West Central Reporter

Sen. Jil Tracy's (R-Quincy) website recently covered updates to a proposed legislative package for law enforcement, the unveiling of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's budget proposal and a new proposed tax-relief package in the state Senate General Assembly. 

"Senate Republicans unveiled a legislative package to support law enforcement as the state’s violent crime continues to skyrocket, as well as announcing several proposals to provide struggling Illinois families with much-needed tax relief for years to come," Tracy said in a Facebook post.

The Senate Republican Caucus unveiled the latest updates to its legislative package that targets violent crime, which is currently on the rise in Illinois, and will offer "a critical lifeline to law enforcement efforts," Tracy's review said. Titled the "Criminal Justice Package," the legislative measure would work to hold criminals accountable and included the "Fund the Police Act" providing law enforcement with grants.

"[The Fund the Police Act] provides grants ($125 million/year) to local governments for the hiring, rehiring, and retention of law enforcement officers; funding body camera mandates, including data storage costs and personnel; funding for mandated training; assisting with outreach and community policing; assisting with mental health treatment of individuals in county jails; and purchasing public safety equipment to keep officers and communities safe. Grants to be administered by ILETSB," a Senate Republican Caucus review highlighting the proposed package said. 

Included in the package is a new penalty requiring a defendant to serve at minimum 85% of a sentence for committing aggravated battery on a police officer or bringing a weapon into a penal institution. According to the review, other changes the package looks to implement include committing juveniles to the Department of Juvenile Justice for use or discharge of a firearm in a school resulting in harm or death, a minimum 10-year sentence for gun-trafficking/straw-purchase offenses and those providing firearms to felons, and preventing the "catch and release" of juvenile carjackers by restoring automatic transfer to adult court for cases including violence or armed robbery. 

The legislative package also looks to enforce a 10-year minimum sentence for a first-time conviction of crimes involving aggravated discharge of a firearm, use of an illegal or stolen firearm in an offense, unlawful possession of a weapon by felons, armed habitual crimes and aggravated carjacking and a life sentence for the occurrence of a second conviction. 

"The Senate Republican initiatives have the support of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, and members of their organizations attended the Feb. 1 press conference," Tracy said in her weekly Senate review. 

The Senate Republicans also announced a tax relief plan and reform proposal for Illinois residents with would provide "permanent, substantive relief, instead of the temporary relief proposed by Gov. Pritzker during his Budget Address on Feb. 2," according to Tracy's review. Pritzker's budget proposal included $2.5 billion for government expansion and a year-long tax relief program. 

According to the weekly review, Tracy and other Republican senators believe Illinois citizens deserve a long-term tax relief package to address concerns of inflation and growing consumer prices. The proposed tax-relief package would also include addressing gas prices by lowering the 6.25% sales tax on gas to 5.25%, raising property credit from 5% to 10% and allowing residents subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) the ability to go to referendum.

Tracy added that she hopes Pritzker, and Senate Democrats, take into consideration the Caucus' proposals.