Senate Republican lawmakers call for series of public safety bills

Posted on October 21, 2021

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Senators Wednesday used the police memorial on the Capitol grounds as the backdrop – and a Champaign police widow as the testimony – for a plea for controlling Democrats to consider anti-crime legislation.

“Trust me,” said Amber Oberheim, “my husband’s killer did not stop to ask him if he was a Democrat or Republican before he shot him three times.” Officer Chris Oberheim was killed earlier this year.

Is legislation the answer to deter people from committing crimes? “The older guys would say to the younger guys, this is a young man’s gig,” said State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), a former Illinois Department of Corrections employee. “I can’t do this kind of time again. And the young men listened.”

The legislature’s fall veto session concludes next week.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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