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Stone said the death penalty reform
package was prompted by the exoneration of 13 death row inmates in
recent years. On Jan. 31, 2000, Gov. George Ryan declared a
moratorium on death penalty executions until reforms could be
implemented. The Senate conducted months of public hearings in
communities throughout the state, and from those meetings have come
meaningful recommendations for change that build on the reforms the
Legislature and the Supreme Court have already put in place during
the last several years.
House Bill 5657 authorizes the Supreme
Court to reverse a death sentence, grants the right of DNA
comparison analysis, prohibits the administration of the death
penalty for people with mental retardation, clarifies that the
Capital Crimes Litigation Act allows funding for forensic testing
and requires clemency petitions to be filed within 30 days of the
court’s order. The legislation also calls for local police
commissions to report to the Illinois Training and Standards Board
(the certification body for all Illinois police officers)
administrative findings that a police officer committed perjury and
codifies current case law requiring that a defendant’s request for
forensic testing be allowed whenever such testing would
significantly advance the claim of actual innocence, even if it
would not by itself exonerate him or her. The bill is pending in the
House of Representatives.
The Senate also voted to override the
governor’s veto of anti-terrorism legislation approved this spring.
During the summer, the governor made significant changes to House
Bill 2058, including the removal of a death penalty provision. The
Senate action this week rejects all of the governor’s changes and
restores provisions making the act of terrorism an eligibility
factor for the death penalty.
House Bill 2058 addresses such issues
as charities collecting money for terrorist organizations, limiting
the ability of nonresident aliens to acquire an FOID card, death
penalty for terrorist acts, making terrorist threats, search
warrants, and freezing assets and seizing property of terrorist
organizations. The House also rejected the governor’s changes, so
the legislation now becomes law.
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In other action, Senate President James
"Pate" Philip of Wood Dale announced Dec. 4 he would not seek
re-election as Republican leader. At the conclusion of his term next
month, Philip will have served as the Senate Republican leader for
nearly 22 years -- longer than any other Senate legislative leader
of either party in Illinois history.
Replacing Philip is Assistant Senate
Majority Leader Frank Watson of Greenville, who was selected during
a membership meeting Dec. 5. Watson will lead the 26 members of the
Republican caucus in the 93rd General Assembly when members are
sworn into office on Jan. 8.
Watson was first elected to the state
Senate in 1982, having served the four previous years in the House
of Representatives. He has served as an assistant majority leader in
the Senate since 1993.
Philip has been Senate president since
1993, following Republican election victories that resulted in a
32-seat majority in the upper chamber. Philip was first appointed
senator on Sept. 2, 1981, following the death of David Shapiro.
Philip completed the term and was elected for five additional
two-year terms as Senate minority leader. On Jan. 13, 1993, Philip
was elected Senate president and has been re-elected four times
since then.
The Senate also approved:
Military relief fund (HB 2742) --
Creates an income tax checkoff for the Illinois Military Family
Relief Fund to help the families of military personnel called to
active duty because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Project Safe Child (HB 3717) --
Strengthens laws against child abduction, solicitation and
pornography.
The Senate
will reconvene Jan. 6 to finish the business of the 92nd General
Assembly before the 93rd General Assembly convenes Jan. 8.
[News
release]
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