* WBBM…
A sharply divided Naperville City Council rejected a resolution calling on Governor Pritzker to veto the criminal justice reform bill recently passed by the General Assembly.
The criminal justice reform bill passed by state lawmakers would end cash bail and eventually require every police officer in the state to be equipped with a body camera. It is now heading to Governor Pritzker’s desk. […]
House Republican leader Jim Durkin spoke at the virtual city council meeting.
“It’s an insult to people who really truly believe in police reform, but also, it is an insult to the men and women - the 99.9 percent I mentioned earlier, who wear the badge and do it with honor,” he said.
“It is a monstrosity consisting of 764 pages. A hodgepodge of changes between a police certification proposal and a massive police reform bill.”
The resolution was voted down 5-4.
* More on the bill from Capitol News Illinois…
Some opponents also accused the original bill of defunding the police as well as the communities they serve, due to a provision that would cut state funds to areas where law enforcement agencies didn’t follow mandatory body cameras laws.
On the third day of the lame duck session, the Black Caucus held a news conference regarding their agenda. Sims, one of the criminal justice bill’s chief architects alongside Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, noted their openness to compromise. Specifically, he cited the cash bail provision: While the bill’s original language would end the practice immediately, Sims said they were planning on pushing back the date two years at the behest of Illinois courts to make the transition to a new system easier.
Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, tweeted after the lame duck session about this period of negotiation. According to Ellman, she and other moderate Democrats opposed the more controversial provisions and withheld crucial votes that halted the advance of the legislation while these measures remained. […]
On Jan. 13, the last day of the lame duck session, the final version of the legislation was introduced well after midnight. Much of the bill’s language remained consistent with earlier drafts, but provisions affecting collective bargaining and ending qualified immunity for officers were removed in the final draft, muting the opposition from some of the key players, including the AFL/CIO.
* The cash bail provision was also altered. From Sen. Ellman…
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 2:59 pm:
Naperville is more and more taking actions to move on from their previous reputation. That’s great to see.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:05 pm:
Durkie loses a suburban city council vote…says a lot about the GOPies braintrust
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:15 pm:
I imagine Naperville would prefer not to lead the charge on something that could reinforce their reputation as a “white community.”
Durkin should have known better.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:26 pm:
I don’t know why Jim Durkin insists on compounding his losses, but it’s sure fun to watch.
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
Shades of Raunerite thinking and getting counties and towns to vote on anti-labor resolutions.
That’s was fun.
Same results… but fun.
- dr - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:37 pm:
Senator Ellman is one smart woman.
- A Well-Regulated Commenter - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:37 pm:
A candidate for Naperville city council has signs out with the slogan “Our Heritage, Your Future”. She’s only missing 10 words in that slogan to bring out the true meaning.
- Frumpy White Guy - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:47 pm:
Very pleased with Naperville.
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:51 pm:
Naperville may have a “white” reputation but in my opinion was always one of the more liberal towns in DuPage. I realize being considered liberal and accommodating to minorities compared to the rest of DuPage is not exactly a high bar.
- Lefty Lefty - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:11 pm:
Can any commenter or Republican in government explain what the actual problem is with this legislation?
Also, from the WBBM article: “It is not heading to Governor Pritzker’s desk.” That should be “now”?
- A - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:17 pm:
Naperville’s “white” reputation is unfounded.
It has one of the highest Asian populations in the US for it’s size population Somewhere between 15-18% (15 in 2010 census, 18 in 2018 figures).
Unless Asians don’t count as minority populations
- Payback - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:25 pm:
“…it is an insult to the men and women - the 99.9 percent I mentioned earlier, who wear the badge and do it with honor,” No one who cares anything at all about the rule of law and the Constitution should find it even remotely acceptable that Durkin or anyone else in America thinks it’s okay for police to commit crimes, because it’s only 1/10th of one per cent, according to his opinion. What survey does Durkin get this (unscientific) percentage from anyway?
Notice you never hear anyone, anywhere, stating that “most judges/prosecutors/public defenders are not corrupt, so we don’t need to watch what they do.” Greylord, anybody?
- crazybleedingheart - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:31 pm:
No profession has a 0.1% bad guy rate and Jim Durkin knows from experience that he is lying about the bad police rate.
So…what does that make him?
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:33 pm:
Since they took out the change to qualified immunity and labor stuff I have no idea what the problem is. Even going way back I was always told and often only argument I had was defendant was not a flight risk. People can not wrap their head around fact that just because you are arrested doesn’t mean you are guilty. I am actually surprised that defense bar doesn’t oppose it because easier to get bond slip for payment than chase a client.
- Jocko - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:35 pm:
==99.9 percent I mentioned earlier==
I guess that sounds better than “Let’s give 700 bad cops a pass. The rest are ok.”
- Cricket - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:37 pm:
Capitol Fax was referenced during the discussion.
- Pelonski - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:45 pm:
I’m generally supportive of law enforcement, but so far I’ve yet to see anything that jumps out at me as unreasonable about the bill. If it is in there, the opposition needs to do a much better job explaining why I should be concerned.
- DuPage - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 4:55 pm:
Carjacking, armed robbery, attempted murder, etc. should still have bond required.
- Put the fun in unfunded - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 5:09 pm:
Yes there are bad cops. But which is higher: percentage of Sen. Ellman’s caucus indicted in last General Assembly (7.5%) or % of bad cops?
- JoanP - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 5:40 pm:
=I am actually surprised that defense bar doesn’t oppose it because easier to get bond slip for payment than chase a client. =
Fact is, some defense attorneys, particularly in Cook County, have opposed it for that very reason.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 5:45 pm:
“Carjacking, armed robbery, attempted murder, etc. should still have bond required.”
Why?
If the accused is a flight risk or a danger to the community, they should be held regardless of whether they can afford post bond or not.
If the accused isn’t a flight risk or a danger to the community, they should be released regardless of whether they can afford post bond or not.
Numerous studies have shown that bail does very little to achieve its purported purpose of ensuring court attendance — people released on their own recognizance were just as likely to come back to court for their trials as people who posted money bond and no more likely to reoffend awaiting trial.
https://bja.ojp.gov/library/publications/unsecured-bonds-effective-and-most-efficient-pretrial-release-option
– MrJM
- BCOSEC - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 6:43 pm:
The concern is that courts have no discretion and must release those alleged of certain violent crimes or major drug crimes (think van load of meth or heroin) because there is not a threat to a specific, identifiable person.
Hopefully with the effective date not until 2023, there can be tweaks made to alleviate these concerns.
Also, the final version of the bill got much tougher on those who fail to appear in court. Judge has discretion to jail for up to 30 days for each FTA, after a hearing with counsel, of course. That should get the attention of the worst FTA offenders. There are several who FTA, knowing mom or grandma will post the low FTA Bail, which ends up paying the fines and assessments in full when they plead.
Elimination of cash bail means less criminals taking advantage of mom and grandma, who usually can’t afford the cash bail anyway without hardship.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:39 pm:
- Put the fun in unfunded - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 5:09 pm:
Definitely bad cops, as over 1 in 4 cops commit domestic violence.
https://sites.temple.edu/klugman/2020/07/20/do-40-of-police-families-experience-domestic-violence/
And over 11% of cops are disciplined for misconduct.
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2019/04/24/usa-today-revealing-misconduct-records-police-cops/3223984002/