Illinois task force looking at changing ‘qualified immunity’ stalls on recommendations

[December 09, 2021]  By Greg Bishop

(The Center Square) – A task force with the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority stalled out in trying to advance proposals to the General Assembly on whether people can bring lawsuits against individual police.

The ICJIA’s Task Force on Constitutional Rights and Remedies, a group of lawmakers and stakeholders in law enforcement and civil rights groups, was created as part of recent sweeping criminal justice and police regulations enacted earlier this year.

There were 17 recommendations ranging from taking no action to passing the “Bad Apples Act” that allows cause of action against police officers.

After two opposite proposals both failed to advance, the committee took a pause.

ACLU of Illinois’ Peter Hannah said the Bad Apples Act was taken out of the bill enacted earlier this year so there can be further debate.

“I would just remind everyone that that’s sort of why we’re all here in the first place and I think any attempt to rush through does a disservice to the ICJIA, this entire task force and, of course, the people of this state,” Hannah said.

State Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, oversaw an approved motion to have the recommendations streamlined.

ACLU of Illinois’ Peter Hannah, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, and state Sen. John Curran, R-Lemont, during Wednesday's ICJIA task force meeting  

• Greg Bishop / The Center Square

“Have further discussion and recommend to the General Assembly that we move the date of the report of the task force back,” Slaughter said.

The task force sunsets Dec. 31. Extending that would require legislative action.

State Sen. John Curran, R-Lemont, opposed the move.

“To go back for a third request for an extension, this is not looking reflective of the work that’s been done,” Curran said.

It’s unclear if the group will make the end-of-the-month deadline to produce a report.