The bill, introduced by Democrat State Rep. Justin Slaughter, will, if passed, prohibit police from making traffic stops for offenses such as failing to display license plates or expired registration stickers, in addition to illegally tinted windows and safety issues such as damaged mirrors and bumpers or excessive exhaust.
But by far the bill, House Bill 4603 has faced the most scrutiny and derision for its elimination of traffic stops for speeding below the misdemeanor or felony level or improper lane changing. In other words, Illinois drivers would never see enforcement for speeding under 25-35 mph over the limit, as reported by NBC Chicago.
Executive director of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association Jim Kaitschuk explained, "If you think about that, you are in a 30-mile-an-hour speed zone in a residential area and somebody’s going 50 and we can’t stop the vehicle?" He told reporters that the move could create a major safety issue in neighborhoods where children play.
Kaitschuk also expressed concerns that the new law could severely impact the ability of police to initiate traffic stops for improper lane changes. He described the act of weaving from lane to lane as being a tell-tale indicator of a possible DUI. "Under this, we wouldn't have been able to stop them," he said.
As noted by the Lake McHenry Scanner, the bill isn't Slaughter's first foray into restricting law enforcement in Illinois. He was one of the lead sponsors of the so-called "SAFE-T Act" that ended cash-bail in the state as of September.
Slaughter when reached for comment by WICS provided a statement on the bill, “For decades, Illinois has wrestled with the challenge of racial bias in traffic stops, and the disparate outcomes that are too often the result. At no point in this effort has anyone’s goal been to take away the tools police need to keep communities safe, but instead to continue an important conversation.
"House Bill 4603 continues that conversation. It’s my hope that discussions with law enforcement and advocates can identify minor infractions that on their own do not necessitate a traffic stop."
Arturo Garza of Pilsen disagreed with the proposed law telling reporters, "It’s going to be pure chaos, crime is going to go up; violations are going to go up; accidents are going to go up."
Comments
2024-02-02T00:59-0600 | Comment by: joseph
Good grief! In CA, serial killer Randy Kraft was stopped for a minor traffic offense. Had a dying Marine in his car. He was caught.
2024-02-02T12:52-0600 | Comment by: Rick
They put his picture with the article so everyone that sees him driving should help him change his mind by making minor infractions "all" around him. Just another smaller step at protecting criminals.
2024-02-02T15:08-0600 | Comment by: Kevin
This comment will probably earn me a time-out, but so be it. The entire category of "infractions" is, in my opinion, just a way of raising revenues for the local police departments. The one and only factor that should matter in evaluating these is whether someone or someone's property was damaged. If someone makes a right turn on red without coming to a full stop, and the action doesn't result in any damage, then why should it be a crime? If someone is driving at an excessive speed on a rural road and doesn't drive in another person's yard, then who was damaged or injured? I am all in favor of eliminating this class of infractions from the law books, because not every rapid driver causes damage. Not every right turn on red without coming to a full stop results in a collision. It also gets us away from the idea of a full surveillance state. And police can concentrate their efforts on real crimes, where a real victim is involved, instead of acting like the school hall monitor, just waiting to jump from behind a row of lockers to yell, "Gotcha!"
2024-02-02T15:48-0600 | Comment by: Eric
Illinois: Leading the charge to beat California for the title of MOST STUPID STATE.
2024-02-02T17:22-0600 | Comment by: Paul
Those minor stops lead to further criminal activity
2024-02-02T18:56-0600 | Comment by: Joe
Democrats are in a race to destroy America and EVERYTHING she stands for. Biden=open borders, highest inflation ever, letting Iran know where we were (are) going to retaliate for their murdering our three service members & maiming 100+ more, witch hunt on Trump, green energy, shutting down coal plants, stopping natural gas deports to Europe who will now go elsewhere, etc., etc. Democrats=dividing America, allowing this administration to destroy America, destroying every single city they control, bought and paid for media, and on and on. I literally could go on for days. When are Americans going to wake up; when it’s too late?
2024-02-02T23:25-0600 | Comment by: Mark
Obviously Kevin in the comment section is a liberal Demorat to make a dumb comment about traffic infractions being just a money raiser. What if the truck that runs the stop sign doesn't get stopped and goes down the road and runs another one and kills someone, does your stupid argument still hold water? Nope. Another left wing libtard invading a conservative page.
2024-02-03T07:59-0600 | Comment by: Allen
Sounds like a Gavin plan. Keep up the good work.
2024-02-03T08:57-0600 | Comment by: Randy
I found so much by making stops for "minor infractions." I hate what's happening in the country right now, but also can see signs that the Democrats are digging their own grave.
2024-02-03T12:11-0600 | Comment by: Eddie
The disparity between blacks and whites is simply explained. Blacks do more crimes. That’s not a stereotype. It’s an observation. As long as law enforcement doesn’t target blacks because they are black. #DebtIsPaidCheckHasCleared
2024-02-04T00:01-0600 | Comment by: Byron
Slaughter is insane. Nothing else needs to be said.
2024-02-04T09:31-0600 | Comment by: Randall
This doesn't have anything to do with traffic violations. It's what happens after. Certain people have a tendency to be uncooperative with police. They argue, resist, fight, run, shoot, etc., leading either to jail, or death. If they'd just be polite & accept the ticket, they'd be fine. But for whatever reason, they just can't seem to understand that. But what the politician doesn't understand is, this isn't going to help anything. Those people will still meet their same fate eventually, but now they have more of a chance to take someone else out with them.
2024-02-04T09:32-0600 | Comment by: Randall
This doesn't have anything to do with traffic violations. It's what happens after. Certain people have a tendency to be uncooperative with police. They argue, resist, fight, run, shoot, etc., leading either to jail, or death. If they'd just be polite & accept the ticket, they'd be fine. But for whatever reason, they just can't seem to understand that. But what the politician doesn't understand is, this isn't going to help anything. Those people will still meet their same fate eventually, but now they have more of a chance to take someone else out with them.
2024-02-04T14:56-0600 | Comment by: Jim
Does he not know the umber of serious offenses that we Police uncover whenever we stop someone for a "minor" offense? We catch robbers, murders, kidnapping, child molesters, drug pushers as well DUI's that verge on the cusps of dangerous drivers? That is a stupid law and WILL make Ill MUCH MORE DANGEROUS!