BENTON – 117th District State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton) issued the following statement in response to Governor JB Pritzker’s signing of HB 3653 on Monday.
“The changes contained in this massive law of sweeping criminal justice reforms is full of double definitions of important terms, ambiguous language, and provisions that will most certainly have a chilling effect on our ability to recruit and retain good police officers.
I have been appointed to serve as the Illinois House Republicans’ spokesperson for the House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee, the same committee HB 3653 originated from. In my new role, I will be working diligently with police advocates and members of the law enforcement and judiciary to correct flaws in this newly signed law that make Illinoisans and particularly police officers less safe.
I am particularly concerned that the end of cash bail will lead to repeat offenders having carte blanch to continue to commit crimes without ever facing consequences. HB 3653 was a rushed bill, passed in the middle of the night on the last day of the 101st General Assembly. The process that was followed to get to today’s signing of major criminal justice and police reforms is the wrong way to treat the law enforcement community and comes at the expense of the future safety of the people of Illinois.”