East Central Reporter

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) said the police reform bill passed during the lame-duck session has some major issues. 

“Gov. J.B. Pritzker will soon have a number of new bills awaiting his signature after the condensed lame-duck session that ended last week,” Bailey said in a statement. “One of the most controversial bills that moved forward was a major criminal justice overhaul.”

Bailey went on to encourage people to voice their opinions and urge Gov. Pritzker not to sign. He said the bill has several issues.

“The bill started out as an amendment filed to House Bill 163, but after significant pushback from citizens, police, and prosecutors, the proposal was then moved to an amendment on House Bill 3653,” Bailey said in a statement.

Among the issues raised in the bill is the removal of cash bail by 2023, new training requirements for police officers and body camera mandates. Law agents feel this is just a method of defunding the police.

"Opponents of the legislation note that it will increase costs to police departments, which could lead to fewer police officers on the street or increases to property taxes. The financial issues are why many police groups have referred to the legislation as a backdoor “defund the police” plan," said Bailey in his statement.

Police officers, criminal justice advocates and citizens are actively stating their opposition to the bill. Transparency issues have also been raised as there was no time to review and debate the bill before it was passed.