Halpin Votes to Help the Criminal Justice System Combat Online Crimes

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, recently voted to give law enforcement the tools they need to combat cybercriminals and crack down on offenders who exploit women and children online.

“I take law enforcement professionals’ ability to do their job very seriously,” Halpin said. “They need our laws to fit new and changing crimes so they can catch today’s criminals. The rapid advance of computer technology has created opportunities for bad people to commit a wide range of offenses that would be unheard of just a few years ago, and Illinois’ legal system needs to keep up.”

Halpin voted to pass House Bill 2133, which changes the Illinois Criminal Code to expand and clarify the definition of a computer and specific computer crimes. These offenses include identity theft, illegally hiding an identity and tampering with another person’s computer to commit fraud. Halpin’s bill also widens the definition of computer-based crimes to include online gambling, non-consensual distribution of personal images and indecent communication with a minor.

“The safety of the people living in our community is always my primary concern,” Halpin said. “I won’t let criminals walk free because a bureaucratic technicality prevented law enforcement from acting. This bill allows the police officers, prosecutors, and other agencies tasked with protecting us and our children to do their job.”