CRIM CD-ENDANGERING CHILD

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB5240

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5240

Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Harry Benton

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

720 ILCS 5/12C-5

was 720 ILCS 5/12-21.6

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the offense of
endangering the life or health of a child, includes leaving a child under
12 years of age unattended. Provides that, for the offense of endangering
the life or health of a child, defines "unattended" as either: (1) not
accompanied by a person 12 (rather than 14) years of age or older; or (2)
if accompanied by a person 12 (rather than 14) years of age or older, out
of sight of that person.
LRB104 19702 RLC 33151 b

A BILL FOR

HB5240
LRB104 19702 RLC 33151 b
1

AN ACT concerning criminal law.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by
5
changing Section 12C-5 as follows:

6

(720 ILCS 5/12C-5)

(was 720 ILCS 5/12-21.6)
7

Sec. 12C-5.
Endangering the life or health of a child.
8

(a) A person commits endangering the life or health of a
9
child when he or she knowingly: (1) causes or permits the life
10
or health of a child under the age of 18 to be endangered;
or

11
(2) causes or permits a child to be placed in circumstances
12
that endanger the child's life or health
; or (3) leaves a child
13
under 12 years of age unattended
. It is not a violation of this
14
Section for a person to relinquish a child in accordance with
15
the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act.
16

(b) A trier of fact may infer that a child 6 years of age
17
or younger is unattended if that child is left in a motor
18
vehicle for more than 10 minutes.
19

(c) "Unattended" means either: (i) not accompanied by a
20
person
12

14
years of age or older; or (ii) if accompanied by a
21
person
12

14
years of age or older, out of sight of that
22
person.
23

(d) Sentence. A violation of this Section is a Class A

HB5240
- 2 -
LRB104 19702 RLC 33151 b
1
misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation of this Section
2
is a Class 3 felony. A violation of this Section that is a
3
proximate cause of the death of the child is a Class 3 felony
4
for which a person, if sentenced to a term of imprisonment,
5
shall be sentenced to a term of not less than 2 years and not
6
more than 10 years. A parent, who is found to be in violation
7
of this Section with respect to his or her child, may be
8
sentenced to probation for this offense pursuant to Section
9
12C-15.
10
(Source:
P.A. 97-1109, eff. 1-1-13.)

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