A Historic Session
Dear neighbor,
On Wednesday, Jan. 13 we adjourned the 101st General Assembly and were inaugurated to the 102nd. As I already wrote to you, we made history at that inauguration by ending the Madigan era in Springfield.
Before that, we had five days of what’s called “lame duck session.” This isn’t always an eventful period, but this year, it was action-packed. We had only spent a few days in session since COVID-19 hit, and hadn’t met at all since the protest movement of this summer.
While we were out of session, the Black Caucus took the lead on a package of legislative efforts to meet the moment and work for equity. Today, I’ll describe some of those measures that we passed; later in the week I’ll explain a few other bills we worked on during this period.
Ending Cash Bail & Criminal Justice Reform
The centerpiece of the Black Caucus Agenda this month was a comprehensive criminal justice reform package. The bill we passed includes long-sought changes in our justice system. Its policing section creates statewide use-of-force standards for law enforcement agencies; bans chokeholds; provides for crisis intervention training; and requires that officers across the state be equipped with body cameras. It also creates a more robust system for decertifying police officers who engage in misconduct.
The bill will also end the use of money bond in Illinois starting in 2023. This is an enormous change for the better in our justice system. No longer will people be locked up before their trial — not yet guilty of a crime — simply because they can’t afford to pay. Now pretrial detention will be based on risk to the community rather than access to money. It’ll make our neighborhoods safer and allow people to keep their lives intact while awaiting the disposition of their case. A huge coalition of groups has worked on this issue for years, and I’m so deeply proud to have helped their efforts succeed.
This legislation also improves the Illinois Department of Corrections' sentencing credit program to address racial disparities and puts an end to the practice of prison gerrymandering. And it reduces mandatory minimums for the possession of small amounts of various drugs.
I'm so proud of us as a body for passing this critical reform legislation and rising to meet the moment. As Rep. Slaughter, the bill's sponsor, noted on the House floor: it's time to move from protest to progress. This legislation does just that.
Payday Lending Cap & Economic Justice
The Black Caucus also advanced a legislative agenda focused on economic justice. One huge component of this initiative is a 36% interest rate cap on payday and title loans. This is a first step to stopping payday lenders and others that prey on poor people who don't have access to traditional banking resources. While 36% still seems high, it’s a vast improvement on current law which allows for rates up to a shocking 400%. Prior to the lame duck session I had been working on this issue with various advocates, and I’m grateful to the Black Caucus for carrying it over the finish line.
Also included in the Black Caucus Economic Reform package are measures aimed at preventing discrimination against employees with criminal records, and expanded opportunities for minority-owned businesses, women, and people with disabilities to access state contracts. It also supports the equitable lead service line replacement across Illinois, which was long overdue.
Educational Equity
Finally, we passed a set of reforms to advance educational equity in Illinois. At the K-12 level, we expanded access to early intervention services for preschool-aged children; directed the State Board of Education to create Freedom Schools across the state; expanded career and technical education; and pushed for more computer science education in high school. In higher education, we retooled our funding for public universities to support minority-serving institutions and expanded support for teachers of color.
All in all, it was an incredibly ambitious set of reforms. The result will be a huge step forward toward justice and equity in our state.
If you have any questions about any of these measures, please don’t hesitate to ask. And I’ll be sending updates about additional legislative action soon.
Take care,
- Will