Madison County's senior law enforcement was joined by area police chiefs in a bi-partisan and unanimous condemnation of the bill passed by the Illinois Senate in the early hours of Jan. 13, which seeks to enact controversial police 'reform' provisions.
The Illinois Senate passed House Bill 3653 by a vote of 32 to 23. The criminal justice reform measure originated as House Bill 163.
"The unanimous message of the Madison County law enforcement community to our legislature and Governor J.B. Pritzker is: this bill cannot become law, but should be paused and reconsidered next session," according to a statement by State's Attorney Tom Haine, Sheriff John Lakin and a group of Madison County police chiefs.
"In our professional opinion, as drafted, this so-called 'reform' would, in fact, devastate our ability to keep our communities safe and enforce the law fairly and equally for all. Good intentions and some worthwhile reforms are not enough to justify the enactment of so many bad policies at the same time. Public safety and victim's rights are delicate issues that require time and serious consideration by all stakeholders.
"Here, only a week after a 600+ page bill was proposed that revolutionizes virtually every aspect of the criminal justice system in Illinois, it is being rushed to the floor for a vote without consideration for unintended consequences. Illinois communities should not become the testing ground for the rest of the country for rushed and ill-conceived ideas, especially where public safety is concerned," the statement continued.
Illinois Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) opposed the bill passed out of the Senate.
"In the early hours of the morning, Senate Democrat lawmakers rammed through a 764-page criminal justice reform proposal disguised under a new bill number. But, the public will not be fooled," Plummer stated in a press release. "While no longer contained in House Bill 163, this criminal justice reform proposal remains a real and present threat to the safety and wellbeing of our law enforcement personnel, our families and out communities."
"This measure endangers the safety of our citizens and makes it harder for law enforcement to carry out their jobs. There's no denying it, this measure will put dangerous and violent offenders back on the streets and threatens the safety of the public. It's extreme and inexcusable.
"While I wish I could say that I am shocked and dismayed that my Democrat colleagues would think this is how reform proposals should be handled in this chamber, I know better. This is business as usual to push bad and dangerous legislation in the 11th hour, without public input or adequate time to fully vet and understand the full consequences of this proposal.
"This is not how our system of government is supposed to work. These types of shenanigans do not lead to a healthy democracy and, in this instance, they make our law enforcement personnel, our families, and our communities less safe," Plummer said.
Edwardsville Rep. Katie Stuart says the bill passed by the Senate bore no resemblance to the one she originally filed in December, according to a report in the Alton Telegraph.
Stuart did not respond to a request for comment from the Record.
House Bill 163, which Stuart sponsored in the House, related to changes to prescription drug monitoring linked to the ongoing opioid epidemic, the representative said in a statement Monday. Chicago Sen. Elgie Sims Jr. changed the nature of the bill with a 600-page amendment.
"I want to be very clear that the police reform language in Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 163 is not something I had any input on,” Stuart said, according to the Telegraph. "My original bill was rewritten by the Senate sponsors without my consultation.
“My original version of House Bill 163 was about changes to Illinois’ prescription monitoring program."
Haine, a Republican, and Lakin, a Democrat, previously issued a bi-partisan joint statement saying the bill "effectively destroys law enforcement and criminal prosecution as we know it."
They say the bill would "significantly" limit when offenders can be detained; prohibit pre-trial detention when an offender poses a general danger, allowing it only when officials can prove danger to a specific person; limits accountability for accomplices to murder by amending the felony murder rule; and removes multiple due process protections for police officers while also exposing them to new civil liability.
Haine and Lakin highlighted the potential impact of the bill, arguing that the bail element will increase risks to victims, witnesses and the wider community.
It also "severely limits accountability for accomplices to murder" and "removes multiple due process protections for police officers while at the same time exposing them to new civil liability."
“In the name of reform, it effectively destroys law enforcement and criminal prosecution as we know it,” said Haine and Lakin.
“It will be a disaster for victims and public safety by undermining – in multiple different ways - the ability of law enforcement and prosecutors to keep violent criminals off the streets,” they added.
The bill has also been condemned by organizations including the Illinois Sheriffs' Association, the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, the Illinois APCO, and the Illinois Chief's Association.
The Illinois State's Attorneys Association also criticized the bill, stating that if enacted its provisions "will profoundly undermine public safety and overturn long-standing common-sense policies and practices in the criminal justice system."
Bill sponsor Sims called the proposal "a comprehensive, bold, transformative initiative to reform the way we look at criminal justice, violence reduction and police accountability across the state of Illinois."
When pressed for a response, Gov. J.B. Pritzker refused to provide a statement on the bill until he is presented with the final version.