Macon Reporter

State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) is championing House Bill 2607, a measure that would allow children 13 and younger to provide court testimony via closed-circuit television.

According to the Illinois General Assembly website, the measure was first filed by State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) and upon arrival in the Senate earlier this year, Rose signed on as chief sponsor.

“This is an important layer of protection for children who have been victims of the worst types of crimes, who would be re-victimized all over again by having to speak about the worst moments of their life in front of a courtroom of strangers, while their abuser stares them down,” Rose stated in a news release on his website.

According to the news release, Rose said the measure was sparked by a local case where constituents were forced to pursue court actions to keep their child from being forced to testify against their abuser in open court.

“The entire court process made a horrific situation even worse and proved to be extremely traumatic for both the child and their family,” Rose said in the news release.

Niemerg noted in a statement on his website that the bill has gained the backing of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

“Protecting our kids should be our highest priority,” Niemerg said in the statement. “Kids should not have to be placed in the same room as their abusers when they give their testimony.”

Moreover, Niemerg noted on his website that accommodations should be made to ensure that children can testify via closed-circuit television or some other remote option, something already done in some circumstances, and House Bill 2607 would make this the standard.

“It is a good idea that is long overdue,” he said in the statement. “The safety and mental well-being of our kids are paramount. I appreciate the strong bipartisan support this legislation has received. I will continue to build support for it in the Senate.”

According to a biography on his website, Rose has represented the 51st District since 2013 after representing the 110th District for a decade. A lifelong resident of Illinois, he lives in Mahomet with his wife and children.