Amendment of Municipal Code Section 8-4-050 expanding definition of trespassing and establishing cumulative fines of $250 to $1,000 dependent on section violation
Votes › Public Safety › 21st Ward: Ronnie L. Mosley
Clerk's short name: Trespassing fines - cumulative and criminal
- Record number: SO2025-0017561
- Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
- Status: Final
- Sponsor: Ronnie L. Mosley (21st Ward)
- Committee: Committee on Public Safety
- Introduction Date: May 21, 2025
- Final Action Date: Apr 15, 2026
- Official record: Office of the City Clerk
Roll call: Passed Apr 15, 2026
50 yea, 0 nay. On motion of Alderperson Hopkins, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of Apr 15, 2026.
Yea (50): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)
Plain-language summary
Written by AI (claude-opus-5-5) from the ordinance text only: SO2025-0017561 Substitute Ordinance_FINAL.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.
This ordinance updates Chicago's trespassing law to add new penalties for people who trespass and also use fake documents or lie about who they are to a police officer to stay on a property. It makes each day of trespassing count as a separate offense and says these penalties can be added on top of other legal penalties. The change takes effect 10 days after it is passed and published.
- Trespassing includes entering or staying on someone's property after being told not to, staying on public property with harmful intent after being told to leave, or damaging buildings or property with paint, tar, acid, or similar substances.
- It becomes a new violation to trespass and show false or fraudulently obtained documents, or lie about your identity to an officer, to try to prove a right to be on the property.
- Each day a trespassing violation continues counts as a separate offense.
- People who use false documents or false identity may also be prosecuted under Section 1-21-010 of the Municipal Code, and these penalties add to any other penalties or lawsuits allowed by law.
- Police may still enforce state criminal trespass laws under the Illinois Criminal Code.
Money
- $100 to $500: fine for basic trespassing (per day the violation continues)
- $250 to $1,000: fine per offense for trespassing while using false documents or lying about identity to an officer
Who: People who trespass on property, especially those who use false documents or false identities, as well as property owners, occupants, and police officers in Chicago.
Where: City of Chicago
Timeline
- May 21, 2025: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
- Jul 24, 2025: Substituted, Committee on Public Safety. The matter was Substituted in Committee.
- Apr 9, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Public Safety. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
- Apr 15, 2026: Passed, City Council (50 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Hopkins, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.
Documents
- w21 - o17561.pdf (Legislation)
- CL.SO2025-0017561.pdf (Committee Letter)
- SO2025-0017561 Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
- SO2025-0017561 Substitute Ordinance_FINAL.pdf (Legislation)
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