Week 1 Without Cash Bail
Under a new law that went into effect on Monday, Illinois courts can no longer impose cash bail on defendants after a due-process hearing. The Prairie State is the only one of the 50 states where the courts no longer have pretrial powers.
This week, many Illinois criminal defendants were being released on their own. Defendants accused of low-level misdemeanors will be cited, given a court date, and automatically released pending their court date. For those accused of felonies, and higher-level misdemeanors, a detention hearing procedure will continue to be imposed, but most Illinois criminal defendants found this week they could meet the new conditions for avoiding pretrial detention. Criminal acts for which an accused defendant may be granted pretrial release on a no-cash-bail basis include acts as serious as aggravated battery to a police officer.
My House Republican colleagues and I voted unanimously against this so-called “Pretrial Fairness Act”. We will continue to work to roll back the Democrats’ disastrous public safety policies.
John Deere Lays Off 225 in Quad Cities
The maker of farm machinery is adjusting production levels at its East Moline plant, leading to the indefinite layoffs. Persons laid off are men and women engaged in the actual production of the farm machinery used to harvest crops in North America and around the world. Sharply increased interest rates, and changes in agricultural finance, are forcing many U.S. farmers to maintain their existing equipment and cut back their equipment turnover.
The East Moline-based John Deere Harvester Works is one of the largest production complexes in the Quad Cities. Until this week, the complex maintained a headcount of 2,300 employees, with almost 2,000 of the total working in production and maintenance.
Re-invest in Kids
Invest in Kids, lllinois’ only school choice option, expires at the end of 2023 unless we act during veto session to save the program. Overcoming Democrats’ determination to see the program end is one of the biggest challenges we will face in our fall session.
If you agree that school choice is important for ALL families, please sign the petition on my website here.
Illinois Crops Enter Field-Drying Cycle
After periods of heavy rainfall in June and July throughout much of Illinois, the fields have begun to dry out. The recent dryer conditions are encouraging most of the standing corn and bean plantings of Illinois to move towards harvest. The USDA reports that 70% of Illinois corn is “mature,” and 66% of the Illinois soybeans have begun dropping their leaves. Farmers will be testing their crops’ field moisture levels and preparing for harvest time.
Around the District
Mark your calendars! Senator Jil Tracy and I are teaming up with the Kroc Center in Quincy for a Senior Health Fair on October 18. We’ll have food, fun, and of course, health information, screenings and more. Please join us.
Fall Foliage is Coming!
Enjoy the beauty across Illinois! The Illinois Tourism Board’s Enjoy Illinois website will operate its fall color map showing different sections of Illinois and the color conditions in each section.