The Caucus Blog – SAFE-T Act Marks 6 Month Anniversary

April 8, 2024

Cashless Bail Fails: six months of diminished public safety

Six months after the full implementation of the cashless bail, and other provisions, of the Illinois SAFE-T Act, Illinois residents are finding themselves anything but safe.

“House Republicans warned against the passage of the SAFE-T Act because of problematic provisions in the law that make the work of law enforcement officials harder to do, and because the law will make our communities less safe.

We opposed ending cash bail. We opposed anonymous complaints against police officers. We opposed the very nature of the way the bill was passed. Four attempts at trailer legislation still haven’t fixed the issues within the SAFE-T Act.

Now that the end of cash bail is in place, we have seen numerous reports from throughout the state of individuals committing crimes, being let out of jail shortly after, and then offending again while they are out awaiting their court date.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Illinoisans deserve to know that when a perpetrator commits a crime, they are going to be held accountable, and most certainly that they won’t be back out on the streets in just a matter of a few hours.”

So says House Republican Floor Leader and Republican ranking member on the House Judiciary Criminal Law and House Restorative Justice Committees Patrick Windhorst, who previously served as Massac County State’s Attorney for fourteen years.

“There is a concerning trend we see here in Illinois where criminals are treated better than law-abiding citizens and as leaders, we cannot continue to jeopardize the safety of our communities,” said State Representative John Cabello, one of only two law enforcement officers currently serving in an active role in a police department serving in the Illinois House.

The headlines back up the concerns expressed by House Republican legislators about the SAFE-T Act. While hundreds of headlines have peppered Illinois news sources since the SAFE-T Act was fully implemented six months ago, below are some of the important stories you may have missed.

Learn more about the House Republican Public Safety Working Group’s solutions to improving public safety for Illinois residents

Illinois SAFE-T Act diminishes public safety: