Illinois House Chamber
Illinois House Chamber
A bill that would amend Illinois's criminal code to make parental bullying a crime has been assigned to the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee for further consideration.
Sponsored by Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago), House Bill 0181 defines the act as whenever a parent “knowingly and with the intent to discipline, embarrass, or alter the behavior of the minor, transmits any verbal or visual message that the parent or legal guardian reasonably believes would coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to the minor.”
The bill further stipulates that any individual convicted of such an offense be ordered to cover all court costs as well as pay a court-determined fine that will be set aside and awarded to the victim when they reach the age of 18.
La Shawn Ford
Ford pre-filed the legislation in late 2018, and a first reading of the bill was held during the first week of the new legislative session in Springfield earlier this month.
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