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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, In the wake of a new federal law aimed at reducing
3incarcerations, a broad coalition of business groups is
4pledging to hire workers with criminal backgrounds; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The First Step Act, a new federal law focused on
6criminal justice reform, reduced prison terms for nonviolent
7drug offenses and gave judges more discretion in setting those
8sentences; the First Step Act eliminated the "three strikes"
9rule that imposed a mandatory life sentence for three or more
10drug convictions; and
 
11    WHEREAS, The Federal sentencing guidelines were created to
12allow for consistency and more transparency in the federal
13system; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois does not have strict
15sentencing guidelines, and charging decisions may range based
16on the county; ultimately, when sentencing, a state judge has
17more discretion than a Federal judge; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has created the Violent
19Crime Intelligence Task Force; led by the Department of the
20State Police, it will identify and utilize the best practices
21in drug-diversion programs and other community-based services

 

 

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1to redirect low-level offenders; the task force aims to find
2ways to help low-level offenders integrate back into the
3community and to redirect those low-level offenders in a
4productive manner; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The State's efforts encourage lower recidivism
6rates and also encourage previous inmates to become productive,
7working citizens of the State of Illinois; and
 
8    WHEREAS, This movement is led by billionaire industrialist
9Charles Koch, who has stated that "as business people, this is
10an opportunity to make the country better and help people
11improve their lives"; he believes that businesses have a
12responsibility to ensure former inmates have the opportunity to
13find a job and stay out of jail; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Following the Koch network initiative, businesses
15in Illinois should be helping to create opportunities for
16former inmates in the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
18HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19we encourage businesses owners in the State of Illinois to
20recruit and to hire qualified candidate workers with criminal
21pasts; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
2delivered to the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois
3Retail Merchants Association, and the Illinois Manufacturers'
4Association.