East Central Reporter

Rep. Adam Niemerg thinks that the elimination of cash bail is going to let criminals free who would otherwise have been locked up.

“Of course, eliminating cash bail will make our communities less safe. Criminals who would otherwise be locked up will be back on the streets free to commit more crimes. We are potentially putting people’s lives at risk by eliminating cash bail,” said Niemerg.

Supporters of the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act, including the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, point to the legislation as a step towards making the justice system more equitable for minorities. Republicans have called the SAFE-T Act a “de facto defund the police bill" because of the additional regulations it places on police officers.

The SAFE-T Act will eliminate cash bail in Illinois, effective Jan. 1, 2023, which critics claim will lead to more criminals out on the streets. When asked about whether the elimination of cash bail would make the justice system more fair, Rep. Niemerg replied, “I think we can and should look at ways to make bail more accessible for low-income people, but we need to make sure we are not endangering people’s lives. The safety of our communities is paramount.”

Multiple state's attorneys expressed concern over the legislation at a media briefing in April, according to the Center Square. One of the biggest concerns for many is the elimination of cash bail. State Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) said that some of the provisions regarding law enforcement are driving people away from the field.

“It's been very frustrating to see our law enforcement officers retire early, some of our sheriff’s retire early, and our students not wanting to go into the law enforcement field,” Fowler said.

Regarding the SAFE-T Act, Rep. Niemerg said, “I voted against the SAFE-T Act because it is bad policy. We need to repeal it and start over. We need comprehensive legislation that prioritizes the safety of our communities. We have had businesses leave our state because of concerns about rising crime. This is unacceptable. We need to stop the rise in violent crime by supporting law enforcement and implementing better policies.”

Gov. Pritzker recently defended the elimination of cash bail, according to The Center Square. "We do not want someone in jail because they were arrested for a low-level crime like shoplifting to be sitting in jail for months or maybe even years," Pritzker said. "At the same time, someone who is a wealthy drug dealer, perhaps accused of murder and arrested, can show up with a suitcase full of money and get out of jail."