Illinois Valley Times

Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives have had enough of the increased violence and rampant crime that has plagued the state and believe the trend will continue due to a law passed last year.

Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) believes Democrats have given criminals the impression they won't be punished for the crimes they commit.

"We cannot continue to allow those who repeatedly violate the law to run the street with no consequence. We cannot continue to tie the hands of our law enforcement officials and our court system," Haas said during a Jan. 5 news conference. "My heart is heavy with the reality of this situation and I urge Gov. Pritzker and his Democratic colleagues to see crime in Illinois for what it is."

Just last week in Haas' district, Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic pleaded for her life before she was killed with her own gun while on the job. According to NBC News, Rittmanic's partner, Officer Tyler Bailey, was shot in the head and remains in critical condition. Haas said the alleged shooter had a lengthy criminal past. 

"This is an example of what will continue to happen as a result of the SAFE-T Act," Haas said. 

The SAFE-T Act, or the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, changed a few laws including a rule that allowed prosecutors to charge accomplices with murder if the main perpetrator is killed by a third party during a forcible felony, established a process to decertify "abusive cops," required all law enforcement in the state to wear body cameras, and limited when deadly force is permissible, Injustice Watch reported. 

"My colleagues and I have been raising concerns about the massive uptick in violence in the city of Chicago and we warned the governor over and over again that the violence they see in Cook County will bleed into the rest of the state if it continues to go unaddressed, and sadly we see our warnings have come to fruition here," Haas said during the news conference. 

The SAFE-T Act passed during the last legislative session mainly along party lines. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) signed it into law on Feb. 22, 2021.

Some of the provisions do not take effect until next year and 2025.