McHenry Times

State Sen. Don DeWitte (R-West Dundee) is demanding action on the violent-crime bills filed by Republican lawmakers with the goal of curbing the state’s rising violent crime rate.

“Three weeks ago Senate Republicans filed a package of bills designed to go right after the heart of violent crime to help get illegal guns off the streets, to keep the worst of the worst offenders off our streets and to provide our law-enforcement community with a major injection of resources,” DeWitte said at an Oct. 26 news conference. “One bill, the Fund the Police Act, would make a historic investment in law enforcement for training, hiring and retention with more boots on the ground.”

Supporters of the measure also point out it earmarks more resources for services like mental health programs across the state.

“Following that filing, we sent letters to the appropriate members of Senate leadership asking that these bills be released to Committee to be heard, debated and eventually voted on in veto session,” he said. “We received no response from any of the chairs, indicating that discussing the public safety and supporting our police officers in this state must not be important enough for their criminal justice committee to address.”

DeWitte says Democratic lawmakers are failing their constituents.

“The Democrats' approach is not working,” he said. “The people of Illinois want and need their legislators to find solutions to this very serious violent crime problem in our state. They want to see accountability. They want violent offenders put in jail, because the Democrats have ignored our bills, we are now obviously short on time for their consideration during the veto session.”

In response, DeWitte said Republicans filed the package of legislation as an amendment onto Senate Bill 1291.

“That bill is already on third reading,” he said. “We could begin the process today and pass this vital legislation. Instead, the war on victims continues in the state of Illinois.”

Filed in April, SB 1291 seeks to amend the Probation Challenge Program Act. Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) filed the original bill and serves as a co-sponsor of the measure.