DeKalb Times

State Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore), on his Facebook page, shared a link to an article from Injustice Watch, which equated the conservative backlash to the SAFE-T Act with backlash to what they called Black liberatory work. 

"A similar tug-of-war is happening in Illinois right now with the SAFE-T Act, a sweeping reform of the criminal justice system that was signed into law last year,” Injustice Watch wrote. “Backed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, the SAFE-T Act: expands police officer training in race and ethnicity sensitivity and de-escalation tactics, requires body cameras in all departments by 2025, creates stricter body camera regulations, and requires medical treatment for people in custody without unreasonable delay, among other things.

“But the most controversial piece of the SAFE-T Act is the Pretrial Fairness Act, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and will abolish cash bail in Illinois — the first state to do so in the country,” the article continues. “Chicago organizers and civil rights groups fought tirelessly for this historic measure, understanding that the majority of pretrial detainees are Black or brown. Their inability to afford a bond leads to job loss, housing uncertainty and loss of child custody — while doing nothing to improve public safety.” 

Keicher said that criticism of the SAFE-T Act isn’t aimed at the entire piece of legislation, just parts.

“I’ll remind you that more than 60% of the SAFE-T Act was supported by law enforcement, it’s not all horrible,” Keicher wrote. “But it’s also not 100% ‘okay’ to go. Unfortunately when raising the alarm, we’re called fear mongers and racist by sharing what’s coming Jan. 1. We can’t let what’s about to occur go forward uncorrected.” 

Since he was elected in 2018, he has said that revisions are needed when it comes to how and why law enforcement holds people in jail. “HOWEVER, the broad strokes of this act are too far of a stretch and endanger our communities,” Keicher said. “It’s one thing to have no bail on minor drug crimes and shoplifting (the examples most often cited by proponents); it’s something entirely different to have potentially violent offenders out because we’ve taken away judicial discretion - let the judge decide.”

In his time in the statehouse, Keicher has not opposed all Democratic projects. He has supported some electric vehicle programs.

“We’ve already seen the benefits locally in jobs, business growth and (for the first time in memory) property taxes going down in the city of DeKalb,” Keicher wrote on Facebook, as reported in the DeKalb Times. “This EV credit will continue to reward expanding this high-tech manufacturing sector and bring the jobs I hear from my constituents expect us to bring to Illinois.” 

He has, however, spoken against Democrats when it comes to how they handle the state’s finances. the DeKalb Times reported.

“We still have done nothing in Illinois that will stop the tax increase on every job in Illinois and the benefits cut to unemployment,” he wrote. That comment came after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the state’s fiscal year 2023 budget, which promises $1.8 million in tax relief for families. 

Keicher was first elected to the Illinois House in 2018. He serves on the Appropriations-Higher Education, and Immigration & Human Rights committees.