Galesburg Reporter

State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) is among a group of Republicans backing a legislative package that would provide more funding for police and increase penalties for crimes against law enforcement officers.

Members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus unveiled the revised legislative package at a press conference held in front of the police remembrance wall at the Capitol rotunda. The updated package, according to release from Tracy's office, includes a ‘Fund the Police Grant Act,’ which would provide targeted grants to assist law enforcement, provide additional training, and purchase much-needed equipment, including body cameras. A similar press conference called by the Republican Caucus was held about three months ago.

The release from Tracy’s office read, “the state needs to provide greater support for the men and women tasked with protecting communities across the state," noting that police officers and sheriffs were leaving the law-enforcement profession in unprecedented numbers.

Tracy suggests in many cases, officers leaving the profession have indicated it was due in large part to provisions of "the so-called 'SAFE-T Act', an anti-police package rammed through by a partisan vote in the late-night hours of a lame-duck session in January 2021," according to her release.

The package includes $125 million in grants to hire and retain local police officers and fund training and equipment.  It also requires defendants who commit aggravated battery against a police officer to serve at least 85% of their sentences. It also sets a minimum sentence of 10 years for anyone who supplies convicted felons with firearms, and mandatory sentences on straw purchases and gun trafficking.  Second-time offenders may receive life sentences for “aggravated discharge of a firearm, use of a stolen or illegally acquired firearm in the commission of an offense, unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons, armed habitual criminal, and aggravated vehicular hijacking or aggravated carjacking,” according to a release.

The Republican Caucus is also addressing growing inflation. The proposal, according to Tracy, includes the elimination of the state’s 1% sales tax on food and prescription drugs. It also includes lowering the 6.25% sales tax on gas to 5.25%, and increasing the Road Fund disbursement from 32% to 53%.

The package also aids senior citizens by increasing their income tax exemption on their Illinois income tax from $1,000 to $2,000, according to Tracy’s release.