Rep. Tipsword and fellow members of the House Republican Truth in Public Safety, or TIPS, Working Group, have unveiled a new package of bills they are championing to help restore law and order in our communities, and help recruit new first responders to improve public safety.
“My Republican colleagues and I warned of the consequences when Democrats pushed their so-called SAFE-T Act, and, unfortunately, what we predicted has come to pass: criminals have been emboldened, our law enforcement community has been handcuffed and demoralized…and our communities have been made less safe. We must change course this spring.” Tipsword said.
Rep. Tipsword said the working group focused on three specific areas in which changes are sorely needed:
- Protecting Victims of Crime
- The Real Pre-Trial Fairness Act
- Recruitment and Retention of Law Enforcement Officers
New legislation introduced this week includes:
HB 5120 – Expands detainable offenses pending trial based on the severity of the offense and determination of whether the defendant poses a real threat to individuals or the community.
HB 5121 – Enables revocation of a defendant’s pre-trial release if the defendant is charged with a new offense.
HB 5126 – Reverts back to pre- SAFE-T Act processes of the court issuing a warrant for a defendant’s failure to appear in court.
Rep. Tipsword, himself a 30-year veteran of law enforcement, stressed the critical need for enhanced support and recruitment of police and other first responders.
“There’s no question that the SAFE-T-Act has hurt law enforcement recruitment and retention across the state. Many small towns, including several here in Central Illinois, have had to close their local police departments and contract for police protection from larger agencies. Resources are spread thin, and that endangers everyone.” Rep. Tipsword said.
To support our first responders, the working group has filed HB 5122 that creates a $500 tax credit for a taxpayer who serves as a full-time police officer, firefighter, or rescue worker. Additionally, HB 5123 will establish an annual recruit training program schedule for basic law enforcement or county corrections training.
“These and other bills our working group is offering will put us on the path to making crime illegal again in Illinois,” Tipsword said.