NW Illinois News

In March 2024, in Chicago, an 11-year-old boy was murdered and his mother was stabbed by a man released by the Prisoner Review Board (PRB). The man, Crosetti Brand, had a known history of domestic violence and was released by the PRB. Following this crime, a PRB member and the chair both resigned from their positions.

Amid the controversy surrounding the PRB, Leader McCombie and most of the Republican caucus signed onto House Bill 681 (Cassidy), which proposed comprehensive reforms to the Prisoner Review Board. However, House Speaker Chris Welch did not address it before adjourning the spring legislative session for summer vacation.

Republicans have been advocating for another reform bill (House Bill 4852), sponsored by Leader Tony McCombie since February. This bill would amend the Sex Offender Registration Act to require written notification to any victim of a sex offender or sexual predator 30 days before the offender’s release. Following the murder in March, Leader McCombie added more reforms to HB 4852 to address PRB's failures.

Speaker Welch has stalled this bill in deference to Governor JB Pritzker’s opposition to PRB reforms. As a result, supporters have turned their attention to House Bill 681 as an outlet for bipartisan frustrations with Governor Pritzker and Speaker Welch’s stance on reforms.

House Bill 681, introduced by House Democrat Kelly M. Cassidy, includes significant reforms to the PRB. The legislation has garnered support from 75 members of the Illinois House as co-sponsors. It ensures victims are notified when prisoners are released on parole and aims to better inform victims on how to file impact statements while ensuring these statements are considered by the PRB. Additionally, it sets new standards for reviewing prisoners before their release and mandates annual training programs for board members. The bill also calls for creating a PRB Task Force and establishing a mission statement for the board.

Despite these efforts, Speaker Welch directed Democrats to leave town rather than stay to address this important work aimed at keeping Illinois residents safe in their communities.