Bill
HB 3206
HB 3206 would raise penalties for fleeing or eluding police from a misdemeanor to felonies (Class 4 for first offense, Class 3 for repeats), with license suspension on conviction.
Note on document discrepancy
- The bill file you provided is titled “Relating to the recording of student absences,” but the actual bill text/amendments and synopsis concern the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11‑204) — specifically changing the penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer. This summary is based on the vehicle‑code text included in the packet.
Summary — purpose and intent
- HB 3206 (Sheehan) would increase criminal penalties for drivers who flee or attempt to elude a peace officer after being given a visual or audible signal to stop. The stated intent is to elevate the offense from a lower‑level misdemeanor to felony classifications intended to produce stronger criminal consequences and deterrence.
Key provisions and changes
- Offense reclassification
- First offense: changes the offense of fleeing/attempting to elude from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony (text shows the substitution of “Class 4 felony” for “A misdemeanor”).
- Third or subsequent offense: changes the penalty from a Class 4 felony to a Class 3 felony (the synopsis and section text indicate elevating repeat offense classification).
- Existing elements retained
- The statutory elements requiring an officer’s visual/audible signal (hand, voice, siren, red/blue lights) and uniform/vehicle lighting requirements remain in the section.
- Driver’s license suspension language
- The statute continues to require the Secretary of State to suspend the convicted person’s driver’s license. The introduced text explicitly preserves a suspension of “not more than 6 months” for a first conviction; language concerning the second‑conviction suspension in the copy provided is garbled/incomplete and would require clarification in amendment or later drafting.
Who would be affected
- Defendants: motor vehicle operators who flee or attempt to elude law enforcement would face felony prosecution rather than misdemeanor charges, with attendant exposure to felony sentences and collateral consequences (criminal record, potential incarceration, fines, and other impacts).
- Criminal justice system: prosecutors, public defenders, courts, and corrections will see effects from increased felony caseloads if enacted.
- Secretary of State / DMV: continues to administer driver’s license suspensions on conviction.
Procedural status and timeline
- Filed: Feb 6, 2025 (by Rep. Patrick Sheehan); first reading Feb 18, 2025; referred to Criminal Jurisprudence (with committee activity and public hearing on Apr 29, 2025). Co‑sponsors were added in March 2025. As of 2025‑06‑28 the bill is “in committee upon adjournment.”
- Companion bill: SB 1458.
Potential impact (practical considerations)
- Raises penalty severity for fleeing incidents, likely increasing prison exposure and long‑term collateral consequences for convicted drivers.
- May produce stronger deterrence for some defendants, but could also increase prosecutorial and correctional burdens.
- Drafting inconsistencies in the introduced copy (suspension language) would need correction before final passage.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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