McLean County Times

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) is supporting the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus’ updated legislative package targeting violent crime and supporting law enforcement.

The Republican Caucus again pleaded their case at a press conference held on Feb. 1 at the Capitol rotunda for Democrats to do something about what they describe as a “crime wave” sweeping the state. Senate Republicans presented an updated legislative package that targets violent crime, a press release said.

“This legislative package is critically needed if we hope to stem the current tides sweeping across Illinois,” Rezin said in a press release.

The package has several proposals to target crime and support law enforcement, including providing a mandatory 10-year sentence for first-time convictions and life sentences for second-time offenses for such crimes as aggravated vehicular hijacking or aggravated carjacking plus requiring defendants to serve at least 85% of their sentences if they commit aggravated battery against a police officer or bring a weapon or contraband into a penal institution.

“People throughout Illinois are rightfully scared for their safety and the safety of their loved ones as they watch violent crime skyrocket,” Rezin said. “We cannot continue to sit idly by as this crime wave continues to spread and worsen. … As a mother myself, we owe it to the parents of this state to provide a safer place for them to raise their kids. Our first step to doing that is by supporting our police and enabling them to do their jobs.”

A “Fund the Police Act” is included in the legislative package, which would provide grants of $125 million per year to local governments for several initiatives, including hiring, rehiring and retention of law enforcement officers. The package also has bills to help stop the flow of illegal guns to criminals and provides mental health treatment to detainees.

The package also calls for the repeal of the bail provisions of the “SAFE-T Act.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act into law in February 2021. Among several things, the bill abolishes cash bail, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority said.

“The 2021 Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act enacts extensive reform impacting many areas of the criminal justice system, including pre-arrest diversion, policing, pretrial, sentencing, and corrections,” the Authority said.

Illinois House Republicans have introduced the resolution HR598 to repeal the SAFE-T Act. As of Feb. 4, 6,699 people have signed an online petition to repeal the legislation.

“House Democrats voted yes, House Republicans voted NO. Violent crime is up, police retirements are increasing, and our communities are less safe,” the petition said. “House Republicans are sponsoring legislation that would repeal the so-called ‘SAFE-T Act.’”