Public Act 90-0669 of the 90th General Assembly
Public Act 90-0669
HB1368 Enrolled LRB9004424RCks
AN ACT to amend the Criminal Code of 1961 by adding
Article 20.5.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by
adding Article 20.5 as follows:
(720 ILCS 5/Art. 20.5 heading new)
ARTICLE 20.5. CAUSING A CATASTROPHE
(720 ILCS 5/20.5-5 new)
Sec. 20.5-5. Causing a catastrophe.
(a) A person commits the offense of causing a
catastrophe if he or she knowingly causes a catastrophe by
explosion, fire, flood, collapse of a building, release of
poison, radioactive material, bacteria, virus, or other
dangerous and difficult to confine force or substance.
(b) As used in this Section, "catastrophe" means serious
physical injury to 5 or more persons or substantial damage to
5 or more buildings or inhabitable structures or substantial
damage to a vital public facility that seriously impairs its
usefulness or operation; and "vital public facility" means a
facility that is necessary to ensure or protect the public
health, safety, or welfare, including but not limited to, a
hospital, law enforcement agency, fire department, private or
public utility company, national defense contractor, a
facility of the armed forces, or emergency services agency.
(c) Sentence. Causing a catastrophe is a Class X
felony.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.