Pritzker says Illinois will not give up on ending cash bail

[January 05, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he's confident a measure he signed into law in 2021 to end cash bail statewide is constitutional despite a lower court ruling otherwise.

The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today, or SAFE-T Act, was approved by the General Assembly in January 2021. It makes several changes to the criminal justice system, including eliminating cash bail statewide, making it the first state to do so.

A combined lawsuit involving over 60 state's attorneys across Illinois challenged the law before the legislature last month broadened the list of offenses a criminal defendant can be held in jail for pending trial.

Last week, A Kankakee County judge found the no-cash bail provision violated the state constitution and separation of powers, siding with the state's attorneys. Initially, it was thought the circuit court ruling only impacted counties where a state's attorney brought a challenge, potentially spurring chaos in the state's criminal justice system with some jurisdictions ending cash bail while others keep it in place.

On New Year's Eve, the Illinois Supreme Court halted the Jan. 1 implementation of no-cash bail statewide pending appeal.

"The emergency motion for supervisory order is allowed," the Supreme Court ordered Dec. 31. "In order to maintain consistent pretrial procedures throughout Illinois, the effective date of the Pretrial Fairness Act ... is stayed during the pendency of the appeal ... and until further order of this Court."

Gov. J.B. Pritzker in Chicago Wednesday
GovPritzker Facebook

Pritzker spoke at an unrelated event on Wednesday and said he was "disappointed."

"Obviously, I signed the law, and the legislators voted for it, and there is a common and comfortable belief that it is constitutional," Pritzker said. "The court system will make a ruling on it through the Supreme Court sometime in the next few months. I am disappointed that there has been a delay in its implementation."

It's unclear when a final decision on the measure will be made.

Pritzker said the state's fight to end cash bail will continue if the state Supreme Court strikes no-cash bail down.

"The whole purpose here is fairness, and I think we will continue to fight for that," Pritzker said. "Those of us who believe in this know that there is even more to do, but I am comfortable and confident that this is constitutional."

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.