Bill Text: IL HB4262 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the bill with these changes. Creates the Protecting Children from Hidden Cameras Act. Creates a civil action for a child or the parent or legal guardian on behalf of a child if a person knowingly makes or transmits a video record of the child using a concealed or disguised recording device, or otherwise in a manner intended to avoid detection, without the consent of the child's parent or guardian in a restroom, tanning bed, tanning salon, locker room, changing room, hotel guest accommodations, or in a residence in which the child does not reside in an area in which a person would reasonably expect privacy. Exempts (1) a parent or legal guardian of the child who is the subject of the recording unless the parent's or legal guardian's action is prohibited by a law other than the Act; (2) a recording made by law enforcement in the lawful performance of official duties; and (3) a recording made in good faith in the reporting of unlawful conduct. Authorizes a prevailing plaintiff to recover economic and noneconomic damages, punitive damages, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Provides that if a State agency or unit of local government is required by law or ordinance to inspect certain locations, the inspection must also include an inspection for hidden cameras and establishes requirements for notification to law enforcement if a hidden camera is discovered. Provides that if a hidden camera is discovered outside of an inspection conducted by a State agency or unit of local government, the person or entity discovering the device must immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agency and preserve any reasonably available evidence relating to the device until collected by law enforcement or otherwise directed by law enforcement. Effective immediately.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2026-08-27 - Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Darby A. Hills [HB4262 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4262-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning civil law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Protecting Children from Hidden Cameras Act.
Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Child" means an unemancipated individual who is less than
18 years of age.
"Consent" means affirmative, conscious, and voluntary
authorization by an individual with legal capacity to give
authorization.
"Hidden camera" means a miniature or disguised recording
device that can record or film a person while that person has
no awareness that the device is present or being used.
"Hotel" means any building or buildings in which the
public may, for a consideration, obtain living quarters,
sleeping accommodations, or housekeeping accommodations. The
term includes inns, motels, tourist homes or courts, lodging
houses, rooming houses, apartment houses, retreat centers,
conference centers, hunting lodges, and short-term rentals.
"Hotel guest accommodations" means living quarters,
sleeping accommodations, housekeeping accommodations, or
private rooms or suites rented or occupied by a guest within a

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hotel, motel, or similar establishment that are intended for
the private use of guests. The term includes restrooms located
within or serving those accommodations. The term does not
include stairwells, corridors, laundry facilities, employee
areas, or other areas open to the general public in which there
is no reasonable expectation of privacy.
"Live video" means any real time or contemporaneous
electronic or digital transmission of a still or moving visual
image.
"Residence" includes a rental dwelling, but does not
include stairwells, corridors, laundry facilities, or
additional areas in which the general public has access.
"Video record" means any videotape, photograph, film, or
other electronic or digital recording of a still or moving
visual image.
Section 10. Civil action.
(a) A cause of action is created for a child or the parent
or guardian of the child on behalf of the child if a person or
entity knowingly makes or transmits a video record of the
child using a concealed or disguised recording device, or
otherwise in a manner intended to avoid detection, without the
consent of the child's parent or guardian in any of the
following locations:
(1) A restroom, tanning bed, tanning salon, locker
room, changing room, or hotel guest accommodations.

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(2) A residence in which the child does not reside, in
an area or place within that residence in which a person
would reasonably expect privacy.
(b) This Section does not apply to any of the following:
(1) A parent or legal guardian of the child who is the
subject of the recording unless the parent's or legal
guardian's action is prohibited by a law other than this
Act.
(2) A recording made by law enforcement in the lawful
performance of official duties.
(3) A recording made in good faith in the reporting of
unlawful conduct.
Section 15. Violation of Act is per se harmful. A child who
proves by a preponderance of the evidence that a defendant
violated this Act against the child is considered obviously
and materially harmful to the child and is deemed to be per se
harmful and traumatic. A child does not need to present
additional evidence to prove the child was harmed, but the
child may present additional evidence to show the extent of
the harm. Nothing in this Section may be construed to state
that a child discovered the cause of action at any particular
time, or that a child realized that the child's damages were
related to the violation of this Act at any particular time.
Section 20. Privacy of children.

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(a) In an action under this Act:
(1) a plaintiff may proceed by using a pseudonym in
place of the true name of the plaintiff under Section
2-401 of the Code of Civil Procedure; and
(2) the court may exclude or redact from all pleadings
and documents filed in the action other identifying
characteristics of the plaintiff.
(b) If a plaintiff uses a pseudonym as provided in this
Section, the plaintiff must file with the court and serve on
the defendant a confidential information form that includes
the excluded or redacted plaintiff's name and other
identifying characteristics.
(c) The court may make further orders as necessary to
protect the identity and privacy of a plaintiff.
(d) If a plaintiff is granted privacy protections under
this Section, a defendant may file a motion with the court to
receive the same privacy protections. The court may deny or
grant the motion at its discretion.
Section 25. Remedies.
(a) In an action under this Act, a prevailing plaintiff
may recover:
(1) economic and noneconomic damages proximately
caused by the defendant's violation of this Act,
including, but not limited to, damages for emotional
distress whether or not accompanied by other damages;

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(2) punitive damages; and
(3) reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the
prevailing plaintiff.
(b) This Act does not affect or limit a right or remedy
available under any other law of this State.
Section 30. Statute of limitations.
(a) An action under this Act may not be brought later than
2 years from the date the cause of action was discovered or
should have been discovered with the exercise of reasonable
diligence.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), this
Section is subject to the tolling statutes of this State.
(c) If a cause of action accrues for a violation of this
Act against a child, the time specified in subsection (a) of
this Section does not begin to run until the child becomes
emancipated or attains the age of majority.
Section 35. Inspections for hidden cameras. If a State
agency or unit of local government is required by law or
ordinance to inspect a restroom, tanning bed, tanning salon,
locker room, changing room, or hotel guest accommodations, the
State agency or unit of local government must also inspect for
hidden cameras.
If a hidden camera is discovered during an inspection
conducted by a State agency or unit of local government, the

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State agency or unit of local government must immediately
notify the appropriate law enforcement agency.
If a hidden camera is discovered outside of an inspection
conducted by a State agency or unit of local government, the
person or entity discovering the device must immediately
notify the appropriate law enforcement agency and preserve any
reasonably available evidence relating to the device until
collected by law enforcement or otherwise directed by law
enforcement.
Section 97. Applicability. This Act applies to causes of
action accruing on or after the effective date of this Act.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.