Year after George Floyd’s death, police contracts stop Illinois reform

By Mailee Smith

05/25/2021

It has been a year since George Floyd died beneath a Minneapolis police officer’s knee, setting off riots in Chicago and protests across Illinois. Lawmakers vowed reforms, but nothing will change as long as police contracts overpower state law.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, George Floyd, Illinois, police union

Illinois law lets police union contracts overpower state law

By Mailee Smith

03/19/2021

If the Illinois General Assembly wants to see true police reforms, it must first change the state law that gives police union contracts more power than public laws and regulations. Without that change, reforms become empty intentions.

TAGS: collective bargaining, police misconduct, police union

Illinois Supreme Court denies Chicago police union request to destroy misconduct records

By Mailee Smith

06/19/2020

While Illinois law explicitly states union contracts trump all other state laws, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled a police contract allowing the destruction of disciplinarily records defies public policy and cannot be enforced.

TAGS: CPD: Chicago Police Department, Illinois Supreme Court, police misconduct, police union

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension costs, including pension bond...

View Report

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Report Archive

Jerome Cooper

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students