104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3837
 
Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Justin Slaughter
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
    Creates the Law Enforcement Hiring Act. Creates the Law Enforcement Hiring Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall (1) identify various measures to ensure that unfit candidates are not hired as law enforcement officers; (2) explore strategies to prevent unnecessary deaths caused by law enforcement officers; and (3) make a report to the General Assembly no later than June 30, 2026 with recommendations for preventing people with dangerous backgrounds from being hired as law enforcement officers in the State. Sets forth membership of the Task Force. Provides that a law enforcement agency may hire a law enforcement officer without reviewing background disciplinary actions, terminations, and administrative review from previous employers. Provides that a law enforcement agency may not hire a law enforcement officer if the law enforcement officer spent less than 30 days reviewing the law enforcement officer.


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A BILL FOR
 
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1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Law 
5Enforcement Hiring Act.
6This Act may be referred to as the Sonya Massey Act.
 
7    Section 5. Law Enforcement Hiring Task Force.
8    (a) The Law Enforcement Hiring Task Force is created. The 
9Task Force shall:
10        (1) identify various measures to ensure that unfit 
11    candidates are not hired as law enforcement officers;
12        (2) explore strategies to prevent unnecessary deaths 
13    caused by law enforcement officers; and
14        (3) make a report to the General Assembly no later 
15    than June 30, 2026 with recommendations for preventing 
16    people with dangerous backgrounds from being hired as law 
17    enforcement officers in the State.
18    (b) The task force shall have the following members:
19        (1) 3 members appointed by the Senate President;
20        (2) 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
21    Representatives;
22        (3) 2 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
23    House of Representative;
 
 
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1        (4) 2 members appointed by the Minority Senate Leader; 
2    and
3        (5) 3 members appointed by the Governor.
 
4    Section 10. Law enforcement hiring background checks. A 
5law enforcement agency may not hire a law enforcement officer 
6without reviewing background disciplinary actions, 
7terminations, and administrative review from previous 
8employers. A law enforcement agency may not hire a law 
9enforcement officer if the law enforcement officer spent less 
10than 30 days reviewing the law enforcement officer.