SPRINGFIELD — With the rise in digital communication among children, threats from online predators have become more frequent and sophisticated. To help law enforcement respond faster and more effectively, State Senator Julie Morrison’s new law expands the authority of Illinois State Police (ISP) to investigate and stop online child exploitation.

“Law enforcement should have every tool available to track down those who try to harm children,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This new law ensures Illinois State Police can work seamlessly with other agencies to pursue online predators, no matter where they’re located.”

The new law grants ISP’s Division of Criminal Investigation broader jurisdiction to pursue online child exploitation cases and work alongside local task forces across the state. It will usher in improved response times, close jurisdictional gaps and strengthen coordination between agencies working to protect children from digital threats. The measure is modeled off of Alicia’s Law, a national initiative that empowers specialized law enforcement units to track and prosecute predators who target children online.

In addition to expanding protections for children, the law includes several technical changes to update ISP’s procedures related to task force liability coverage, the handling of commercial vehicle safety checks and the security of criminal justice systems, including the data these systems hold and the agencies that manage it.

“Online predators don’t limit themselves within county lines, and our investigations into their actions shouldn’t either,” said Morrison. “With this law, we’re making it clear that Illinois puts the safety of our kids first.”

House Bill 2586 was signed into law Monday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.

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