A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers, including members of the House Progressive and House Freedom caucuses, have put forth a measure to limit the use of federal dollars in certain civil asset forfeiture proceedings.
The New Hampshire legislature has passed an overhaul of asset forfeiture laws to protect rights of innocent property owners; Illinois should do the same.
U.S. law enforcement took in more than $5 billion from the American public in 2014 through asset forfeiture, compared to the $3.5 billion lost nationally to burglary.
No other state’s constitution or labor laws are like Illinois’ – broadly allowing government unions to override statutes simply by negotiating contrary provisions into collective bargaining agreements. Illinois may not be alone for long.