) any
device which is powered by electrical charging units, such
as batteries, and which, upon contact with a human or
clothing worn by a human, can send out current capable of
disrupting the person's nervous system in such a manner as
to render him incapable of normal functioning; or
(11) Sells, manufactures, or purchases any explosive
bullet. For purposes of this paragraph (a) "explosive

bullet" means the projectile portion of an ammunition
cartridge which contains or carries an explosive charge
which will explode upon contact with the flesh of a human
or an animal. "Cartridge" means a tubular metal case having
a projectile affixed at the front thereof and a cap or
primer at the rear end thereof, with the propellant
contained in such tube between the projectile and the cap;
or
(12) (Blank); or
(13) Carries or possesses on or about his or her person
while in a building occupied by a unit of government, a
billy club, other weapon of like character, or other
instrument of like character intended for use as a weapon.
For the purposes of this Section, "billy club" means a
short stick or club commonly carried by police officers
which is either telescopic or constructed of a solid piece
of wood or other man-made material.
(b) Sentence. A person convicted of a violation of
subsection 24-1(a)(1) through (5), subsection 24-1(a)(10),
subsection 24-1(a)(11), or subsection 24-1(a)(13) commits a
Class A misdemeanor. A person convicted of a violation of
subsection 24-1(a)(8) or 24-1(a)(9) commits a Class 4 felony; a
person convicted of a violation of subsection 24-1(a)(6) or
24-1(a)(7)(ii) or (iii) commits a Class 3 felony. A person
convicted of a violation of subsection 24-1(a)(7)(i) commits a
Class 2 felony and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment

of not less than 3 years and not more than 7 years, unless the
weapon is possessed in the passenger compartment of a motor
vehicle as defined in Section 1-146 of the Illinois Vehicle
Code, or on the person, while the weapon is loaded, in which
case it shall be a Class X felony. A person convicted of a
second or subsequent violation of subsection 24-1(a)(4),
24-1(a)(8), 24-1(a)(9), or 24-1(a)(10) commits a Class 3
felony. A person convicted of a violation of subsection
24-1(a)(2.5) commits a Class 2 felony. The possession of each
weapon in violation of this Section constitutes a single and
separate violation.
(c) Violations in specific places.
(1) A person who violates subsection 24-1(a)(6) or
24-1(a)(7) in any school, regardless of the time of day or
the time of year, in residential property owned, operated
or managed by a public housing agency or leased by a public
housing agency as part of a scattered site or mixed-income
development, in a public park, in a courthouse, on the real
property comprising any school, regardless of the time of
day or the time of year, on residential property owned,
operated or managed by a public housing agency or leased by
a public housing agency as part of a scattered site or
mixed-income development, on the real property comprising
any public park, on the real property comprising any
courthouse, in any conveyance owned, leased or contracted
by a school to transport students to or from school or a

school related activity, in any conveyance owned, leased,
or contracted by a public transportation agency, or on any
public way within 1,000 feet of the real property
comprising any school, public park, courthouse, public
transportation facility, or residential property owned,
operated, or managed by a public housing agency or leased
by a public housing agency as part of a scattered site or
mixed-income development commits a Class 2 felony and shall
be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 3
years and not more than 7 years.
(1.5) A person who violates subsection 24-1(a)(4),
24-1(a)(9), or 24-1(a)(10) in any school, regardless of the
time of day or the time of year, in residential property
owned, operated, or managed by a public housing agency or
leased by a public housing agency as part of a scattered
site or mixed-income development, in a public park, in a
courthouse, on the real property comprising any school,
regardless of the time of day or the time of year, on
residential property owned, operated, or managed by a
public housing agency or leased by a public housing agency
as part of a scattered site or mixed-income development, on
the real property comprising any public park, on the real
property comprising any courthouse, in any conveyance
owned, leased, or contracted by a school to transport
students to or from school or a school related activity, in
any conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by a public

transportation agency, or on any public way within 1,000
feet of the real property comprising any school, public
park, courthouse, public transportation facility, or
residential property owned, operated, or managed by a
public housing agency or leased by a public housing agency
as part of a scattered site or mixed-income development
commits a Class 3 felony.
(2) A person who violates subsection 24-1(a)(1),
24-1(a)(2), or 24-1(a)(3) in any school, regardless of the
time of day or the time of year, in residential property
owned, operated or managed by a public housing agency or
leased by a public housing agency as part of a scattered
site or mixed-income development, in a public park, in a
courthouse, on the real property comprising any school,
regardless of the time of day or the time of year, on
residential property owned, operated or managed by a public
housing agency or leased by a public housing agency as part
of a scattered site or mixed-income development, on the
real property comprising any public park, on the real
property comprising any courthouse, in any conveyance
owned, leased or contracted by a school to transport
students to or from school or a school related activity, in
any conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by a public
transportation agency, or on any public way within 1,000
feet of the real property comprising any school, public
park, courthouse, public transportation facility, or

residential property owned, operated, or managed by a
public housing agency or leased by a public housing agency
as part of a scattered site or mixed-income development
commits a Class 4 felony. "Courthouse" means any building
that is used by the Circuit, Appellate, or Supreme Court of
this State for the conduct of official business.
(3) Paragraphs (1), (1.5), and (2) of this subsection
(c) shall not apply to law enforcement officers or security
officers of such school, college, or university or to
students carrying or possessing firearms for use in
training courses, parades, hunting, target shooting on
school ranges, or otherwise with the consent of school
authorities and which firearms are transported unloaded
enclosed in a suitable case, box, or transportation
package.
(4) For the purposes of this subsection (c), "school"
means any public or private elementary or secondary school,
community college, college, or university.
(5) For the purposes of this subsection (c), "public
transportation agency" means a public or private agency
that provides for the transportation or conveyance of
persons by means available to the general public, except
for transportation by automobiles not used for conveyance
of the general public as passengers; and "public
transportation facility" means a terminal or other place
where one may obtain public transportation.

(d) The presence in an automobile other than a public
omnibus of any weapon, instrument or substance referred to in
subsection (a)(7) is prima facie evidence that it is in the
possession of, and is being carried by, all persons occupying
such automobile at the time such weapon, instrument or
substance is found, except under the following circumstances:
(i) if such weapon, instrument or instrumentality is found upon
the person of one of the occupants therein; or (ii) if such
weapon, instrument or substance is found in an automobile
operated for hire by a duly licensed driver in the due, lawful
and proper pursuit of his or her trade, then such presumption
shall not apply to the driver.
(e) Exemptions.
(1) Crossbows, Common or Compound bows and Underwater
Spearguns are exempted from the definition of ballistic
knife as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this
Section.
(2) The provision of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of
this Section prohibiting the sale, manufacture, purchase,
possession, or carrying of any knife, commonly referred to
as a switchblade knife, which has a blade that opens
automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring
or other device in the handle of the knife, does not apply
to a person who possesses a currently valid Firearm Owner's
Identification Card previously issued in his or her name by
the Department of State Police or to a person or an entity

engaged in the business of selling or manufacturing
switchblade knives.
(Source: P.A. 99-29, eff. 7-10-15; 100-82, eff. 8-11-17.)