Greg Harris voted Yea (Passage) on this Legislation.
Signed by Governor Bruce Rauner
Title: Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense
A vote to pass a bill that prohibits a victim's sexual orientation from being used in the defense of an individual accused of murder.
Prohibits the discovery, disclosure, or knowledge of a victim’s sexual orientation from being used in the defense for an individual accused of murder (Sec. 5).
Specifies a list of aggravating or mitigating factors of which a jury will be instructed to consider that are relevant to each murder trial, including, but not limited to (Sec. 5):
The defendant had no significant criminal history prior to arrest;
The victim was a participant or consented to the defendant’s homicidal act;
The defendant acted under the compulsion of imminent threat of bodily harm or danger; and
The defendant suffers from a reduced mental capacity or has a history of extreme emotional or physical abuse.
Specifies that an individual convicted of first degree murder may be sentenced to death under the following circumstances, including, but not limited to (Sec. 5):
If the victim was a peace officer or firefighter killed while performing their official duties; or
If the victim was an employee of an institution or facility of the Department of Corrections or any similar local correctional agency.
Title: Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense
A vote to pass a bill that prohibits a victim's sexual orientation from being used in the defense of an individual accused of murder.
Prohibits the discovery, disclosure, or knowledge of a victim’s sexual orientation from being used in the defense for an individual accused of murder (Sec. 5).
Specifies a list of aggravating or mitigating factors of which a jury will be instructed to consider that are relevant to each murder trial, including, but not limited to (Sec. 5):
The defendant had no significant criminal history prior to arrest;
The victim was a participant or consented to the defendant’s homicidal act;
The defendant acted under the compulsion of imminent threat of bodily harm or danger; and
The defendant suffers from a reduced mental capacity or has a history of extreme emotional or physical abuse.
Specifies that an individual convicted of first degree murder may be sentenced to death under the following circumstances, including, but not limited to (Sec. 5):
If the victim was a peace officer or firefighter killed while performing their official duties; or
If the victim was an employee of an institution or facility of the Department of Corrections or any similar local correctional agency.
Title: Prohibits "Gay Panic" Defense