Chambana Sun

Republican state Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Champaign) is taking a stand for peace and safe Illinois streets.

"Almost two weeks ago, we filed a comprehensive package of bills to combat violent crime,” Rose said in a video posted to Facebook. “We're not talking about the so-called low-level nonviolent offender. Violent offenders walking our streets: gun traffickers, carjackers.”

In an effort to bring about the level of change he feels is needed, Rose is among the lawmakers pushing a series of bills designed to take and keep violent offenders off the street.

“Several provisions in our package have to do with mental health at the county jails,” he said. “We've all heard from all of our sheriffs about the need for folks who are in our county jails and who are mentally ill. The purpose of the package is to take violent criminal offenders off the streets.”

Rose knows change won’t come easily.

“Yesterday was the criminal law committee,” he said. “None of those bills were assigned a hearing. I am calling for SB 1291 to be released as a position-of-vehicle-bill to pass before the end of veto session, which we would file all of our bills to as an amendment if the majority were to release it.”

Earlier this month, Rose unveiled the Fund the Police Act as a response to rising violent crime rates across the downstate area.

"Downstate communities, including Champaign and Decatur, are experiencing unprecedented levels of violent crime,” he said in a post to his website. “The Fund the Police Act will put resources where they are needed most: getting more boots on the ground to fight violent crime, funding police training, incentivizing the hiring and retention of police officers, helping to offset local governments’ police overtime costs and helping to tackle mental health issues, which contribute to the overall problem.”

The legislation also includes changes to the system aimed at keeping violent offenders off the street while providing the law enforcement community with additional resources via a $100 million state appropriation.

“Legislative leaders found time to ram through multiple controversial bills this year that do nothing to keep people safe,” Rose said. “Meanwhile people are literally dying in the streets, school buses are getting shot at, and families are afraid to go outside. It’s well past time for the state to do something.”

The legislation also seeks to create the Fund the Police Grant Fund that appropriates $100 million to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board for making grants available to local governments and universities to hire police officers, purchase equipment designed to prevent gang violence, motor vehicle theft, carjacking, or sale of contraband.

The proposal also seeks to establish that a defendant who commits aggravated battery to a police officer serve at least 85% of their sentence and denies bail for previously convicted gun offenders or a felon charged with a gun offense.