Legislator Comments on SAFE-T Act Ruling

Here are comments from local legislators and the Governor regarding the Illinois Supreme Court's 5-2 ruling on cash bail in the SAFE-T Act:

STATE SENATOR JASON PLUMMER

State Senator Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) released the below statement following the Illinois Supreme Court’s ruling on the SAFE-T Act.

“If there were any questions before, it is abundantly clear now to all Illinoisans how political our state’s highest court has become. This ruling was not about what is actually in our constitution, and it is not about what is best for the average Illinoisan. It is about politicians sitting on the bench and voting to support the extreme and dangerous agenda of this Governor and his legislative allies. 

“It is unhealthy to our society for the judicial branch of government to become as politicized as it has become. The politics that has infected our highest court will now tie the hands of local judges and law enforcement who work hard every day to keep Illinoisans safe. This is dangerous to the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement, it is devastating to communities across our great state, and it is frightening to the families who just want safe neighborhoods. All of this simply because a few of our top elected officials kowtow to activists and are completely disconnected from the realities their constituents face every day.”

STATE SENATOR CHAPIN ROSE

“The Democrats have endangered the citizens of Illinois. In fact, their original draft was so terrible it has been through multiple amendments so far. But no amount of amendments will fix the SAFE-T Act, it needs to be repealed.”

STATE REPRESENTATIVE BLAINE WILHOUR

According to the ruling, “The Illinois Constitution of 1970 does not mandate that monetary bail is the only means to ensure criminal defendants appear for trials or the only means to protect the public.”

But Article 1 Section 9 of the Illinois Constitution reads: “All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for the following offenses where the proof is evident or the presumption great: capital offenses; offenses for which a sentence of life imprisonment may be imposed as a consequence of conviction; and felony offenses for which a sentence of imprisonment, without conditional and revocable release, shall be imposed by law as a consequence of conviction, when the court, after a hearing, determines that release of the offender would pose a real and present threat to the physical safety of any person. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of rebellion or invasion when the public safety may require it.”

“There is no ambiguity about Article 1 Section 9,” Wilhour said. “The frequency with which the Governor, the legislature, and our political courts blatantly ignore and violate our Constitution should have all Illinois citizens on high alert. But then again, there are justices on the Supreme Court who are serving primarily because of the campaign donations they received from JB Pritzker. This ruling defies common sense and is another illustration of the corruption we have in Illinois. JB Pritzker and the Democrats redrew the Supreme Court districts to ensure a Democrat majority on the Court and then JB Pritzker solidified the Democrat victories in the last election with millions of dollars in campaign donations. People wondering how the justices on the Supreme Court can ignore the English language and uphold the SAFE-T Act need to look no further than the millions of campaign cash donated to justices Elizabeth Rochford and Mary O’Brien.”

An analysis of crime data in New York clearly shows an increase in rearrest rates of 3-5 percent AFTER New York’s bail reform (https://www.city-journal.org/article/yes-new-yorks-bail-reform-has-increased-crime).

“New York is having second thoughts about their partial elimination of cash bail because crime is not going down – it is going up,” Wilhour said. “The Illinois law goes far beyond New York’s laws. Using New York as a barometer, there is no question, the crime problems we are facing in Illinois are about to get worse.”

GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER

“I’m pleased that the Illinois Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the SAFE-T Act and the elimination of cash bail. We can now move forward with historic reform to ensure pre-trial detainment is determined by the danger an individual poses to the community instead of by their ability to pay their way out of jail. My thanks to Attorney General Raoul’s office and the many people who worked tirelessly over the last months to defend these important reforms. I look forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly and our many other partners as we transition to a more equitable and just Illinois.”