Kankakee Times

Nagel for Senate has issued the following press release:

On Jan. 21 of 2021 the Illinois House and Senate passed the so-called Safe-T Act, a Criminal Justice overhaul bill. The bill, over 760 pages,  created 5 new acts, and resulted in a tirade of trailer bills that would directly affect law enforcement and the way the legal system operates throughout Illinois. Even at the time of the vote, I was strongly against the bill as it was too soft on crime and would be incredibly damaging to the logistics of smaller departments.

The bill passed the Senate with barely a majority. In several statements, Senator Joyce said he knew the legislation was bad, however, instead of sending a strong message and making his position known through a “No” vote, he abstained. Apparently so as not to upset his fellow Chicago/Cook County party members who sponsored the legislation.

When it comes to the safety and security of the people of the 40th district, there is no gray territory. Senator Joyce’s inability to cast a “No” vote and articulate the need to change aspects within the legislation shows his lack of strength in leadership, and his devotion to strict party line politics. More importantly, this bill was passed nearly two years ago, and Senator Joyce has done nothing to address this issue until the overwhelming wave of opposition that has recently erupted, the opposition that Senator Joyce refers to as hysteria.

These laws are opposed by 100 out of 102 State’s Attorneys and several, including those of Senator Joyce’s own party, are challenging it on constitutional grounds. The bill clearly violates the Illinois Constitution on at least two grounds: 1) It eliminates bail, allowing criminals to simply walk free, in spite of Article I, Section 9 which states”…persons SHALL be bailable by sufficient surety…” and 2) it violates Article IV, Section 8(d) which states “Bills…SHALL be confined to one subject.”

The issues presented in the Safe-T Act are numerous and depict a fundamental misunderstanding of how law enforcement truly works. Furthermore, the bill is a logistical nightmare, especially for small departments with limited budgets and manpower because the bill is authored by bureaucrats who have never been the boots on the ground. The men and women of our police departments deserve better. 

In a profession where seconds count and the decision to act must, more often than we’d like, be made in a fraction of those seconds, we should be ensuring we are not adding to their stress with legislation that undermines their efforts and puts a vise on department’s operations. 

When this bill came to the floor and finally for a vote, Senator Joyce sat in silence. He let his silence be his consent. . As your Senator, I want you to know that when it comes to the safety and security of our communities and aiding the men and women who ensure the same, I will not falter and I will never sit silent on issues as critical as these. I will speak up loudly, reach across every aisle, and leave no stone unturned to find the solutions that benefit us all