Jiménez Responds to Constitutionality Ruling for SAFE-T Act

CHICAGO — State Rep. Lilian Jiménez, D-Chicago, issued the following statement regarding Tuesday’s ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court upholding the SAFE-T Act, specifically the Pre-Trial Fairness Act provision. 

“The Illinois Supreme Court stood in solidarity with advocates, communities reeling from violent crime and every Illinoisan who wants a brighter future for their state. 

“Ending cash bail was critical to our overall efforts to make a more effective and compassionate criminal justice system, because the money you post for bail should not determine how safe victims and communities are. By giving judges more latitude to detain individuals on a public safety assessment, we not only bring justice to those wrongly held behind bars for nonviolent offenses, but keep people safe. 

“I am proud of the General Assembly, Governor Pritzker, and the Illinois Supreme Court’s work in furthering the cause of justice and seeing through partisan fear mongering and misinformation tactics that have soiled the hard work of reforming our state’s public safety efforts.”