Both houses of the Illinois General Assembly passed a major overhaul of policing and criminal justice for the state in a last-minute vote during its lame-duck session Wednesday. The law now awaits the signature of Gov. JB Pritzker.
The final version of the legislation, which sprawls across more than 750 pages, was introduced late Tuesday. Senators had about an hour to review the final legislation before voting on it. A previous bill, which racked up 4,000 registered supporters and 20,000 registered opponents, was pulled Monday and rewritten.
If Pritzer signs the law, the state will eliminate cash bail for all criminal cases except for individuals who are found to be a threat to the community by a judge. The governor in October expressed his desire to eliminate the state’s cash bail system.
Every Illinois police officer will also be required to wear a body camera if Pritzker signs the law. Other changes that would come with his signature include a mechanism to decertify problem police officers and greater transparency about deaths of persons in prisons, jails, and police custody.
You can read more about the legislation at the Sun Times.