West Central Reporter

House Bill 1091 targets high-profile 'smash-and-grab' robberies that are plaguing Illinois, but Sen. Steve McClure (R-Jacksonville) thinks the legislation could have been framed in a much better way.

"Our stores in this state – most of which have not recovered from the pandemic – are being targeted in a way that we have not seen before by retail thefts. And what do you do? You just change the words around and allow them to be charged with the exact same thing," McClure said from the Senate floor. "Well, guess what's going to happen? Nothing. I'm very disappointed with this. There are some good things here like I said, and I appreciate the sponsor's hard work on this legislation, but how disappointing is this that we have a lot of new charges that are just re-wording things that are already law. Not good at all. So I'm going to vote no on this. I don't like to vote no on this but I'm going to because it's not going to solve the real problems that we have with retail theft."

House Bill 1091 passed the Senate with 42 yes votes and 10 no votes, and passed the House with 96 yes votes and five no votes. It's been sent to the governor to be signed. 

Even though minority leader Jim Durkin (R-Burr Ridge) voted for the measure, the Hyde Park Herald reported, he was disappointed the bill was "the best we could do."

The main aim of House Bill 1091 is to combat organized retail theft. It amends the state's criminal code and creates the Illinois Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers (INFORM Consumers) Act. 

"Organized retail crimes have wreaked havoc on our workers, businesses and local economies," said Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield), who supports the bill, The State Journal-Register reported.

House Bill 1091 will allow prosecutors to consolidate charges against an offender in a particular county even if he or she has a record of 'smash and grab' theft across multiple counties. 

"If you vote yes for this bill, you are telling me, and every survivor in the state of Illinois, to pound sand," Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) said, the Hyde Park Herald reported. "You are telling me and everyone in the state of Illinois that you care more about the retailers and the businesses in your districts than the victims of a violent crime."