CHICAGO — State Sen. Jacqueline Collins, D-Chicago, issued the following statement today on news Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law a measure that makes important changes to the state’s bail system.
“In our system, a person is always considered innocent until proven guilty,” Collins said. “But, under our bail system, many people who could not afford to pay, regardless of their guilt or innocence, are forced into long stays in jail that throw their lives into chaos and cost taxpayers the expense of detaining them. These reforms strengthen the due process of the bail system and fight against a system that perpetuates inequality. I applaud Senator Donne Trotter for his leadership on this issue.”
Senate Bill 2034, signed into law today, establishes five rights for defendants, including:
The right to a presumption against monetary bail
The right to counsel at a bail hearing
The right to a new bail hearing
The right to conditions of release considerate of the defendant's economic and social circumstances
The right to bail credits for time served
The new law is effective immediately.