Four Monumental Legislative Victories!
Congratulations to our member congregations and dedicated volunteers. In the recent lame duck session of the Illinois General Assembly, Community Renewal Society won many historic changes which will help end systemic racism. Join us in celebrating the passing of four monumental victories.
1. Pretrial Fairness ACT (HB3653 HFA2)
After years of working with our partners in the Coalition to End Money Bond and Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice, the state legislature passed the Pretrial Fairness Act as part of the Black Caucus’ criminal justice reform bill. Illinois is now the first state in the country to COMPLETELY eliminate money bond! No longer will people lose their freedom because of the size of their bank account. No longer will people lose their jobs, homes, or even custody of their kids simply because they do not have access to wealth. This bill overhauls the state’s pretrial justice system and makes MANY people ineligible to be detained pretrial. Every year, tens of thousands of people will now be free!
2. Police Accountability Reform (HB3653 HFA2)
The Black Caucus’ criminal justice omnibus bill includes many reforms that address racially unjust practices that have plagued our communities for decades, especially in policing. One provision of this bill that is particularly impactful to our work: the removal of the requirement to sign a sworn affidavit in order to file a complaint against the police. This will lessen the fear of possible retribution for reporting police misconduct. A key part of our campaign with the Coalition for Police Contracts Accountability (CPCA), CRS has advocated for this change for years. This bill also prohibits collective bargaining agreements with police from overriding state law. CRS, along with our coalition partners, will now work to ensure that the current FOP contracts being negotiated will be in compliance with the legislation once it is signed into law. This is a monumental feat that overcame so much opposition, and it would not have been possible without your support! While law enforcement opposition to criminal justice reform has been strong, our movement has proven stronger!
3. Employee Background Fairness Act (SB1480 HFA2)
One of the biggest challenges to getting a good job is the background check process. With the passage of the Employee Background Fairness Act, state law will now provide standards for employers to follow when they consider CONVICTION records in a person’s background. And, most importantly, this legislation makes discrimination based on a conviction record a civil rights violation under the Illinois Human Rights Act! This is a significant win that will create opportunities for employment and provide protection for people in Illinois who have a criminal record. We are proud to advocate for this bill as a member of the Restoring Rights and Opportunities Coalition of Illinois, a coalition of directly impacted community leaders, organizers, and policy advocates from Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and Community Renewal Society.
4. Public Housing Access Bill (SB1980 HFA2)
Housing is a critical need. People with criminal records are routinely denied housing. The Public Housing Access Bill, an initiative of RRCOI which was unanimously passed by the General Assembly, creates standards for Illinois Public Housing Authorities to use in the criminal background screening process. This ensures that individuals who have been caught up by the criminal legal system have the ability to get stable housing regardless of where they live. It also shortens the “lookback” period to six months from the date of application. This means that most people will be eligible to live in public housing when they re-enter the community, a time when they are most in need, preventing homelessness and recidivism, while equitably increasing access to affordable housing.
The importance of including these two RROCI bills in the Black Caucus Economic Access, Opportunity & Equity pillar is clear: “55 percent of Illinois adults have a criminal record and individuals with criminal legal system involvement are half as likely to receive offers of employment or interviews than individuals who don’t have a record,” said Representative Sonya Harper during testimony on the House floor. “This hiring disparity is twice the size for Black applicants as for white applicants.”
“Everyone deserves a place to lay their head at night and the pride of finding a job without shame of their past following them,” shared Josephine Horace-Jackson, a RROCI member. “When an employer or a landlord runs my background, even though they see it happened decades ago, they do not see me. These two bills will make sure they see me. I am not my record.”
Thank you!
We extend appreciation and thanks to the General Assembly’s Black Caucus, especially Representatives Sonya M. Harper, Justin Slaughter and Marcus A. West, II, and Senators Christopher Belt, Robert Peters, Elgie Sims and Jacqueline Collins, as well as two of our original bill sponsors, Representative Delia Ramirez and Senator Omar Aquino for their tireless advocacy in taking up and speaking out on this impactful and life-changing policy shift.
This work could not be done without the support of our member congregations and our tireless volunteers. Thank you to the Just Economy for Safe Communities Issue Team, Police Accountability Issue Team, and the Restoring Rights and Justice Reform members for your important leadership on these critical issues. Every time you showed up, every email, phone call, tweet, legislative meeting made the difference. We did this through organizing and believing Beloved Community is possible. Thank you for your role in making this possible. We did a lot of work this year — pandemic and all!
Congratulations!!
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In Solidarity,
CRS Policy and Organizing Staff