State Representative Patrick Windhorst (IL) | Representative Patrick Windhorst (R) 117th District
State Representative Patrick Windhorst (IL) | Representative Patrick Windhorst (R) 117th District
State Representative Patrick Windhorst has put forth a legislative proposal, House Bill 1478, aimed at safeguarding children from the dangers of fentanyl exposure. The bill seeks to introduce two new criminal offenses: fentanyl-related child endangerment and aggravated fentanyl-related child endangerment.
According to the provisions of the proposed legislation, it would be considered a crime to knowingly or recklessly expose any child under the age of 18 to fentanyl. The offense escalates to an aggravated charge if such exposure results in severe consequences for the child, including death, significant injury, disability, or disfigurement.
The motivation behind this bill stems from incidents that occurred in Massac County where children were exposed to and ingested fentanyl. Massac County State’s Attorney Josh Stratemeyer brought forward the concept for this legislation following these events. If enacted into law, the penalties would include:
For fentanyl-related child endangerment: a Class 2 Felony with a possible prison sentence of up to seven years.
For aggravated fentanyl-related child endangerment: a Class X Felony with potential imprisonment of up to thirty years and fines reaching $100,000.
The introduction of this bill highlights an urgent need to address the ongoing fentanyl crisis and its impact on children.
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