SPRINGFIELD – A leader to give survivors of abuse more comfort and accessibility filing a protective order, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) celebrates the signing of Senate Bill 3667 to bring more awareness to the ongoing issues survivors face.  

“The weight of trauma a survivor carries becomes detrimental as they struggle to cope with grief and take the steps necessary to begin to heal,” Stadelman said. “By giving survivors the opportunity to file for protective orders at their own pace in the safety of their own home, we are giving them the keys to move forward.”

Stadelman’s measure gives people the option to file a protective order either online or in-person. The measure also requires any court in a county with a population above 250,000 to offer the option of a remote hearing to the petitioner for a protective order.

Any and all types of protective orders would be covered under this legislation.

Senate Bill 3667 allows both the petitioner and the respondent to appear for related hearings remotely or in-person – and the courts would also have the discretion to grant or deny the request for a remote hearing. 

Senate Bill 3667 was signed into law on Friday and is January 1, 2023.