CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker signed an historic criminal justice reform bill Monday that would end cash bail statewide by 2023.
The bill, H.B. 3653, was passed in the final days of the lame-duck session last month by the General Assembly and aims to address police accountability and inequities in law enforcement.
Gov. Pritzker says all Illinois will live in a safer and more just state with this law on the book.
“This legislation marks a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state, our nation, and brings us closer to true safety, true fairness, and true justice,” said Gov. Pritzker during the bill signing.
The legislation was authored by the Black Caucus and also acts to require police body cameras by 2025 and expand police training and instances in which officers can be stripped of certification.
The bill also expands new procedures for no-knock warrants and offers suspects who are arrested three phone calls instead of one.
Police unions and other law enforcement organizations have urged Pritzker to veto the bill, saying it would give crime suspects more advantages than police.
Many provisions will take effect on July 1, while others will be phased in over the next four years.
