Kenton’s Law honored by Kane County board after youth shares experience with juvenile arrest
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Summary
Kane County recognized passage of House Bill 3,281 (Kenton’s Law), which gives law enforcement discretion in juvenile domestic incidents. State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and Kenton, whose case helped prompt the change, addressed the board during a proclamation and photo opportunity.
Kane County’s board on Jan. 13 formally recognized passage of House Bill 3,281 — known locally as Kenton’s Law — during a proclamation read by State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser.
Mosser told the board she began pushing for the change three years ago after learning the Illinois Domestic Violence Act required mandatory arrest in nearly all domestic-violence incidents, including those involving juveniles. “The law before mandated that anytime there was domestic violence, the police officers had to make an arrest,” Mosser said. She described how the statute did not allow officers to consider the circumstances of juvenile conflicts and said the new law restores discretion for officers to divert some young people to social services rather than arresting them.
Kenton, a 16-year-old who spoke to the legislature about his experience, told the board he was arrested after a brief fight with his brother and spent a weekend at the juvenile courthouse. “Everyone deserves a chance to be heard,” Kenton said. “We all may make mistakes in life, and it’s about how we bounce back from our mistakes.”
Mosser said the bill, introduced by state Representative Matthew Hanson, was passed unanimously by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker; the proclamation cites the law becoming Public Act 104-290 effective Nov. 13, 2025. The board voted to adopt the proclamation and posed for photographs with Kenton and his family.
The recognition highlighted one local application of a state law change supporters say will give officers tools to handle adolescent incidents through assessment and services rather than automatic arrest. According to the proclamation read to the board, the law allows officers to use an adolescent domestic battery typology tool and to consider diversion to social work or other services when appropriate.
The board’s action was ceremonial; Mosser and Kenton said the significance is in how the change will be implemented by law enforcement and schools going forward.
