COAL Notice – On the SAFE-T Act and clearing away Misinformation

The SAFE-T Act has been a hot-button issue in Illinois this election season, dominating much of the conversation in the governor’s race, as well as down-ballot races. The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act, signed into law in early 2021, makes a number of reforms to the criminal justice system, affecting policing, pretrial detention and bail, sentencing, and corrections.

After months of heated rhetoric, lawsuits and negative TV ads focused on the controversial Act, Illinois Democrats, on last Thursday, easily approved changes to the measure, such as adding felonies and crimes such as kidnapping and arson to the charges that qualify someone to be detained while awaiting trial.

On Tuesday, Governor Pritzker signed this SAFE-T trailer measure, which has been described as an attempt to clear up misconceptions about the original intent of the legislation.

Towards clarifying what the SAFE-T Act is and is not, COAL is honored to host the Honorable Robert Peters, State Senator – 13th District, one of the original sponsors of the legislation and amended legislation, for an in-depth conversation on the SAFE-T Act.

If legislation has an important and/or major impact on our community, and there are efforts to disseminate misinformation on said legislation, then we must endeavor to be better informed, and to better understand the potential benefits of, as well as potential issues with, this legislation.

Please join COAL, this Saturday, December 10, 2022 for an important conversation On the SAFE-T Act.