State Senator Pam Althoff
(Springfield, IL) — March 17, 2010. The Illinois State Senate yesterday voted unanimously for legislation to ban sex offenders from Illinois public parks and from loitering on side walks near parks.
The Senate’s 54-0 vote on the bi-partisan measure, Senate Bill 2824, sponsored by State Senate Pam Althoff (R-Crystal Lake), comes on the heels of Illinois House approval, 90-16, last month of legislation, House Bill 4675, sponsored by State Rep. Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills), to ban sex offenders from employment at municipal fairs.
Sente’s bill is being sponsored by State Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills), but the legislation, which arrived in the Senate on February 17, has yet to be assigned to a committee for a hearing.
The bill encountered both liberal and conservative opposition among the 16 House “no” votes.
In addition to the Althoff and Sente bills, State Senator Iris Martinez (D-Chicago) is pushing a plan, Senate Bill 3084, to require retroactive sex offender registration. Martinez’s bill was approved yesterday, 8-0, by the Senate Criminal Law Committee.
Althoff’s legislation imposes a Class A misdemeanor penalty for a first offense, but a Class 4 felony for second and third offenses. Other Senate sponsors include Martinez, Emil Jones III (D), Toi Hutchinson (D), Tony Muñoz (D), and Kirk Dillard (R).
State Rep. Jack Franks (D-McHenry) is the House sponsor of Althoff’s bill.
Gov. Pat Quinn
Not that I am for sex offenders, but thank god for sex offenders at least the legislators can pass something. How about a bill to require all prospective offenders to register? This way we can prevent it before it happens. Glad to see all the little manufacturers of child porn in Naperville will be protected by the new sexting law. Good folks of Naperville want to make sure their kids can enjoy the parks here in Illinois, and they will have plenty of time to see them when the schools get shut down. Too bad the Illinois constitution does not make the state responsible for financing education.
Posted by Jim Sather | March 17, 2010, 12:19 PMJim,
LOL.
David Ormsby
Posted by David Ormsby | March 17, 2010, 12:32 PMDon’t these representative know that ex-post facto laws are really really against the U.S. Constitution and are being overthrown by the U.S. Supreme Court right now. I know of three from three different states. This is ridiculous. These representatives were given the real facts from a representive from Illinois Voices, which included statistics from the Department of Justice. The sex offender laws have not protected anyone. In fact, the sex offenders and their families have had an increase in crimes committed against them, harassment, beatings and even murder. Stranger abduction, rape and murder is very uncommon. The recent sex crimes to make the news have been committed by compliant registered sex offenders. The registry did not help the police catch the offender nor did it protect a single soul. These politicians are exploiting children and the fears of parents just for a vote. Nothing constructive is being done. They are just as guilty as the “sex offenders.” Exploitation of children comes in many forms.
Posted by Amy Gibbons | May 2, 2010, 5:02 PMIf ignorance and political posturing could be converted into dollars and cents, Illinois would not be in the red with regards to the state budget. If your a politician and are looking for job security jump on the sex offender band wagon and tag line your own bill… Make politicians take maintenance polygraph tests just like they make sex offenders on parole. How many politicians would pass?
Posted by sex offenders an illinois political caravan | May 7, 2010, 5:47 AM