DeKalb Times

Dixon Mayor Liandro “Li” Arellano wondered what could have been with the sweeping new crime reform bill the House and Senate approved on Jan. 13.

“It’s definitely an issue worthy of discussion, and I even like some parts of it like the outlaw on cash bails,” Arellano told the DeKalb Times. “But what [they] shouldn’t have done is present this bill in the wee hours of the morning and pass it an hour later. There’s no doubt there are some things in there that shouldn’t be, and they’re trying to use the veneer of this to cover up the quick approach.”

Democrat-led chambers worked to pass the criminal justice overhaul in the final hours of the 101st General Assembly. Some of the reforms include doing away with cash bails and requiring officers to wear body cameras.

With support coming from the Legislative Black Caucus, it awaits the signature of Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Arellano said he worried about what could come next.

“This way this is written poses a real danger to officers and puts them at a clear disadvantage,” Arellano said. “I don’t think anyone in law enforcement feels like it strikes the right balance. It’s already hard to get people to make the sacrifice of being an officer, and this bill only stands to make recruitment that much harder.”

Arellano added the timing and approach to hammering the bill through couldn’t be any worse.

“The lame-duck session doesn’t allow the time for real debate,” he said. “What it offers is an opportunity for lawmakers to slide something through in an easier manner. Democrats like to use and often abuse the session in this way. This is when they tend to put bills up they want to try to get through without the scrutiny there needs to be for them.”