State's attorney files lawsuit over SAFE-T Act

Sep. 28—Vermilion County State's Attorney Jacqueline Lacy has filed a lawsuit against Gov. JB Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul over the SAFE-T Act, which is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2023.

Lacy filed a motion for declaratory judgment and injunction relief and said the bill violates parts of Article I, Article II and Article IV of the Illinois Constitution.

"As the Chief Legal Officer in Vermilion County, I am compelled to inform those that I have sworn to protect that the proposals set forth in House Bill 3653, now Public Act 101-652 pose a serious threat to public safety, specifically, to victims of and witnesses to violent crimes in our community," Lacy said in a news release.

Lacy, a Republican in her second term as state's attorney, said the bill was poorly drafted and contained "ill-conceived directives" in an effort to "systematically dismantle law enforcement, which in turn would affect the integrity of every investigation, prosecution and the safety of every citizen of our community."

The SAFE-T Act was passed earlier this year by the Democratic-controlled Illinois legislature. Proponents say the intent was to do away with cash bail in an effort to end systemic racism in the criminal justice system. The initial law was met with controversy and confusion, and lawmakers passed Senate Bill 4228 to clarify the original after concerns were raised by local law enforcement officials.