Illinois’ eavesdropping law under scrutiny as NATO summit nears
Some state lawmakers hope to amend Illinois’ strict eavesdropping law before this spring when Chicago will host the NATO summit, where thousands of protesters are expected to take to the streets and possibly clash with police officers.
Unless the all-party consent law is amended before May, any person, whether a journalist or protester, caught recording a police officer on duty without consent would be charged with felony and could face up to 15 years in prison.
The proposed bill, led by State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, would amend the law to allow the recording of a police officer while on the job in a public setting – without the officer’s consent.