The Illinois Supreme Court on Monday combined lawsuits filed by more than half of Illinois state’s attorneys, including Knox County’s, challenging the legality of the SAFE-T Act.
The sweeping criminal justice reform package is set to take effect on Jan. 1 of 2023.
Knox County State’s Attorney Jeremy Karlin says the court consolidated the state’s attorneys’ cases and ordered the suit in Kankakee County to serve as the lead case.
Motions for summary judgment must be filed no later than next week.
Karlin promises that his office will continue to monitor this litigation as well as ongoing negotiations with legislators.
He promises that no matter the result of the litigation or negotiations the SA office and all law enforcement in Knox County are prepared for the January 1st effective date of the SAFE-T Act.
Karlin filed suit in October, along with Knox County Sheriff David Clague.
The Democrat says while he doesn’t believe a “person’s freedom should depend on the size of their bank account,” but the SAFE-T Act is “full of contradictions, ambiguities, and is poorly drafted.”
