SPRINGFIELD - People who violate an order of protection could be outfitted with a satellite tracking device in order to make sure they stay away from their victims, under legislation approved by the Illinois House Thursday.

The measure is patterned after a Massachusetts law that gives judges the option of using global positioning satellite systems in cases where people are repeatedly harassing others.

The legislation won unanimous approval and now heads to the Senate for further debate.

It has moved quickly through the legislative process in the wake of the March murder of a woman in suburban Chicago who was being stalked by an ex-boyfriend despite a restraining order.

The tracking device, which would be paid for by the person who is ordered to wear it, could be programmed to trigger an alarm if the person got to close to his or her victim.

The legislation is House Bill 3038.