IL HB5037

Changes mandatory firearm enhancement sentences to discretionary for certain offenses, allowing courts to add 15, 20, or 25 years instead of requiring those additions.

Requires that firearm enhancements only apply if the defendant was personally armed with and personally displaying the firearm, removing provisions allowing natural life imprisonment as an alternative to these enhancements.

Applies changes to multiple crimes including attempt to commit first degree murder, intentional homicide of an unborn child, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated battery, armed robbery, aggravated vehicular hijacking, and home invasion.

Removes language permitting natural life imprisonment for certain firearm-related enhancements, replacing it with discretionary enhancement sentences of up to 15, 20, or 25 years depending on the circumstances.

Amends both the Criminal Code of 2012 and the Unified Code of Corrections to make firearm sentence enhancements discretionary rather than mandatory for courts to impose.