Sen. Seth Lewis backs SB3506 to revise sexual assault and crime victims’ laws in Illinois

Sen. Seth Lewis (R-24th) supported SB3506, which seeks to revise Illinois statutes on sexual assault and crime victims’ rights, during the 104th General Assembly on May 31, 2026. The Illinois Senate recorded a 58-0 vote in favor of the bill.

The bill's official summary labels the initiative as "CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS."

The summary below is based on the bill’s text and includes explanatory notes to help clarify its provisions.

Broadly, the legislation updates several Illinois statutes related to sexual assault, juvenile records, victims’ rights, and address confidentiality. Starting Jan. 1, 2028, it authorizes telehealth TeleSANE supervision for sexual assault medical forensic exams in hospitals and approved pediatric facilities, with required training, privacy standards and technology safeguards. For juvenile cases with multiple minor or sex offense victims, it mandates redaction of identifying information for nonrequesting victims. The bill prohibits excluding crime victims from trial proceedings unless a written motion is submitted at least 60 days prior to the trial. Updates to the address confidentiality program include expanded eligibility, allowing nonvictim household members to join, introducing 4-year renewal terms, modifying cancellation rules, and granting the attorney general authority if a participant legally changes names.

The official action noted for SB3506 was 'House Floor Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs'.

Lewis received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Iowa in 1991.

A member of the Republican Party, Lewis was elected in 2023 to represent Illinois’ 24th Senate District, succeeding former Sen. Suzy Glowiak.

In Illinois, legislation follows a multi-step process involving introduction, committee evaluation, floor debate, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for final approval or veto. The General Assembly meets biennially, and while thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a small percentage advance through the full process to become law.