CHICAGO, Ill. – Governor JB Pritzker is making his first public remarks on one measure just signed in to law by him, and on one just introduced.
On Tuesday, Pritzker signed into law changes in the “cashless bail” provisions of the state’s SAFE-T Act — a measure he opted to sign quickly prior to the January 1 effective date, instead of having any sort of signing ceremony.
Pritzker says he understands the concerns of law enforcement and state’s attorneys who all filed suit to get the act stopped.
“Let’s make sure everybody — judges, state’s attorneys, sheriffs, etc. — understand these provisions. So, maybe, we needed to write them in a way that’s just much clearer and has a little more detail to it,” said Pritzker, at an unrelated event in Chicago Wednesday.
As for the law’s effectiveness, Pritzker says he’ll rely on prosecutors and the state Supreme Court to gauge that.
Pritzker is backing a proposal that’s been filed in the Legislature banning certain types of assault weapons.
And when does Pritzker say he wants it done? The sooner, the better.
“Whether it happens during the lame duck session, which I know is the expectation, or it happens during regular session, it’s important that we do it as fast as possible,” said Pritker. “I just want to be clear that our aim is to get it done in the first half of the year.”
The bill filed recently would ban rapid-fire devices, high-capacity magazines, and assault weapons, and would raise the minimum age for a FOID card from 18 to 21.
Despite a Democrat super-majority in the Illinois House, there is expected to some stiff opposition, and Pritzker even expects lawsuits to be filed.
Pritzker also says he expects some support from Republicans in the Chicago suburbs. The Democrat lawmaker who filed the bill was at the July 4th deadly Highland Park shooting.
