South Central Reporter

Veteran GOP lawmaker Blaine Wilhour is matter of fact in explaining his unyielding opposition to the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today law (SAFE-T Act).

“Simply ending cash bail is unwise and will only serve to make our communities less safe,” Wilhour told the South Central Reporter of the new law that completely eliminates the cash bail system. “I oppose the elimination of cash bail because it puts our communities at risk.”

With the new measure set to officially take effect in early 2023, supporters argue that it stands to make for a fairer and equitable justice system.

Again, Wilhour sees things in a completely different light.

“The purpose of our justice system is to keep our communities safe,” he added. “Criminal justice must be viewed from the prism of public safety. If offenders are a danger to themselves and others – we need to have policies like cash bail in place to keep them off the streets. The focus must always be on the safety of our communities. Bail should not be used as a vehicle to fund local government, but having said that, bail is an important tool our courts have to protect our communities. Judges need to have discretion in how to apply bail in order to protect our communities.”

Wilhour is far from alone in fearing the new law is all wrong for Illinois. Earlier this year, a group of state’s attorneys came together to castigate the new law, with one insisting “with this new law, our hands will be tied. What sane citizen in this state of Illinois would want the state’s attorney’s hands tied; the police hands tied and give all the perks going to violent offenders. That’s what this law does.”

Through it all, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) and democrats have remained firm in their support of the measure, with Pritzker recently telling The Center Square “we do not want someone in jail because they were arrested for a low-level crime like shoplifting to be sitting in jail for months or maybe even years. At the same time, someone who is a wealthy drug dealer, perhaps accused of murder and arrested, can show up with a suitcase full of money and get out of jail."

CapitolNewsIllinois.com reports GOP lawmakers have taken to referring to SAFE-T as a “de facto defund the police bill" given all the added restrictions it handcuffs officers with.

Count Wilhour among those in Springfield now moved to action.

“I voted against the SAFE-T Act, and I am actively working to repeal it,” he said.