(The Center Square) – As Illinois lawmakers evaluate possible changes to the SAFE-T Act that takes effect in January, the speaker of the House says they won’t make rash decisions.
No cash bail begins Jan. 1 in Illinois.
While defending the law’s passage, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch told the City Club of Chicago Wednesday there have already been changes to the SAFE-T Act.
“In the House we’ve already passed three trailers bills for the SAFE-T Act, three,” Welch, D-Hillside, said. “That’s what democracy looks like.”
Deputy House Majority Leader Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, said in a statement lawmakers will review a Democratic state senator’s bill to modify the SAFE-T Act. State Sen. Scott Bennet, D-Champaign, looks to get his bill considered in the fall veto session that starts the week after the Nov. 8 election.
“But let me tell you what we’re not going to do. We’re not going to let lies, fear and misinformation to take the place of smart decision making,” Welch said.
After his news conference was disrupted by a protester across town, Republican attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore posted a social media video that the public is still being shut out of the conversation.
“What are they doing now after they’ve been sued by at least six state’s attorneys both Democrat and Republican, they’re trying to create solutions, according to them, by the same backdoor processes that caused the problems in the first place, so they’ve learned nothing,” DeVore said. “They’re going to try to put together some sort of patchwork set of fixes that they think might work without giving the public any chance to participate.”
Lawmakers will return for fall session the week after the November election with weeks before the cashless bail law is set to take effect.
