Illinois House Kills Bill That Would Have Expanded Resentencing Options for Youth Offenders
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House shot down legislation Thursday that would have allowed some people incarcerated for crimes they committed when they were under 21 to become eligible for release.
In a rare rebuke of a Democrat-sponsored bill, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers voted against House Bill 3332, causing the bill to fail on a 49-51 vote. Bills require 60 votes to pass the House, and numerous Democrats voted against the bill or skipped the vote. The bill was declared “lost,” meaning it cannot be recalled later.
The bill would have allowed people sentenced for crimes they committed when they were under 21 to be eligible for a parole hearing after serving 10 years in prison. Those sentenced for murder would be eligible for parole after serving 20 years, while those sentenced for murdering a victim who was under 18 years would be eligible for parole after serving 30 years.
Bill sponsor Rep. Theresa Mah, (D-Chicago) immediately drew heavy criticism from Republicans who objected to creating a path to freedom for people convicted of violent crimes…
State Representative Mike Coffey issued this statement:
“This is a bad bill that does not improve public safety in any way. I voted NO to HB3332 and I’m glad Democrats used common sense with their votes against this legislation. Illinois does not need this and it would certainly not be fair to victim’s families.”
Coffey’s Legislative Update for April
Last week was busy with session and late nights passing legislation in the House. A total of 379 bills passed with 314 Democrat bills and 65 Republican bills. The most disappointing fact is very few bills passed that improve the quality of life for Illinois citizens. The bottom line is we have critical issues that must be addressed or we will continue to see hard-working families and businesses struggle to get ahead. High taxes and regulations are stifling opportunities and economic growth in Illinois. People want change, and they want legislators in Springfield to make a positive difference by passing legislation that offers tax relief. Read more and see a snapshot of bad bills being passed in the House.