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SB 3173

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-ASSESSMENT

104th Regular Session Introduced by Mary Edly-Allen

Requires police to perform a lethality assessment in domestic violence cases, inform victims of results, refer to services, and collect data for aggregate analysis.

Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · SB 3173

Overview

  • Bill: SB3173
  • Session: 104th General Assembly (Illinois)
  • Jurisdiction: Illinois
  • Title: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-ASSESSMENT
  • Introduced: February 2, 2026
  • Primary sponsor: Sen. Mary Edly-Allen

Purpose and intent

SB3173 amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 to require law enforcement officers who investigate alleged domestic violence incidents to conduct a lethality assessment. The assessment is designed to evaluate the likelihood of serious injury or death to the victim and to connect victims with protective and support services. The bill also establishes data reporting requirements and ensures victims are informed of assessment results and available resources.

Key provisions

  • Lethality assessment requirement
    • When a law enforcement officer investigates an alleged domestic violence incident, the officer must complete a lethality assessment form.
    • The assessment consists of a standardized set of questions designed to gauge risk of serious harm or death.
    • Questions (illustrative sample) cover past weapon use, threats to kill, fear of lethal harm, strangulation, access to firearms, controlling or violent behavior, separation, unemployment, threats of self-harm, paternity concerns, stalking, monitoring, and other safety concerns.
  • Victim communication and referrals
    • The officer must advise the victim of the assessment results.
    • The officer must refer the victim to the local domestic violence program.
    • The officer must provide the victim with the number for the Illinois State Domestic Violence Hotline.
  • Documentation and data collection
    • If the victim cannot or will not provide sufficient information to complete the lethality assessment, the officer must note the absence of a lethality assessment in the police report.
    • The officer must attempt to refer the victim to the nearest certified domestic violence program or to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline.
    • Personal identifying information of the alleged offender and the assessment results must be given to the officer’s supervisor and filed with the law enforcement agency in a manner that enables aggregate data collection on domestic violence cases.
  • Data usage
    • The requirement to file and share information is intended to facilitate aggregate data analysis on domestic violence incidents.

Affected parties and entities

  • Primary: Domestic violence victims who encounter law enforcement during an alleged domestic violence incident.
  • Law enforcement agencies and officers in Illinois.
  • Local domestic violence programs and certified resources.
  • Illinois State Domestic Violence Hotline and related reporting systems.
  • Supervisors within law enforcement agencies (for handling the offender’s identifying information and lethality assessment results).

Procedural and timeline considerations

  • Implementation triggers: When officers investigate an alleged domestic violence incident.
  • Timing: The lethality assessment should be administered at the time of investigation or as part of the official documentation process.
  • Compliance: Officers must advise victims of results, provide referrals, and document results and offender information to enable data aggregation.
  • Data reporting: Aggregate data on domestic violence cases will be facilitated by the retention and filing of offender identifiers and lethality assessment results.

Potential impact

  • Enhanced risk assessment: Standardized lethality assessments could improve identification of high-risk victims and appropriate crisis interventions.
  • Increased victim support: Mandatory referrals to local domestic violence programs and hotline resources may improve access to services.
  • Data-driven insights: Aggregated data could inform policy, resource allocation, and program effectiveness for domestic violence interventions.
  • Privacy considerations: The requirement to share offender identifying information and assessment results for data aggregation may raise privacy and data-security considerations that agencies will need to manage.

If you’d like, I can add a quick comparison to current practice in Illinois or outline potential implementation challenges (training, data systems, privacy safeguards).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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