State Representative Adam Niemerg announced on April 20 that House Bill 3393 has passed the Illinois House, aiming to strengthen protections for child victims of abuse during court proceedings. The bill proposes a 30-day extension to the speedy trial process if a judge denies closed circuit testimony, giving victims more time to submit evidence before trial.
The legislation is intended to provide additional support for child victims involved in sensitive legal cases. Niemerg said, “This change in the law ensures that if a judge denies the use of closed-circuit testimony, the victim is granted a 30-day extension to gather additional evidence to support the request. This gives much needed time to clarify what the judge needs in order to determine whether closed circuit testimony applies.”
House Bill 3393 would apply specifically to cases involving criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery, and aggravated domestic battery.
Niemerg was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois’ 102nd House District in 2023 after replacing former state representative Darren Bailey according to Ballotpedia.
With passage in the House secured, the measure now moves forward for consideration by the Illinois Senate. Constituents seeking assistance with state programs or public policy can contact Niemerg’s district office or visit his official website.
