SAFE-T Act

Last updated
SAFE-T Act
Seal of Illinois.svg
101st Illinois General Assembly
Citation Public Act 101-0652
PassedJanuary 13, 2021
Signed byGovernor J. B. Pritzker
SignedFebruary 22, 2021
Bill citation HB 3653
Amended by
Public Act 102-1104
Status: In force

The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, commonly known as the SAFE-T Act, is a state of Illinois statute enacted in 2021 that makes a number of reforms to the criminal justice system, affecting policing, pretrial detention and bail, sentencing, and corrections. [1] [2] The Act's section on pretrial detention, which took effect in full on September 18, 2023, is also known as the Pretrial Fairness Act. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Background

Following the widespread George Floyd protests in the summer of 2020, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus proposed an extensive legislative package that included criminal justice reforms alongside reforms in education, health care and human services, and economic policy. [6] [7] [8] The Black Caucus decided to pursue their proposed criminal justice reforms as an omnibus bill, which they introduced and advanced when the legislature convened in January 2021. [9] [10]

The proposed omnibus criminal justice reform bill incorporated a number of proposed reforms in police training, rules, and oversight, pretrial court processes, sentencing, and corrections. The omnibus bill incorporated two prior legislative proposals: the Pretrial Fairness Act sponsored by Senator Robert Peters and a police certification reform proposal championed by Attorney General Kwame Raoul. [11]

Proponents in the state legislature championed the bill as "a broad and ambitious initiative that takes a detailed look at sentencing reform, policing [and] violence reduction." [12] The bill was opposed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Coalition and Republican lawmakers. [12] [13] After private negotiations, several provisions were removed from the bill, including a proposal to end qualified immunity for law enforcement. [11]

The amended omnibus bill passed by a vote of 32–23 in the state Senate on January 13, 2021 and was later approved by the House. [14] Governor J. B. Pritzker signed the bill into law on February 22, 2021 at a signing ceremony at Chicago State University. [15]

Provisions

Pretrial Fairness Act

The SAFE-T Act incorporated provisions from a previously proposed bill, the Pretrial Fairness Act. The most significant change in this section of the Act is the elimination of cash bail and its replacement with a new process for pretrial release, which was set to take effect on January 1, 2023. [1] [2] After legal challenges, the provision was upheld and took effect on September 18, 2023. [16] [5]

In the prior system, judges set an amount of "cash bail" or "money bond" for detained individuals. Detainees could be released prior to a trial if they paid the amount of bail. In the new system, the role of cash payments will be eliminated and judges will determine whether detained individuals pose a risk if released. Pretrial release can be denied by a judge after a hearing, "when it is determined that the defendant poses a specific, real and present threat to a person, or has a high likelihood of willful flight." [3]

In addition to the abolition of cash bail, other pretrial reforms in the Act include: [1] [2] [17]

Policing reforms

The SAFE-T Act includes a range of reforms on policing practices and police accountability, including the following: [1] [2] [17] [18] [19]

Prison and sentencing reforms

The SAFE-T Act includes reforms concerning the rights of prisoners and other detainees, including: [1] [17]

The Act makes several reforms to sentencing policies by: [1] [2] [17]

The Act also ends prison gerrymandering in Illinois by requiring that people in prison are counted as residents of their last known address for the purpose of creating electoral districts. This provision takes effect in 2025, meaning that the first redistricting process to be affected by it will be in 2031. [21] [20]

Crime victims' compensation

The Act makes several amendments to the Crime Victims Compensation Act, designed to expand the definition of victims and make it easier for victims to apply for cash compensation. [20] [1]

Other provisions

The Act reforms several aspects of the state's vehicle code, including "end[ing] driver’s license suspensions for failure to pay automated camera tickets, traffic fines and abandoned vehicle fees." [22] [1]

Reactions

The SAFE-T Act's passage made Illinois the first state in the United States to abolish cash bail as the standard of pretrial detention. [23] [24] House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch framed the Act as part of a broader effort "to remedy inequalities" in light of the "past year's reckoning of racial injustice." [25] In his signing statement, Governor Pritzker called the legislation "a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state and our nation and brings us closer to true safety, true fairness and true justice." [24] The Act was largely lauded by advocates of criminal justice reform. [26] [27] [28] Republican lawmakers and several law enforcement officials strongly opposed the legislation. [18] [29] [30] By mid-2022, however, law enforcement opposition to the Act had slightly softened. [18]

Ahead of the 2022 elections, the Pretrial Fairness Act has been the subject of significant criticism and some misinformation by opponents. Several widely distributed mailers, funded by conservative activists Dan Proft and Brian Timpone designed to appear as newspapers, characterized the end of cash bail in 2023 as "the end of days" and alleged that criminals would be released from prison. [31] [32] Opponents have also spread content on social media claiming that the law would create "non-detainable offenses" and similarly alleging that criminals would be released from prison. [33] [34] Social media content and conservative news outlets promoting these claims have likened the law to the fictional horror film series The Purge. [35] [34] [36] Similar claims and Purge references have also been made by former Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey. [37] [38] These claims have been challenged and debunked by legal experts [39] [40] [41] [42] and fact-checkers. [43] [44] [45] Advocates of the law have noted that there are no "non-detainable offenses" in Illinois law and argued that the Act ensures pretrial detention will no longer depend on "how much money a person has in their bank account." [46] [47]

Three elected prosecutors (called "state's attorneys" in Illinois) from Will, McHenry, and Kankakee counties have filed lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the Act. [48]

Implementation

Amendments

The Illinois legislature passed a set of amendments to the Act on December 1, 2022, which was signed into law by Governor Pritzker on December 6. [49] [50] Changes related to pretrial detention include a provision that those charged before January 1, 2023 would be able to stay on the old cash bail system or request to be moved to the new system, and "felonies and crimes such as kidnapping and arson to the charges that qualify someone to be detained while awaiting trial." [49] Other changes "clarify court authority in controlling electronic monitoring and escape, outline specific guidelines for trespassing violations, and create a grant program to aid public defenders with increased caseloads." [50] [51]

On December 28, 2022, in a case that combined 60 lawsuits, Kankakee County Chief Judge Thomas Cunnington ruled that the Act's provision ending cash bail violated the state constitution. The ruling only applies to some judicial districts in the state covered by the lawsuits, and the impact of the ruling on the immediate implementation of the law was unclear as the judge did not issue an injunction. After the ruling, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that the state would appeal the decision at the Supreme Court of Illinois. [52] On December 31, 2022, the Court issued a temporary stay on the provision ending cash bail pending its review, "in order to maintain consistent pretrial procedures throughout Illinois." [53] On July 18, 2023, the Court upheld the provision ending cash bail. [54] The provision took effect on September 18, 2023. [16] [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

Bail is a set of pre-trial restrictions that are imposed on a suspect to ensure that they will not hamper the judicial process. Court bail may be offered to secure the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when required. In some countries, especially the United States, bail usually implies a bail bond, a deposit of money or some form of property to the court by the suspect in return for the release from pre-trial detention. If the suspect does not return to court, the bail is forfeited and the suspect may be charged with the crime of failure to appear. If the suspect returns to make all their required appearances, bail is returned after the trial is concluded.

A "failure to appear" (FTA), also known as "bail jumping", occurs when a defendant or respondent does not come before a tribunal as directed in a summons. In the United States, FTAs are punishable by fines, incarceration, or both when committed by a criminal defendant. The severity of the punishment depends on the seriousness of the criminal charges that were the subject of the missed proceeding. An FTA may trigger a bench warrant for the defendant's arrest and impair their eligibility for bail and pretrial release in subsequent proceedings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bail bondsman</span> Agent that secures an individuals release in court

A bail bondsman, bail bond agent or bond dealer is any person, agency or corporation that will act as a surety and pledge money or property as bail for the appearance of a defendant in court.

Antonio Muñoz is a former Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, who represented the 1st District. The 1st district included all or parts of Garfield Ridge, Archer Heights, West Elsdon, Brighton Park, Gage Park, Chicago Lawn, New City, McKinley Park, Bridgeport, Armour Square, Lower West Side and Near South Side within Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Spilka</span> American politician (born 1953)

Karen Eileen Spilka is an American politician and attorney serving as a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate. She represents the towns of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. She has served as the 95th President of the Massachusetts Senate since July 2018. Previously she served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. B. Pritzker</span> Governor of Illinois since 2019

Jay Robert "JB" Pritzker is an American billionaire businessman and politician serving since 2019 as the 43rd governor of Illinois. Pritzker, a member of the wealthy Pritzker family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain, has started several venture capital and investment startups, including the Pritzker Group, where he is managing partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Cassidy</span> American politician

Kelly Cassidy is an American politician from Chicago. She is a Democrat and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. She was appointed to represent the 14th district, on Chicago's North Side, in April 2011 following incumbent Harry Osterman's election to the Chicago City Council. She took office on May 16, 2011. Most notably Kelly Cassidy was the chief sponsor of House Bill 1438, making Illinois the first state to legalize the Adult-Use of Cannabis through legislature as opposed to a ballot measure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Mitchell</span> American politician

Christian Mitchell is the incoming Vice President for Civic Engagement at the University of Chicago. He currently serves as Deputy Governor for Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s administration. Prior to assuming that role, Mitchell represented the 26th District of Illinois as state representative from 2013 to 2019. He also served as the executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois during the 2018 election cycle, becoming the first African-American to hold the position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elgie Sims</span> American politician

Elgie R. Sims Jr. is the Illinois state Senator for the 17th district. The 17th district includes the Chatham neighborhoods of Chicago along with the all or parts of Burnham, Calumet City, Lansing, Ford Heights, Lynwood, Sauk Village, Beecher, Manteno, and Grant Park.

Bail in the United States refers to the practice of releasing suspects from custody before their hearing, on payment of bail, which is money or pledge of property to the court which may be refunded if suspects return to court for their trial. Bail practices in the United States vary from state to state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Guzzardi</span> American politician

Will Guzzardi is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives who represents the 39th District. The 39th District includes parts of the Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Old Irving Park, Portage Park and Logan Square. Guzzardi is a co-chair of the Illinois House's Progressive Caucus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criminal justice reform in the United States</span> Reforms seeking to address structural issues in criminal justice systems of the United States

Criminal justice reform seeks to address structural issues in criminal justice systems such as racial profiling, police brutality, overcriminalization, mass incarceration, and recidivism. Reforms can take place at any point where the criminal justice system intervenes in citizens’ lives, including lawmaking, policing, sentencing and incarceration. Criminal justice reform can also address the collateral consequences of conviction, including disenfranchisement or lack of access to housing or employment, that may restrict the rights of individuals with criminal records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Foxx</span> American politician

Kimberly M. Foxx is an American politician, who is currently the State's Attorney for Cook County, Illinois. She manages the second largest prosecutor's office in the United States, consisting of approximately 700 attorneys and 1,100 employees. In 2016, she won the Democratic nomination for State's Attorney against incumbent Anita Alvarez and went on to win the general election. She was re-elected in 2020. In 2023, she announced that she would not run for re-election in 2024.

Justin Quincy Slaughter is an American politician and retired college basketball player. Slaughter has served as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 27th district, which consists of portions of Chicago and neighboring communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Plummer (politician)</span> American Businessman and Politician

Robert Jason Plummer is an American businessman and politician serving as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate and serves as Assistant Leader in the Illinois Republican Senate Caucus. Plummer represents the 54th District, which is located on the Illinois side of Greater St. Louis and includes all or portions of Bond, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Madison, Marion, Washington, and St. Clair counties. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor, which he narrowly lost.

Robert J. Peters is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate for the 13th district. The Chicago-based district includes all or parts of East Side, Hyde Park, Kenwood, South Chicago, South Shore, and Woodlawn. Peters took office on January 6, 2019 to succeed Kwame Raoul. He is the chair of the Illinois Senate Black Caucus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kam Buckner</span> American politician

Kambium Elijah "Kam" Buckner is an American politician and attorney who serves as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 26th district. The district, located entirely in Chicago, includes neighborhoods such as Bronzeville, Downtown, Gold Coast, and Hyde Park, among others. Buckner is the past chair of the Illinois House Black Caucus and current Assistant Majority Leader for the House Democratic Caucus. In college, he played football for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team as an offensive tackle and defensive lineman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago City Council Progressive Reform Caucus</span> Issue-based group of legislators in the Chicago City Council

The Progressive Reform Caucus of the Chicago City Council is a bloc of aldermen in the Chicago City Council that was formed in 2013. Its stated mission statement is "creating a more just and equal Chicago, combating all forms of discrimination, and advancing public policies that offer genuine opportunity to all Chicagoans, especially those who have been left out of our society’s prosperity." As of the 2023–27 term, it had 19 members, out of the council's 50 aldermen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decarceration in the United States</span> Overview article

Decarceration in the United States involves government policies and community campaigns aimed at reducing the number of people held in custody or custodial supervision. Decarceration, the opposite of incarceration, also entails reducing the rate of imprisonment at the federal, state and municipal level. As of 2019, the US was home to 5% of the global population but 25% of its prisoners. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. possessed the world's highest incarceration rate: 655 inmates for every 100,000 people, enough inmates to equal the populations of Philadelphia or Houston. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinvigorated the discussion surrounding decarceration as the spread of the virus poses a threat to the health of those incarcerated in prisons and detention centers where the ability to properly socially distance is limited. As a result of the push for decarceration in the wake of the pandemic, as of 2022, the incarceration rate in the United States declined to 505 per 100,000, resulting in the United States no longer having the highest incarceration rate in the world, but still remaining in the top five.

The Chicago Community Bond Fund is a non-profit bail fund that through donations from the public posts bail bonds for people who could otherwise not afford it. Starting from an informal effort to bail out several people who were arrested at a vigil for a Black man who had been killed by the Chicago Police, the fund saw a considerable increase in donations following the murder of George Floyd and the protests and arrests in Chicago that followed. Taking a crime-agnostic view on providing bail, arguing that it is judges who determine if a person is a threat to the general public by offering cash bail and that the presumption of innocence applies to all, the fund has posted the bonds of hundreds of people accused of crimes, including a number charged with violent crimes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Summary of Provisions in Illinois House Bill 3653: Criminal Justice Omnibus Bill". The Civic Federation. February 15, 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Reichert, Jessica; Zivic, Aaron; Sheley, Karen (2021-07-15). "The 2021 SAFE-T Act: ICJIA Roles and Responsibilities". Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  3. 1 2 NBC Chicago; Associated Press (September 19, 2022). "Legal Experts Explain Why the Pretrial Fairness Act Isn't a 'Purge Law' in Illinois". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  4. "Pretrial Fairness Act". Coalition to End Money Bond. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  5. 1 2 3 "Illinois becomes first state in nation to eliminate cash bail: Here's how it will work". Chicago Sun-Times. 2023-09-18. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  6. Kapos, Shia; Carrasco, Maria (2020-10-20). "BLACK AGENDA's PROGRESS — J.B. DONATES TO JOE — COVID SURGE IS COMING — LOOMING JUNK STATUS for ILLINOIS". POLITICO. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  7. Kapos, Shia (2020-12-11). "BLACK CAUCUS' NEW LEADERSHIP — LaHOOD, BOST SPIN IN A TEXAS TORNADO — CALLING THE NATIONAL GUARD". POLITICO. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  8. "Black Caucus bills include important police reforms". Chicago Sun-Times. 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  9. Hinton, Rachel (2020-12-17). "Black lawmakers in Springfield look to take on criminal justice reform, systemic racism in lame duck session". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  10. Hinton, Rachel (2021-01-12). "Black Caucus wins passage of education package, criminal justice reform still under discussion". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  11. 1 2 Troncoso, Raymon; Gettinger, Aaron (2020-01-14). "Peters' push to end cash bail passes in criminal justice reform package". Hyde Park Herald. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  12. 1 2 Hinton, Rachel (2021-01-08). "State Black Caucus expects criminal justice reform package to pass – but police say it would make Illinois 'unsafe'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  13. Hinton, Rachel (2021-01-28). "House Republicans, law enforcement urge Gov. J.B. Pritzker to veto criminal justice reform bill". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  14. Hinton, Rachel (2021-01-13). "Senate advances Black Caucus' legislation, bill on social equity in cannabis licensing". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  15. Hinton, Rachel (2021-02-22). "Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs sweeping criminal justice reform bill". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  16. 1 2 "No cash bail set to start Monday in Illinois: Here's what you need to know". WGN-TV. 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "What is the SAFE-T Act in Illinois? Here's an Explainer of What Changes Are in Store". NBC Chicago. 2022-09-16. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  18. 1 2 3 Kinnicut, Grace (2022-05-18). "What's in the SAFE-T Act? A look at the 2021 criminal justice reform and how it has evolved". Capitol News Illinois. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  19. Burns, Rebecca (2021-01-13). "Illinois' criminal justice overhaul makes it easier to decertify bad cops. But it could be harder for the public to learn about them". Injustice Watch. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  20. 1 2 3 Heffernan, Shannon (2022-10-26). "Beyond the heated rhetoric about bail, what else is in the SAFE-T Act?". WBEZ Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  21. Nichanian, Daniel (2021-02-23). "Illinois Delays End of Prison Gerrymandering By a Decade". The Appeal Political Report. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  22. WIFR Newsroom (2021-10-15). "Safe-T Act: its explanation and when it could go into effect". WIFR. Retrieved 2022-10-26.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  23. Corley, Cheryl (2021-02-22). "Illinois Becomes 1st State To Eliminate Cash Bail". NPR. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  24. 1 2 Cramer, Maria (2021-02-23). "Illinois Becomes First State to Eliminate Cash Bail". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  25. Kapos, Shia (2022-02-22). "ACTIVIST EYES RUSH's SEAT — MADIGAN PASSES TORCH — PRITZKER's HISTORIC MOVE — CORRUPTION CHRONICLES". POLITICO. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  26. Oceguera, Rita (2021-02-23). "Illinois criminal justice reform ends cash bail, changes felony murder rule". Injustice Watch. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  27. Payton, Briana. "Why ending cash bail in Illinois is a win for racial justice and community safety". Metropolitan Planning Council. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  28. Agnew, Stephanie (2021-02-22). "VICTORY: Governor Pritzker Abolishes Money Bail by Signing HB 3653 – The SAFE-T Act – into Law". Chicago Appleseed. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  29. Johnson, Jason (2021-01-18). "Opinion: Hasty police and justice 'reforms' in Illinois undermine public safety". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  30. Spielman, Fran (2021-01-14). "Reform bill hands 'keys to the criminals,' Chicago police union president says". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  31. Asimow, Noah (2022-09-23). "'Deceptive' Chicago City Wire Hitting Mailboxes Looks Like A Newspaper. But It's Really A Conservative Campaign Mailer". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  32. Neveau, James (2022-09-07). "Conservative-Funded Mailers, Styled as Newspapers, Sent to Illinois Voters". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  33. "Fact checking Illinois' upcoming SAFE-T Act". WGN-TV. 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  34. 1 2 Rhodes, Dawn (2022-09-14). "No, There Is No 'Purge Law' In Illinois. Here Are The Facts About Ending Cash Bail". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  35. The End of Cash Bail is Not a ‘Purge Law' in Illinois. Here's What You Need to Know NBC Chicago, October 30, 2022
  36. Caldwell, Giano (2022-09-17). "Illinois' no-cash bail law will turn the state into 'The Purge'". New York Post. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  37. Sfondeles, Tina (2022-10-19). "Extreme takeover? Pritzker, Bailey accuse each other of being extremist, dangerous for Illinois". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  38. "Illinois' SAFE-T Act explained". WGN-TV. 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  39. NBC Chicago; Associated Press (September 19, 2022). "Legal Experts Explain Why the Pretrial Fairness Act Isn't a 'Purge Law' in Illinois". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  40. Rhodes, Dawn (2022-09-14). "No, There Is No 'Purge Law' In Illinois. Here Are The Facts About Ending Cash Bail". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  41. Ellison, Steven (2022-09-27). "No, There Is No 'Purge' Law in Illinois". FindLaw. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  42. Williams, Chris (2022-09-19). "Don't Trust The 'Purge Law' Hype: Getting Rid Of Cash Bond Is Not The End Of The World". Above the Law. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  43. "Misinformation is spreading about the SAFE-T Act. Here's what's actually in it". WBEZ Chicago. 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  44. "PolitiFact - Social media post misleads about pretrial detention under Illinois Safe-T Act". PolitiFact. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  45. Keck, Patrick (2022-09-19). "FACT CHECK: Separating the truth from fiction in the debate over Illinois' SAFE-T Act". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  46. Associated Press (September 27, 2022). "State Senator Proposes Changes to Illinois' SAFE-T Act Amid 'Purge' Rumors". NBC Chicago. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  47. "Illinois' SAFE-T Act explained". WGN-TV. 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  48. Vinicky, Amanda (September 21, 2022). "State's Attorneys Representing 3 Illinois Counties File Lawsuits Against SAFE-T Act". WTTW. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  49. 1 2 "State lawmakers passed fixes to the SAFE-T Act before it takes effect Jan. 1. Here's what they changed". Chicago Sun-Times. 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  50. 1 2 "Governor Pritzker Signs SAFE-T Act Amendment". www.illinois.gov. December 6, 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  51. "Summary of Amendments to Public Act 101-0652, the SAFE-T Act | The Civic Federation". www.civicfed.org. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  52. "Judge rules portion of SAFE-T Act ending cash bail is unconstitutional". Chicago Sun-Times. 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  53. Armentrout, Mitchell; Hendrickson, Matthew (2022-12-31). "Illinois Supreme Court halts abolition of cash bail hours before criminal justice reform was to take effect". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  54. Petrella, Dan; Gorner, Jeremy; Buckley, Madeline (2023-07-18). "Illinois Supreme Court upholds law eliminating cash bail, sets Sept. 18 as start date for new system". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-07-18.