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Black Caucus lays out some of its agenda

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Illinois

Seeking to address the systemic racism plaguing the nation and the painful looting that devastated the South and West sides, African American state legislators on Tuesday called for money to rebuild, criminal justice reforms to heal and an executive order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker to “to immediately respond to the crisis in our community.” […]

With billions in federal funding from the federal stimulus bill at his disposal and a recent budget passed by the state Legislature that gives Pritzker some discretion in spending, [Rep. La Shawn Ford. D-Chicago] said an executive order will go a long way in rebuilding the state and give the governor the ability to “operate outside of the Legislature,” that could free up spending from “lockboxes” to deal with the crisis.

The federal money is separated into funds for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and for COVID-19 related response that Ford said should be spent on African-American communities around the state. Ford argues that federal grants as well as money allocated in the operating and capital budgets could be used to rebuild the state. […]

The General Assembly is not scheduled to return to Springfield until November for the fall veto session, but on Tuesday the caucus of black state senators and House members offered up proposed police reforms. State Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, suggested the Legislature make it easier for people to access police misconduct files, work on “modernizing” the use of force statue and protect whistleblowers within police departments.

* Capitol News Illinois…

State Sen. Elgie Sims, a Chicago Democrat, said the Black Caucus has worked to make Illinois the first state to authorize body cameras, banned use of the chokehold, made efforts to combat racial profiling permanent, removed barriers to unemployment and obtaining various licenses, and made expungement more available for non-violent offenders.

“The fight continues. And we will continue to work to reform our state, criminal justice system, which has far too often criminalized poverty, mental illness and substance abuse, as opposed to addressing the underlying challenges of years of chronic disinvestment, and the byproduct of the policies of benign neglect.”

The lawmakers said they fought this session to include funding for black communities in the state’s appropriation of federal CARES Act funding, and that education programs and other initiatives important to minority communities did not lose needed financial aid.

Going forward, the lawmakers said they wanted to see government investment in the communities hardest hit by looters, many of which were African-American neighborhoods on Chicago’s south and west sides, according to Chicago Democratic Rep. Lamont Robinson Jr.

“Our work is cut out for us,” he said. “We do not accept burned out storefronts and looted shops will be the monument to George Floyd. To rebuild, we need lenders to make sure capital is available. We need the programs and services of our state and local governments laser-focused on returning these businesses to viability, for the sake of our communities.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 11:02 am

Comments

I would love to see more focus on Judges, and attorneys. Police arrest, but the destruction wrought by disproportionate sentencing and/or disproportionate incarceration is on the legal system. You can train police to ease on approach and be increasingly fair, but if those of color who are arrested are disproportionally treated in court, then the problem persists.

Comment by Friend of the Family Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 11:16 am
@Friend of the Family -

Years ago, an organization I was involved with wanted to do something to recognize MLK, Jr. Day. I said, let’s put some observers in bond court and publicize the disparity between how white and non-white defendants were treated.

They decided to have an essay contest.

Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 11:43 am
@Friend of the Family -

“the destruction wrought by disproportionate sentencing and/or disproportionate incarceration is on the legal system.”

Co-sign.

Comment by Hawkeye J Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 11:55 am
Yes their needs to be reform to fight against racism at all levels. Any Federal Money that has been sent to Illinois mainly for the pandemic should be spent for the pandemic throughout the State. I understand the outrage caused by racism and we are all responsible for that but the failure of the state and local governments to control their police officers should not take any money needed for this pandemic to be diverted from its intended use and need. The Governor has powers to spend money necessary for the pandemic but all other expenditures need to go through the proper process. The legislature should be up to the task of serving their constituents by meeting during this pandemic and emergency and passing ethical reforms for themselves and others.

Comment by Arock Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 12:09 pm
== a recent budget passed by the state Legislature that gives Pritzker some discretion in spending, ==

WlI understand you ask big, but with a FY21 budget that is counting on $5B in not yet promised or committed federal money, another $1.8B or more in revenue from the not yet voter approved graduated income tax, inter-fund borrowing of another $0.5-1B, plus other accounting tricks, there is a real possibility there won’t be enough money for everything before any new spending.

== could free up spending from “lockboxes” ==

The lockbox laws were put in place because Illinois taxpayers were fed up with raiding of those funds. Going to be a fight if the State tries that. Best you can do there is a bit of redirection.

Ford’s suggestions are probably non-starters.

Slaughter’s suggestions sound very doable, as are Sim’s. Everybody should be able to get behind those.

== lawmakers said they wanted to see government investment in the communities hardest hit by looters ==

Again, there are a lot of unknowns in the State’s ability to fund that. Don’t foresee the State having the funds. Going to have to be a lot of jawboning and arm twisting of private funding to achieve that, and the State doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room to provide tax incentives under the current budget and revenue situations.

The best I can happening is some redirection of already planned spending, but it won’t be the magnitude that is wanted or needed.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 12:16 pm
The single most important step that could be taken would be to end the insane War on Drugs that targets a victimless crime and results in the needless imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of black men.

Comment by striketoo Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 12:22 pm
I again emphasize a focus on the legal system, lawyers and judges. Make them take the sensitivity trainings every other month.

@striketoo, I completely agree. Much much more of the burden of training, education, and vitriol needs to be directed to the people responsible, and that would be the people that actually sentence and put penalties on people of color. They are the true drivers of inequity in these communities and need to be part of the solution. Outside of incarceration, financial penalties on poor people of color need to be stopped. Only judges can stop this and they too often or almost always get a pass.

Comment by Friend of the Family Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 12:38 pm
Arock,
Since a disproportional number of folks that actually died from Covid-19 have been black, it would make sense that a majority of the funds should be spent with that population in mind.

Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 12:52 pm
striketoo,

I agree: we’re not making “war” on drugs or any inanimate object–we’re making war on our own people.

Comment by DownstateR Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 12:56 pm
while we are at it, let’s do something about sexual assault. it’s rampant. violence is violence.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 1:16 pm
Everyone needs to ‘learn, practice and always use the Golden Rule’ starting teaching it in Preschool and continue thru the 8th grade.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 1:36 pm
If the newer Reps. like Lamont Robinson Jr., and Kam Buckner want to know who’s for real about police reform in Illinois, look at what their peers did about the Duty to Inform in Brandon Phelps concealed carry bill in 2013. Chris Welch, Will Davis, and LaShawn Ford opposed DTI on the record in committee and floor debate, seeing it was placed in the bill by NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde and the police unions.

Then Rep. Elgie Sims did nothing about it, and never returned calls or emails. Then Rep. Christian Mitchell did nothing about the DTI. Then Senate Judiciary chair Kwame Raoul did not respond to any calls, emails, or office visits re. the Duty to Inform issue. That track record is a good test for who really supports the black community, and police reform in the legislature.

Comment by Elmer Keith Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 1:55 pm
Don’t hold your breath. President Harmon will have to call some hearings, et.al., to keep the peace.

The Speaker long ago bought off the Black Caucus (this doesn’t make them special or weak in any manner, just the reality of the dynamic with his members. Goodies abound). Watch how few truly challenge his decision to not meet again until the veto session. A couple of lip service hearings is the best case scenario.

Watch it happen. It always does . . . . .

Comment by Hey There Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 3:37 pm
The focus should be on education and criminal justice reform. Maybe Illinois could pass a Dream Act for African American students.

Comment by Enviro Wednesday, Jun 3, 20 @ 4:38 pm