Senator Morrison leads gun safety measure

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is working to ensure people store their guns in a safe and secure manner.

“Recognizing that unsecured guns pose a public health risk is an important step in preventing accidental injuries and deaths,” Morrison said. “These programs will serve as a reminder of the lethal power of firearms and that proper storage can help prevent tragic accidents.”

Morrison passed a measure that would direct the Illinois Department of Public Health to develop a two-year, multi-phase statewide firearm storage and safety campaign that would include distribution of gun locks and safes, buyback programs in partnership with law enforcement and an evaluation piece to measure the impact of the program.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, an unsecured gun in the home can be extremely dangerous, especially for children. Every year, nearly 1,300 children die from accidental shootings and many more are seriously injured.

“This bill ensures that both children and families are more educated on gun safety,” Morrison said.

House Bill 4729 passed the Senate.   

Morrison advocates for law enforcement through legislative action

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) passed a measure to provide law enforcement officers with additional tools and training opportunities to help keep communities safe.

“One message that I frequently hear across the district is that public safety and a rise in crime continue to be a major concern,” Morrison said. “Yet staffing shortages are hindering police from best protecting their communities.

Morrison is the Senate sponsor of House Bill 3863, which would create the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to support departments through the hiring and training processes and help with retention strategies.

The measure would provide grants to law enforcement agencies for hiring and retention of officers. Funds could also be used for mental health care for officers, safety equipment and training, or improvements in jails. Mental health services for inmates could also be funded through this grant.

“The measures I have introduced can help keep our communities safer,” Morrison said. “These efforts support the valuable work that law enforcement does in our communities and in our state every day and every hour.”

Morrison is also supporting a number of other measures this session to help law enforcement officers. Body cameras are critical for keeping officers safe as well as improving evidence quality and reducing liability for agencies. House Bill 4608 would for video retention for evidentiary value and allows grant funds to be used for data storage costs.

In an effort to improve the correctional system and reduce recidivism, House Bill 4364 would create the Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention Fund which would allow the Department of Human Services to offer grants and programs in county jails for incarcerated individuals or people who have been recently released.

Morrison’s House Bill 3863 passed the Senate Thursday.

Senator Morrison addresses public safety

One message that I consistently hear across the district is that Public Safety and a rise in crime continues to be a major concern.  As the spring legislative session nears its end, I wanted to share with you some measures that I have introduced to help police keep our communities safer, either through better and more advanced tools related to their jobs, or to retain them in our communities.

1) SB3754 (Morrison) would create the Protect Our Communities grant program. It aims to help hire and retain officers. It can also be used for mental health care for officers, safety equipment and training, or improvements in jails. Mental health services for inmates could also be funded through this grant.

2) SB4067 (Morrison) would provide $4 million to the Illinois State Police for equipment called NIBIN. The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network Program allows gun cartridge cases found at the scene of a crime in Illinois to be matched with other cartridges from across the nation, giving law-enforcement a huge advantage in solving crimes.

3) To encourage more law enforcement officers to continue in this important work, I have introduced SB4183 (Morrison), a homestead exemption deducted from the property’s value for any member of the law enforcement community.

4) I also am supporting a measure in the budget that would provide a signing bonus for all Illinois State police cadet graduates to receive upon successful completion of the training academy.

5) Locally, in Lake County, SB3779 (Morrison), I introduced a bill for that would create a pilot program for text messaging to victims and the surviving family members of crime to inform them about upcoming court dates.

Combined with other measures before the General Assembly, I believe these are measures that can help keep our community safer and support the valuable work that law enforcement does in our community and in our state, every day and every hour.

Morrison measure to provide youth in DCFS care with transition support heads to governor

SPRINGFIELD – As children in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services transition both in and out of care, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) wants to ensure they have the tools to succeed.

House Bill 5418, sponsored by Morrison in the Senate, would give children access to intervention and counseling services within the first 24 hours after removal from a home and require the DCFS division of child protection to assess a child’s wellbeing each month.

“Being removed from your home at a young age is an anguishing time,” Morrison said. “We must provide these children with the support they need.”

As youth in care grow older and the time comes for them to live on their own, this measure would require DCFS to ensure they receive classes and instructions on independent living and self-sufficiency in the areas of employment, finances, meals and housing.

Further, under the measure, youth in DCFS care would be provided a document that describes inappropriate acts of affection, discipline and punishment by guardians, foster parents and foster siblings.

“By giving children an understanding of appropriate affection and discipline, we are ensuring they know which acts they should report and the treatment they deserve,” Morrison said.

The measure passed the Senate. Morrison’s House Bill 4304, which requires DCFS to conduct an exit interview for every child, age five and over, who leaves foster care within five days of removal, also passed.