On Monday, Gov. Pritzker signed House Bill 3653, the controversial criminal justice reform bill that was passed in the extremely early hours of the lame-duck session, despite being opposed by nearly every law enforcement organization in the state.
The new law empowers criminals by making it harder to arrest violent offenders and keep them off the streets. It also increases both costs and requirements on police departments, meaning that many communities would likely see cuts to their local police departments, higher property taxes, or a combination of the two.
“This is a dangerous new law that will make our communities less safe, it’s that simple. I had hoped Governor Pritzker would listen to the voices of people from across this state, including police officers, prosecutors, and every-day people, who urged him to veto this bill,” said Senator Bailey. “This new law will make it harder for police officers to arrest criminals, make it more difficult for prosecutors to keep offenders off the streets, and will force police departments to make cuts or raise taxes. By signing this bill, Governor Pritzker has given criminals the upper hand over the brave men and women of our law enforcement community.”