Kendall County Times

State Rep. Mark Batinick, a Republican from Plainfield, is calling for the repeal of the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act in the interest of public safety.

While Batinick and Republicans in Springfield have been railing against the SAFE-T act since its passage, Capitol News noted in a report that supporters, including the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, maintain that the law is helping to ensure the justice system is fair for minorities. Meanwhile, the report noted that Republicans continue to maintain that it is little more than a back-door way to defund the police through increased regulations.  

“The SAFE-T Act needs to be repealed today to ensure the safety of our residents,” Batinick said in a Facebook post. “It's time for the legislature to work together with law enforcement experts to reduce crime in Illinois and make our state the best place to live, learn, work, and grow.”

A Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) News report maintains that 100 of 102 state’s attorneys in Illinois have come out in opposition to the SAFE-T Act.

Among the vocal opposition to the law, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said during a campaign event last week that he would be open to making minor adjustments to the bill, according to a report by the Lake & McHenry County Scanner, which also noted Illinois could become the first state to eliminate cash bail if one portion of the bill is permitted to move forward. According to the report, Pritzker also maintains that opponents of the bill aren’t fully aware of its provisions and as a result are disseminating information that isn’t true. 

“The legislation is about providing tools and technology to police, making sure we are funding them, and making sure we keep the murderers, rapists, and domestic abusers in jail,” Pritzker said, according to the Scanner. 

Amid the ongoing debate, the 2022 State of Safety survey by SafeWise found that just 42% of the state’s residents reported feeling safe, while 64% expressed concern for their daily safety. Moreover, 13% reported in the annual survey that they have first-hand experience with gun violence, up 5% from the previous year. The survey also noted that mass shootings jumped 25% from 2020 to 2021.