Sangamon Sun

The Illinois House has rejected a bill that aimed to expand resentencing options for youth offenders. The legislation, House Bill 3332, which would have allowed individuals incarcerated for crimes committed under the age of 21 to be eligible for parole after serving specific terms, faced opposition in a bipartisan vote. The bill failed at 49-51, falling short of the 60 votes required to pass.

Democrat Rep. Theresa Mah sponsored the bill, which proposed that those sentenced for murder could seek parole after 20 years, and those involved in the murder of a minor under 18 after 30 years. Several House Democrats either voted against the bill or abstained, contributing to its defeat.

Criticism came from Republicans, including State Representative Mike Coffey, who stated: “This is a bad bill that does not improve public safety in any way. I voted NO to HB3332 and I’m glad Democrats used common sense with their votes against this legislation. Illinois does not need this and it would certainly not be fair to victim’s families.”

In addition to commenting on the bill's rejection, Coffey reflected on the legislative session wherein a total of 379 bills passed, comprised of 314 Democrat bills and 65 Republican ones. Coffey expressed concern about the lack of approved bills that enhance living standards for Illinois residents, citing urgent issues such as high taxes and regulatory burdens that hinder economic growth.