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| 1 | AN ACT concerning criminal law.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by changing | ||||||
| 5 | the heading of Article 24.6 and Section 24.6-5 and by adding | ||||||
| 6 | Section 24.6-25 as follows:
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| 7 | (720 ILCS 5/Art. 24.6 heading) | ||||||
| 8 | ARTICLE 24.6. LASER AND LASER POINTERS
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| 9 | (720 ILCS 5/24.6-5)
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| 10 | Sec. 24.6-5. Definitions. In this Article:
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| 11 | "Aircraft" means any contrivance now known or hereafter | ||||||
| 12 | invented, used, or designed for navigation of or flight in the | ||||||
| 13 | air, but excluding parachutes. | ||||||
| 14 | "Laser" means both of the following: | ||||||
| 15 | (1) any device that utilizes the natural oscillations | ||||||
| 16 | of atoms or molecules between energy levels for generating | ||||||
| 17 | coherent electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, | ||||||
| 18 | visible, or infrared region of the spectrum and when | ||||||
| 19 | discharged exceeds one milliwatt continuous wave; | ||||||
| 20 | (2) any device designed or used to amplify | ||||||
| 21 | electromagnetic radiation by simulated emission that is | ||||||
| 22 | visible to the human eye. | ||||||
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| 1 | "Laser pointer" means a hand-held device that emits light | ||||||
| 2 | amplified by the
stimulated emission of radiation that is | ||||||
| 3 | visible to the human eye.
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| 4 | "Laser sight" means a laser pointer that can be attached to | ||||||
| 5 | a firearm and can
be used to improve the accuracy of the | ||||||
| 6 | firearm.
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| 7 | (Source: P.A. 91-252, eff. 1-1-00.)
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| 8 | (720 ILCS 5/24.6-25 new) | ||||||
| 9 | Sec. 24.6-25. Discharging a laser at an aircraft. | ||||||
| 10 | (a) A person commits discharging a laser at an aircraft | ||||||
| 11 | when he or she intentionally or knowingly aims and discharges a | ||||||
| 12 | laser or other device that creates visible light into the | ||||||
| 13 | cockpit of an aircraft that is in the process of taking off, | ||||||
| 14 | landing, or is in flight. | ||||||
| 15 | (b) Exceptions. This Section does not apply to the | ||||||
| 16 | following individuals who aim and discharge a laser or other | ||||||
| 17 | device at an aircraft: | ||||||
| 18 | (1) an authorized individual in the conduct of research | ||||||
| 19 | and development or flight test operations conducted by an | ||||||
| 20 | aircraft manufacturer, the Federal Aviation | ||||||
| 21 | Administration, or any other person authorized by the | ||||||
| 22 | Federal Aviation Administration to conduct such research | ||||||
| 23 | and development or flight test operations; or | ||||||
| 24 | (2) members or elements of the Department of Defense or | ||||||
| 25 | Department of Homeland Security acting in an official | ||||||
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| 1 | capacity for the purpose of research, development, | ||||||
| 2 | operations, testing, or training. | ||||||
| 3 | (c) Sentence. Discharging a laser at an aircraft is a Class | ||||||
| 4 | A misdemeanor.
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