SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) voiced his staunch opposition to the latest Democrat sponsored bill aimed at cleaning up problems with the dangerous so-called SAFE-T Act during the final day of the last week of Veto Session in Springfield. Rep. Niemerg says several dangerous provisions still remain in the underlying law even though House and Senate Democrats pushed through yet another bill that amends the original law.
“Democrats took their fourth shot at a ‘do-over’ on the SAFE-T Act in Springfield on the final day of Veto Session,” Niemerg said. “I have serious concerns for the safety of the people of Illinois considering Democrats have stuck to their mission of prioritizing criminals over victims. No matter how many times they try to fix their mistakes, the Democrats can’t come to grips with the facts. The SAFE-T Act still contains major flaws that make everyone less safe. They’ve ended cash bail, they’re allowing anonymous complaints against police officers, they’re forcing victims of violent crimes to have to appear in pre-trial detention hearings in the same room as the criminals that perpetrated heinous crimes against them within 48 hours of being victimized, and they’re putting a huge financial burden on smaller counties that don’t have the same access to resources that places like Chicago, Cook County, and the collar counties do.”
The original SAFE-T Act was passed during the lame-duck Session of the previous General Assembly. Niemerg was waiting in the Bank of Springfield Center prior to his inauguration as 109th district State Representative and watched the House Democrats shut down questioning and debate before passing the bill by the slimmest possible margin.
“I was disgusted to see Democrats cut off House Republicans’ from being able to ask questions about a law that has such sweeping implications for public safety and for the well-being and livelihood of our law enforcement officers,” Niemerg said. “Unfortunately, not much has changed. Republicans were shut out of this latest ‘do-over’ bill yet again. I will never vote for legislation that I know is going to make the people I represent less safe, and puts the police officers that protect our community in danger. That is exactly what we have in Illinois even though Democrats want you to believe otherwise with the half-measure they passed out of the House and Senate today. I voted NO.”
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