093_HB3086 LRB093 02203 DRJ 08161 b 1 AN ACT in relation to 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 1961 is amended by 5 changing Section 12-10.1 and adding Section 12-10.2 as 6 follows: 7 (720 ILCS 5/12-10.1) 8 Sec. 12-10.1. Piercing the body of a minor. 9 (a)(1) Any person who pierces the body or oral cavity of 10 a person under 18 years of age without written consent of 11 a parent or legal guardian of that person commits the 12 offense of piercing the body of a minor. Before the oral 13 cavity of a person under 18 years of age may be pierced, 14 the written consent form signed by the parent or legal 15 guardian must contain a provision in substantially the 16 following form: 17 "I understand that the oral piercing of the tongue, 18 lips, cheeks, or any other area of the oral cavity 19 carries serious risk of infection or damage to the mouth 20 and teeth, or both infection and damage to those areas, 21 that could result but is not limited to nerve damage, 22 numbness, and life threatening blood clots.". 23 A person who pierces the oral cavity of a person 24 under 18 years of age without obtaining a signed written 25 consent form from a parent or legal guardian of the 26 person that includes the provision describing the health 27 risks of body piercing, violates this Section. 28 (2) Sentence. Piercing the body of a minor is a 29 Class C misdemeanor. 30 (b) Definition. As used in this Section, to "pierce" 31 means to make a hole in the body or oral cavity in order to -2- LRB093 02203 DRJ 08161 b 1 insert or allow the insertion of any ring, hoop, stud, or 2 other object for the purpose of ornamentation of the body. 3 "Piercing" does not include tongue splitting as defined in 4 Section 12-10.2. 5 (c) Exceptions. This Section may not be construed in 6 any way to prohibit any injection, incision, acupuncture, or 7 similar medical or dental procedure performed by a licensed 8 health care professional or other person authorized to 9 perform that procedure. This Section does not prohibit ear 10 piercing. This Section does not apply to a minor emancipated 11 under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 or the Emancipation of 12 Mature Minors Act or by marriage. 13 (Source: P.A. 91-412, eff. 9-5-99; 92-692, eff. 1-1-03.) 14 (720 ILCS 5/12-10.2 new) 15 Sec. 12-10.2. Tongue splitting. 16 (a) In this Section, "tongue splitting" means the 17 cutting of a human tongue into 2 or more parts. 18 (b) A person may not perform tongue splitting on another 19 person unless the person performing the tongue splitting is 20 licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the 21 Medical Practice Act of 1987 or licensed under the Illinois 22 Dental Practice Act. 23 (c) A physician or dentist authorized under subsection 24 (b) to perform tongue splitting may perform tongue splitting 25 on an individual only if there is a therapeutic or clinical 26 basis for performing the procedure on that individual. 27 (d) Sentence. Tongue splitting performed in violation of 28 this Section is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and 29 a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense.