SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Thursday to tighten a loophole that allowed close relatives to help fugitives flee without fear of getting punished.

Inspired by a Chicago Tribune investigation, the new law allows criminal charges to be filed against a fugitive’s spouse, parent and other close relatives who help him or her avoid prosecution. The new law makes it a felony for close relatives 18 and older to aid the fugitives.

Illinois had been one of only 14 states that exempted close relatives from criminal charges, a point underscored in the Tribune series, “Fugitives from Justice,” which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for investigative reporting.