Working for Illinois Caucus

Oswego State Representative Stephanie Kifowit is hosting a toy drive now through December 9th. It’s through the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. Kifowit is a Marine Corps Veteran.

Toys can be dropped of at her office at 1677 Montgomery Road, suite 116, in Aurora from eight to four Monday through Friday. The toys should be new and unwrapped.

More information can be found by calling 630-585-1308.

Under the Pretrial Fairness Act, a section of the Safe-T Act, the end to cash bail and the implementation of its alternative goes into effect January 1. In the meantime, State Representative Dave Vella, a Democrat from Rockford, continues to meet with the public safety working group in the Illinois House. They’re looking at questions that are still unanswered, like how much the new process is going to cost and other legitimate concerns about the law.

The Illinois Safe-T Act was a major focus of misinformation and Republican opposition during the past election campaign.

“We’re going to be losing money out of the system, but also [we’re considering] how much cheaper it’s going to be, because there won’t be as many people in custody,” Vella said.

“So, we’re trying to figure out what that number is, then trying to allocate the funds for that. So we’ll probably need some kind of special allotment.”

He said it varies across the state how much court systems and jails depend on fees from bond money to fund their operations.

After January 1, in place of bail, folks charged with low level, non-violent offences will be ticketed and required to appear in court at a later date. A judge can decide to hold a person in detention before they have been sentenced if they are deemed dangerous or a flight risk, using certain criteria.

Prosecutors can also petition the judge for detention. But the threshold they must meet, some state’s attorneys said, is too high. Vella, a former defense attorney, said legislators are working on developing language that addresses their concerns.

“You don’t want somebody who misses the bus, to get a warrant out for them taking into custody, they spent time in over the weekend, and they lose their kids and lose their job,” he said. “But you don’t want somebody who just said, ‘I’m not going to court’ just to be out there without impunity.”

Another item under negotiations is how the law applies to individuals who are currently detained and who have posted bond. Some state’s attorneys have previously told WNIJ that if the law is retrospective, a mechanism will have to be in place that allows for the court system to review and decide on whether current detainees meet the criteria for release.

Vella said he can’t say for certain what proposals will be brought forth for the legislature to consider.

Earlier this month, State Senator Scott Bennet, a Champaign Democrat, filed an amendment, supported by the State’s Attorneys Association, which states pretrial release begins on January 1 but doesn’t apply to those currently detained. It would also lower the threshold for a judge to detain a person they deem a flight risk or a threat to the public.

While Democrats hold a supermajority in both chambers, any amendments will have to gain support from those who have opposed the Safe-T Act, including some Democrats. It will take a two-thirds vote to approve amendments to the law during the veto session which ends on December 1.

Since June of 2021, a taskforce of the Illinois Supreme Court has hosted educational seminars to help the court systems implement changes under a no-cash bail system.

With the holidays quickly approaching, State representative Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, is announcing that she is a partner with The Marine Corps Toys for Tots for another year to be a drop-off location for new toys. Donations will be collected at her district office at 1677 Montgomery Road, Suite 116 in Aurora, through December 9.

“Everyone deserves to enjoy the holiday season; we can help bring joy and celebration to families in the community,” said Kifowit. “Unfortunately for some families, the holiday season may be particularly difficult. It can be a very sad and depressing time.”

Kifowit, a U.S. Marine Veteran, has been a partner with Toys for Tots every year to help bring the joy of the season and send a message of hope to the community’s children who need some holiday cheer. Kifowit will be collecting new, unwrapped toys at her office from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday until she has to turn the toys into the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots organization December 9.

“This holiday season, it is important that we give back to the children in our community who can use a toy during the season to let parents see a smile in their children’s faces,” said Kifowit. “I encourage everyone who can to stop by my office and donate a gift of their choosing. You never know how far gestures of kindness can go to help rebuild the family spirit.”

For more information about Kifowit’s Holiday Toys for Tots Drive, please contact her full-time constituent office at 630-585-1308, or send an Email to Stephanie.kifowit@att.net.

— State representative Stephanie Kifowit

With the November election cycle drawing to a close, the Illinois General Assembly soon will return to Springfield for the fall veto session.

One of the main topics legislators will consider is revisions to the SAFE-T Act legislation that was signed into law nearly two years ago.

The no-cash bail provision of the law that’s set to go into effect on Jan. 1 came under fire from opponents during the campaign season, while dozens of lawsuits challenging the SAFE-T Act have been consolidated into a single case against the state.

State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth of Peoria says that while she feels much of the outcry over the SAFE-T Act has been politically motivated, she admits more changes are necessary.

“I’m always very sensitive to issues that make people – from a legislative standpoint, not from a political standpoint, because politics is politics, which is a different thing – but policies that could be even perceived as making communities less safe,” said Gordon-Booth.

“When I say that there’s a lot of politics that’s happening, I also don’t want to be dismissive of any real issues that may exist. So as we continue down this path, … I’m very confident that next month, we’ll be going to veto session (and) we’re going to have a body of work and a work product that is going to be a good work product.”

Gordon-Booth, who serves as the House’s deputy majority leader, says some negotiations on possible revisions to the SAFE-T Act have already taken place. But she said it would be improper to reveal details yet on what changes are being considered.

“The majority of things that we’re talking about that have been brought to the table, that we’re going to make the effect of changes on, there’s consensus around it,” she said. “There may be like maybe one or two things that we’re not at consensus point yet. But that’s why we’re continuing to work.”

Gordon-Booth says lawmakers have already updated the SAFE-T Act three times since it was signed into law in January 2021. She says over the past nine months, she’s gotten regular input from Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos, Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria, former Sheriff Brian Asbell and now Sheriff Chris Watkins in seeking guidance for updating the SAFE-T Act.

“No voice is going unheard. It’s critically important that we’re listening to folks and also being mindful of how we got here in the first place,” said Gordon-Booth. “All of this was passed coming out of the summer of 2020, where people were demanding that we change this broken justice system. So we’re working to do just that.”