Late Wednesday, a Kankakee County judge ruled the Democrats’ “SAFE-T Act,” otherwise known as the “No Cash Bail” law or the PURGE law, unconstitutional. The ruling will impact the 67 of 102 counties that were part of this particular challenge to the law.
A Kankakee County judge has ruled portions of the SAFE-T Act unconstitutional, putting a pause on the elimination of cash bail in most of Illinois.
According to a press release sent by Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe, one of the lead plaintiffs in the class-action suit, the law will not go into effect on Jan. 1 in the 65 counties that signed onto the complaint filed against the administration of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
According to Rowe, Circuit Judge Thomas Cunnington has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit, specifically ruling bail reform and pre-trial release provisions in the Pre-Trial Fairness Act unconstitutional.
Cunnington heard arguments last week in lawsuits brought by several prosecutors and sheriffs around the state against the measure pushed by Democrats who control the Illinois General Assembly. The elimination of cash bail was set to take effect Jan. 1, but is now on hold in counties impacted by the suit.
“Today’s ruling affirms that we are still a government of the people, and that the Constitutional protections afforded
to the citizens of Illinois – most importantly the right to exercise our voice with our vote – are inalienable,” Rowe said in a statement.Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says that the state will appeal the ruling to the state’s Supreme Court.