* Instead of dodging questions about a cartoon decried as racist, why didn’t the governor point to some real action yesterday? From the Illinois branch of the ACLU…

[Yesterday], Governor Rauner signed into law House Bill 3803, a measure that fixed the charge of unlawful gang conduct in Illinois statute. The charge has been used, largely with young men of color in Chicago, to arrest and charge individuals who are doing nothing more than being present in their own neighborhoods. Below, please statements from the two legislative sponsors – Senator Toi Hutchinson and Representative Kelly Cassidy – as well as my colleague Khadine Bennett.

Statement of State Senator Toi Hutchinson
Chief Senate Sponsor
House Bill 3803
August 22, 2017

With the Governor’s signature, we have been able to work together to make life better for thousands of persons – mostly young men of color – being arrested and subjected to prosecution for simply being in their own neighborhoods. I thank my colleagues in the Senate who joined in making this the law in Illinois.

Statement of State Representative Kelly Cassidy
Chief House Sponsor
House Bill 3803
August 22, 2017

The Governor today has moved forward a fix to one of the worst abuses of criminal law in our state. The notion that someone could be arrested and prosecuted simply for being in their neighborhood, talking to people, or in their own yard, is beyond troubling. I’m grateful to all of my colleagues who supported this fix. We ought to target our law enforcement resources towards those who are committing crimes, not just hanging out.

Statement of Khadine Bennett, Director
Advocacy and Intergovernmental Affairs
American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois
RE: Signing of House Bill 3803
August 22, 2017

Today, Governor Rauner helped bring a measure of sanity and fairness to the criminal justice system in Illinois – eliminating the charge of “unlawful gang contact” being applied to people who engage in no criminal conduct. These arrests – there were nearly 2,000 of them in Chicago during 2015 – resulted from such dangerous conduct as standing in one’s own yard, talking to neighbors or sitting on one’s porch.

The bill signed today simply requires that someone be engaged in a crime or other gang-related activity to be arrested and prosecuted for unlawful gang conduct. This reflects not just good policy, but aligns with our basic constitutional notions that police simply cannot arrest someone because they do not like who they are or where they are located.

We thank the Governor for seeing the wisdom in this position and Senator Toi Hutchinson and Representative Kelly Cassidy for championing this measure.

* Nothing from the governor’s office except this in a long bill-signing list…

Bill No.: HB 3803
An Act Concerning Criminal Law
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 01, 2018

* Sun-Times…

Cassidy credited reporting by the Chicago Sun-Times for highlighting the unfairness of the current law. “When you draw attention to something that’s ridiculous, then you get a chance to fix it,” she said.

The Sun-Times reported earlier this year that Chicago police have made thousands of arrests for gang contact by parolees, mostly after the city decriminalized low-level marijuana possession in 2012. The total includes 375 arrests made this year through mid-May, city data show.

Cops have arrested parolees for doing nothing other than sitting on porches, getting rides or hanging out with neighbors identified as gang members.

Police say they stepped up enforcement in an effort to prevent gun violence. But Kelly and other legislators said the law is tilted against people who’ve returned from prison to neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West sides, where it’s difficult to avoid other ex-offenders.

The earlier Sun-Times report was headlined: “Even being seen with gang member sends 1,000s to jail.” Definitely worth a re-read.

*** UPDATE ***  Again, not a single word out of the governor’s office on this bill signing even though he’s being pummeled for cavorting with racists. From a press release…

In the wake of growing outrage over acts of violence and hate in Charlottesville, VA, Governor Bruce Rauner this week signed legislation that strengthens penalties for those who commit hate crimes in Illinois.

State Representative David S. Olsen (R-Downers Grove), Chief Co-Sponsor of HB 2390, said the signing of the bill sends a clear message to those who would target others based on their race, color, creed, religion or other perceived classification that their behavior will not be tolerated.

“The nation is still reeling from the acts of domestic terrorism that occurred just two short weeks ago in Virginia,” said Olsen. “As lawmakers, we must do everything in our power to help prevent future instances of hate crimes. This is not a partisan issue; it’s a human issue. I was proud to serve as the leading Republican on this incredibly important piece of bipartisan legislation.”

HB 2390, signed into law on August 22 as Public Act 100-0260, increases the amount of damages for which a defendant can be held liable and also ensures that sentences for multiple convictions for hate crimes will be served consecutively rather than concurrently. The new law also includes an educational provision, so that rather than just being penalized for their crime, defendants will face an educational sentence so they may learn why their actions were wrong.

The bill received unanimous support in both the House and Senate during the spring legislative session.