include: Chair, Denise Winfrey(D) , Vice Chair, Natalie Coleman(D), Julie Berkowicz(R), AmandaKoch(D), Debbie Kraulidis(R), Tyler Marcum(D), Sherry NewquistI(D), Judy Ogalla(R), and Tom Weigel(R).
After regular Committee business was addressed, County Board member and Minority Whip, Judy Ogalla, brought up HB3653 SA1; Police Reform legislation introduced during the Lame Duck session by Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. is extremely worrisome and should be opposed as written.
Some of the disturbing language includes:
Eliminating qualified immunity for Law Enforcement making them civilly liable
Allow officers to be punished or fire based on anonymous information
Creates an unfunded mandate for body cameras for all law enforcement officers putting a burden on communities. Any municipality or county that fails to comply is subject to a 20% cut in Local Government Distributed Fund per year
Defunds ANY department that does not comply 100% with the legislation
Eliminates bail and mandates release of suspects before trial, posing a credible danger to the community and a threat to victims and witnesses
Severely limits accountability for accomplices to murder by amending the Felony Murder Rule
Takes away a a good part of Collective Bargaining
Minority Whip Ogalla, made a motion to draft a letter in opposition to HB3653 SA1, seconded by Julie Berkowicz(R). Roll call vote went strictly down party line – with all Republicans voting YES to protect police and Democrats voting NO.
Republicans see this bill as a means of making our society much less safe by making it harder for law enforcement to do their job and puts undue liability on each officer and community. It is pro- criminal, anti-law enforcement; with mandates that essentially defund the police. Ogalla believes no responsible elected official should support this language as it is written today.
Additional contact information:
Will County Minority Leader, Mike Fricilone (312) 502-1030 Will County FOP Union President, Maurice Horn (815) 671-0095 Monee Chief of Police, Scott Koerner, (708) 534-8303 University Park Chief of Police, Deborah Wilson (7080 475-3997
