Sangamon Sun

The SAFE-T Act continues to be a hot topic for Illinois politicians, law enforcement, and citizens. The criminal justice reform bill signed into law back in January of 2021 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker has received major pushback from law enforcement, state’s attorneys, and state representatives. 

The SAFE-T Act was written with the intention to promote equitable due process during Illinois’ criminal justice process. Those who oppose the SAFE-T Act argue that it restricts the tools necessary for law enforcement to properly do their jobs and the requirements stipulated, such as body cameras, may cause significant financial strain for many police departments. Will and Kankakee State’s Attorneys filed lawsuits on Friday, Sept.16th with complaints listed that the SAFE-T Act violates sections of the Illinois Constitution.

"Radical far-left Democrats passed the SAFE-T Act in the middle of the night while most of us were sleeping," Sandy Hamilton, candidate for Illinois state Senate District 48, said in a statement. "This bill will make our communities less safe by forcing prosecutors to let violent criminals off easy, including for crimes like armed robberies, drug trafficking, and even homicides. It’s such a radical bill that even Democrat State’s Attorneys are voicing their opposition to the bill. In Sangamon County alone, over 100 criminals will be let out on the streets on January 1st. I demand that Doris Turner come to her senses on the dangerous SAFE-T Act and put the families of the 48th District above politics."

On Sept. 16, Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow (D) filed a lawsuit against the state of Illinois naming Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Speaker of the House Emanuel Welch, and Donald Harmon as defendants. The complaint lists that: the SAFE-T Act violates numerous sections of the Illinois Constitution, including bills “shall be confined to one subject” and “[a] bill shall be read by title on three different days in each house…”

“It is my sworn duty as Will County’s State’s Attorney to protect the people of Will County and the State of Illinois. To put it in plain and simple terms, this is not about politics; it is about public safety,” stated Glasgow in a press release on his office’s website.

Kankakee State’s Attorney Jim Rowe (D) also filed a civil lawsuit naming Pritzker and Raoul as defendants asking that the SAFE-T Act be declared unconstitutional, according to The Daily Journal.

The Daily Journal reported that Pritzker provided them with a statement that called the lawsuit "a weak attempt to protect the status quo" allowing violent criminals to buy their freedom.

Not only state’s attorneys took action last week against the SAFE-T Act. Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana weighed in when he uploaded a video to YouTube on Sept. 16 explaining how the current criminal justice system works and what changes are coming on Jan. 1, when the SAFE-T Act goes into effect. 

"Currently, our judges use an evidence-based process to determine if the alleged criminal defendant should be let out or should they be incarcerated during this time or before going to court," Caruana said. "This [current] system works. It’s not putting the community at risk. It's incarcerating the people that need to be incarcerated using metrics and tools that the judges use. [Under the SAFE-T Act] There's a certain subset of crimes that we're going to have to let out."

According to 97ZOK, the subset of crimes Caruana referred to in his statement are: aggravated battery, robbery, burglary, hate crimes, aggravated DUI, vehicular manslaughter, drug-induced homicide, drug offenses including trafficking and delivery of fentanyl, intimidation, kidnapping, second-degree murder, aggravated fleeing and threatening a public official.

Caruana concluded his video by stating that the SAFE-T Act "is a failure." The sheriff expressed that he has tried to speak with the "authors of this bill" but "they are persisting to make this [allowing the SAFE-T Act to take full effect] happen" on Jan. 1.

Pritzker also recently defended the elimination of cash bail, according to The Center Square. "We do not want someone in jail because they were arrested for a low-level crime like shoplifting to be sitting in jail for months or maybe even years," Pritzker said. "At the same time, someone who is a wealthy drug dealer, perhaps accused of murder and arrested, can show up with a suitcase full of money and get out of jail."

SafeWise's annual 2022 State of Safety survey found that only 42% of Illinois residents report feeling safe, while 64% reported feeling "high daily concern" for their safety. 13% of respondents reported experiencing gun violence firsthand, an increase from 8% the previous year. Mass shooting incidents in Illinois increased by 25% from 2020 to 2021.

Hamilton is running as a "conservative who wants to govern while not sacrificing ... core principles." She has been a resident of Springfield for over 20 years and is married with three boys.