On Monday, Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 3653 into law. The 700+ page legislation makes sweeping changes to Illinois’ criminal justice system, and the bill was opposed by nearly every law enforcement organization in the state. In response to the signing of the legislation, Illinois State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) issued the following statement:
“Gov. Pritzker has enacted this hyper-partisan legislation against the strong objections of nearly every law enforcement organization in the state, and against the great concern of the general public.
“This 700-plus page proposal was rammed through in the middle of the night with just hours left in a Lame Duck session without the transparency and discourse expected in a democratic process.
“There are some positives in this legislation – specifically the changes that make it easier to reprimand and de-certify bad actors in law enforcement who have broken the public’s trust. Unfortunately, the negatives, which could have been further negotiated had the sponsors been open to bipartisan support, will undoubtedly make our communities less safe.
“Since House Bill 3653 passed, Senate Republicans have hosted about 30 virtual town halls with our local law enforcement groups in an attempt to better understand how these provisions will negatively affect their departments and our communities. We will be addressing some of their biggest concerns through legislation to be introduced this session to help ensure Illinois communities are safe for all.”