Sangamon Sun

Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) is strongly opposing the police reform bill and is campaigning to “tell the governor to veto House Bill 3653” and “support the police.”

In his statement, Butler said that “it will drastically overhaul our public safety system, preventing even a basic level of public review is frankly offensive.”

He added that it “contains cuts to public safety budgets, while opening up officers to punishment and personal liability for unsubstantiated or unverifiable complaints. However, perhaps its worst component, it allows many potentially violent felons to avoid being held in custody. Make no mistake, this legislation is dangerous and makes every community less safe.”

The police reform bill contains provisions to end cash bail, require police to use body cameras, easily decertify police officers by accepting anonymous complaints without affidavit, restrict the procurement of specialized protective equipment for police, and add more cost to public safety budgets.

HB 3653 was passed quickly through the Senate and House and “is now headed to “Governor Pritzker’s desk to be signed into law, and he has indicated he plans to sign,” Butler said.

He urges the public to “let the governor know this legislation poses a serious danger to public safety and tell him not to sign it,” by contacting the office of the governor at 207 State House, Springfield, IL 62706, by calling his office at 217-782-6830 or 217-782-6831, or over the web through this link.