SPRINGFIELD – Cases of doxing are on the rise, revealing the vulnerability of millions of people’s private lives. State Senator Julie Morrison is leading the charge to ensure that people who fall victim to such cyber-attacks receive justice.

“Doxing is yet another form of online abuse that was deliberately designed to tear people down,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Abuse, stalking and harassment have no place in our state – not in person and not online.”

As the use of technology rises, so do cases of hackers, abusive partners and others maliciously publicizing people’s private information. Often referred to as “doxing,” these attacks include the sharing of phone numbers, addresses, social security numbers and other previously private information that could lead to harassment, humiliation and threats. 

“Survivors of domestic violence face the constant stress of their abuser stalking them or causing more harm. With technology on the rise, now they’re also faced with the worry that the person they once trusted with private information will share that information with the world,” said Morrison. “We must protect our state’s survivors from additional forms of abuse.”

To give victims of doxing the justice they deserve, Morrison is leading House Bill 2954. The measure – which receive unanimous support in the House – would allow people a private right of action against the individual who committed the offense. The victim could recover damages and any other appropriate relief, including attorney’s fees.

“This is an encouraging next step forward in our efforts to give doxing victims a voice and hold people accountable for online hate and harassment,” said ADL Midwest Regional Director David Goldenberg.  “The Senate Judiciary Committee’s support for this bill sends a strong signal that Illinois will be no place for hate. We thank Representative Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Morrison for their leadership in championing this bill, and we look forward to our continued work with them and our coalition partners to get this legislation passed out of the Senate and onto Governor Pritzker's desk.”

House Bill 2954 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that Illinois schools have a crisis response plan in case of an emergency, State Senator Julie Morrison is advancing a measure that would require rapid entry protocol for law enforcement and first responders, including the threat of firearms. 

“It seems like every day there is a new violent threat made against schools – we just saw that at Highland Park High School,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “While we have taken strides to curb gun violence in Illinois, we must continue to develop new strategies in partnership with law enforcement and first responders so that our schools are as safe as possible.” 

Morrison’s House Bill 3559 would require schools’ emergency and crisis response plans to include procedures for local law enforcement to rapidly enter the school building in the event of an emergency.

House Bill 3559 passed the Senate Education Committee just two weeks after five students at Highland Park High School were taken into custody following a report of a student with a handgun. The threat left the community shaken, as it came less than a year after the 4^th of July mass shooting that took the lives of seven innocent community members.

“The threat at Highland Park High School could have become a tragedy,” said Morrison. “Law enforcement should be equipped to handle safety threats immediately and without hesitation.”

The measure now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

SPRINGIFELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) released the following statement after an announcement that Illinois is receiving $67.6 million from a settlement with Juul, the e-cigarette maker. The troubled company has been largely accused of contributing to the rise of vaping among youth.

“Vaping and e-cigarette-related deaths and illnesses quickly became a nationwide epidemic that no user is immune to — no matter how young they are. It’s about time the very people responsible for the prevalence of this outbreak are held accountable.

“While this won’t bring back the lives who have been taken by the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, this serves as a positive step forward to protecting future generations of young people from the dangers. I will not stop fighting against the big tobacco industry until no other child has access to these deadly products.”

Morrison has been an advocate for putting an end to tobacco use in teens since entering the General Assembly. In 2019, she successfully passed a law that increases the age to legally purchase tobacco to 21. After the success of that law, Morrison passed the Preventing Youth Vaping Act last year and is working to ban the use of e-cigarettes indoors during the current legislative session.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison is leading a measure to regulate deadly explosive materials.

Morrison’s measure would prohibit prepackaged explosive components from being sold to people who do not have a FOID card, and would require firearm dealers to keep record of any sale of such item. A commonly used "pre-packed explosive component" is Tannerite, which is marketed as a product that explodes when hit with a high velocity bullet.

The proposal comes after federal agents found “bomb-making materials” in the home of the Highland Park mass shooter. When later questioned by investigators, the shooter said he had considered planting explosives as part of his deadly attack on the parade in Highland Park, but didn't.

The current lack of regulation could potentially allow someone to amass large quantities of the substance and cause a subsequent large explosion, creating a threat to public safety.

“I saw first-hand how heinous acts of violence can tear apart a community,” said Morrison. “Imagine the outcome had the shooter moved forward with using the explosives he had made.”

Senate Bill 754 passed the Senate and heads to the House for further approval.