The reinstatement of a federal asset forfeiture program marks a step backward for civil asset forfeiture reform.
Reforms in Cook County and in Illinois make pretrial release possible for nondangerous defendants with little money for bail.
Senate Bill 1294 creates the Industrial Hemp Act, which would require licensing for “any person desiring to grow, process, cultivate, harvest, process, possess, sell, or purchase industrial hemp or industrial hemp related products must be licensed by the Department of Agriculture.”
Civil asset forfeiture reform has now cleared the Illinois General Assembly.
With the right liability reforms, Illinois can protect businesses and make them more likely to give ex-offenders a chance at employment. Unfortunately, a bill that would have made this reform a reality stalled in the Illinois House of Representatives this session.
Both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly have now passed a measure to enable more ex-offenders to petition a court to seal their criminal records. This will help former inmates gain access to employment – and stay out of prison.
This Memorial Day, we honor those who have fallen. Let’s not forget to extend a hand up to those who remain.
Reforms such as record sealing expansion make it likelier that ex-offenders will be able to find work – and stop cycling in and out of prison. That means they and their families will have a chance to succeed. And the more ex-offenders enter this virtuous cycle – instead of returning to prison – the better off the state and taxpayers will be, too.
Research shows that recidivism rates drop for ex-offenders who are able to find steady employment.
A proposed amendment to Illinois’ Criminal Identification Act would allow people to petition to have their arrest and conviction records cleared of any cannabis-related offenses that Illinois ultimately takes off the books through marijuana legalization.
Illinoisans of all ages, political party affiliations and regions of the state favor legalizing marijuana and regulating and taxing it like alcohol, as provided in legislation proposed by state Rep. Kelly Cassidy on March 22.
Under state Rep. Kelly Cassidy’s proposal, Illinoisans age 21 and older could legally possess, manufacture and sell marijuana.
Illinois spent $58 million in 2015 to imprison offenders charged with felony theft. But evidence shows increasing the threshold, as 29 other states have done since 2001, doesn’t increase property crime or larceny rates.
Illinois is home to the nation's sixth-highest rate of wrongful convictions. The story of Aurora's Rolando Cruz is one harrowing example.