SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) issued the following statement in response to the Bail Reform Act of 2017 becoming law:
“I am proud that Illinois' outdated system of monetary bail is finally being reformed. Low-risk offenders should not be forced to stay in jail because they can't afford bail. We should be investing in our neighborhoods, in social services and in job training programs to lift people up, instead of spending money to detain someone who is not a threat to public safety.”