SPRINGFIELD – In response to a deadly stabbing that occurred earlier this year, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) joined with Senate Minority Leader John Curran to advance legislation improving training and transparency for the Illinois Prisoner Review Board (PRB).

The legislation comes after Crosetti Brand was charged with murder for allegedly stabbing 11-year-old Jayden Perkins and his pregnant mother. Perkins died while attempting to protect his mother. The attack came one day after the PRB voted to grant Perkins release.  

“It is clear that gaps existed in Prisoner Review Board rules and training that, tragically, contributed to a child losing his life,” Harmon said. “This is an attempt to strengthen the review process so that something like this hopefully never happens again.”  

In an effort to prevent future tragedies, the measure:

• Requires additional training for PRB members to be completed annually and before their first vote as a member of the board;
• Requires the PRB to provide victims notice of hearings and notice of revocation of mandatory supervised release;
• Increases transparency by requiring certain PRB hearings to be broadcast live and mandating the minutes from hearings be posted online; and
• Allows crime victims abused by incarcerated individuals to petition for orders of protection.

“These bipartisan, victim-focused reforms are a strong first step in increasing accountability and transparency in how the Prisoner Review Board operates,” Curran said.  

The PRB conducts hearings to determine whether individuals are eligible for parole or mandatory supervised release. Its members are appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate.

In the aftermath of Perkins’ death, two members of the PRB resigned.

Gov. JB Pritzker also announced additional training and screening requirements for PRB members.

HB 681 passed the Senate without opposition and heads to the House for concurrence.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) took a step today to improve traffic safety around O’Hare Airport.

In response to reports of dangerous conditions around the airport, Harmon passed legislation prohibiting drivers from stopping their vehicles on the shoulder of the road anywhere within a half-mile radius of O’Hare.

“O’Hare is one of the busiest airports in the country,” Harmon said. “With thousands of cars coming through daily, obstructions on the roadway present a threat to drivers, passengers and pedestrians.”

The legislation was a bipartisan effort, originally introduced in the Illinois House by Rep. Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont).

“This initiative is a proactive measure to ensure motorist safety on 190 and I-90 near the entrance to O’Hare Airport. Countless drivers have been parking on the shoulders of these roadways awaiting traveler arrivals instead of using the conveniently located cell phone lots within the airport property,” said Rep. Stephens. “We can’t station officers in these areas to address this safety issue as it’s not an efficient use of manpower, so I am happy to sponsor this measure in hopes that we have addressed an issue prior to anyone being injured or killed.”

The measure also directs the Illinois Tollway Authority to install automated traffic safety cameras within the same half-mile radius.

Anyone found in violation of the new provisions could be fined $100 per instance.

House Bill 5408 passed the Senate 50-5 and will now be sent to the governor’s desk.

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Full statement from Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, regarding Senate passage of SB 15:

“The beauty of the legislative process is that there are often numerous ways to achieve a shared goal. Today’s action by the Senate puts parents, families and taxpayers of Chicago on the threshold of finally getting a choice in who leads their schools – a right already afforded to every other community in Illinois.

“This plan represents what the Mayor of Chicago and advocates argue is the best way forward, with a phased-in transition to an elected, representative school board paired with strong ethical safeguards. We hope the House quickly sends this measure to the governor’s desk so we can begin this exciting new era of community-led education.”

Key provisions of SB 15 include:

• Adopts Mayor Johnson’s hybrid election approach in which 10 CPS Board members will be elected in 2024 and 10 CPS Board members and the Board Chair will be appointed by the mayor.
• Beginning in 2026, all 20 CPS Board members will be elected from subdistricts and the Board President will be elected citywide.
• Potential candidates can begin circulating petitions on March 26 for the 2024 election, with petitions to be filed between June 17 and June 24.
• The first Board election will take place November 5.
• Ensures school board members will be held to strong ethical standards that mirror those for all other school boards across the state. That includes conflict of interest provisions in line with the state’s existing Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act.
• Creates the Black Student Achievement Committee within the Board, following feedback from education advocates, parents and community members about the need to focus on the disparity in academic performance among Black students.
• Allows the CPS Board to establish additional committees or advisory boards to seek guidance on addressing disparities and individualized needs.
• A map detailing electoral district boundaries, as well as demographic data and shape files, is available online at ilsenateredistricting.com. The map consists of 20 districts, including seven majority Black districts, six majority Latino districts, five majority White districts and two coalition districts.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) passed legislation today prohibiting firearms manufacturers and sellers from marketing weapons to children and from promoting illegal militia activity.

The measure also makes it illegal for any firearms dealer to knowingly create a condition that endangers public safety. Examples of such situations include failure to prevent the sale of a firearm to a straw purchaser and failure to ensure that business practices comply with all local, state and federal laws. 

“At its core, this is to protect consumers and prevent firearms companies from marketing to children and promoting illegal militia activities,” Harmon said. “It also ensures that firearms manufacturers are not shielded from liability when their actions compromise public safety. These are reasonable, manageable steps we can take to help curb the scourge of gun violence in our state.” 

House Bill 218 passed the Senate 34-22.

SPRINGFIELD -- Two Illinois Senate committees will be co-chaired by Republicans in a move that harkens back decades to a time when Republicans and Democrats more often worked together to recognize shared goals and achieve them.

“I appreciate Leader Curran reaching out with this idea. At one point in our not-so-distant history this was a common practice in the Senate. I think we both hope that it will foster bipartisan cooperation on how we can best meet the needs of people all across our great state,” said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon.

Sen. Dale Fowler, a Republican from Harrisburg, will serve as co-chair on the Senate Higher Education Committee. Sen. Michael Halpin, a Rock Island Democrat is the committee chair, and Sen. Celina Villanueva, a Chicago Democrat, is the vice chair.

Sen. Sally Turner, a Republican from Beason, will serve as the co-chair on the Senate State Government Committee. Sen. Patrick Joyce, a Democrat from the Kankakee area, is the chair, and Sen. Willie Preston, a Democrat from Chicago, is the vice chair.