News and events in DuPage County you do not want to miss

PC Training, DuPage County Fair and summer events

Keeping DuPage County Democrats Informed In this issue: The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the Pretrial Fairness Act, eliminating cash bail in Illinois Volunteer at the 2024 Democratic National Convention Message from DuPage County Board Member Sheila Rutledge DPDC PC Training - starting on July 22 DuPage County Fair - July 28 - 30 Yoga in the Park with State Rep Anne Stava-Murray - July 21 Tacos & Churros with Judge Jennifer Barron - July 20 Senator Rachel Ventura fundraiser - July 21 DGTDO Picnic rescheduled - July 22 Judge Jennifer Barron meet & greet - July 23 Qasim Rashid Campaign Launch Event - July 22 Judge John Anderson Fundraiser - July 25 Reception for Senator Karina Villa, Rep Dagmara Avelar, Rep Barbara Hernandez & Rep Norma Hernandez - July 31 Justice Linda Davenport Campaign Kickoff - August 1 Clerk Candice Adams Trivia Night - August 3 Naperville Halal Fest - August 5 Judge Chantelle Porter Meet & Greet - August 10 Jeff Gahris Ice-Cream Social - August 13 Outreach House Lombard 1 Year Anniversary - August 15 BTDO & ATDO Fundraiser - August 26 DPDC Annual Picnic - September 17 Emmanuel "Chris" Welch Event - September 21 PC Spotlight - Nafia Khan Become a member of the Democratic Party of DuPage County Illinois Supreme Court upheld the Pretrial Fairness Act, eliminating cash bail in Illinois About the SAFE-T Act: The 2021 Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act enacts extensive criminal justice reform impacting policing, pretrial detention, sentencing, and corrections. The SAFE-T Act creates new standards for use of force, allows for collaboration with other first responders and community partners, and creates statewide processes for filing complaints and reporting police misconduct to promote justice and equity in policing while keeping Illinoisans safe. The SAFE-T Act also reforms police training, expands detainee rights, and requires body cameras at all departments by 2025. THE SAFE-T Act expands services for victims of crime, allowing them to receive compensation for financial burdens including loss of income and funeral expenses. Why is the SAFE-T Act important? The existing bail system allowed for people to be released based on how much money they have rather than their actual threat to public safety. Under the SAFE-T Act, judges have discretion to keep dangerous criminals detained. The SAFE-T Act includes important reforms to make the criminal justice system more equitable for Black and brown communities that have been disproportionately impacted by it. Cash bail creates a criminalization of poverty, and the SAFE-T Act includes important changes to equalize our system. How does this law help Illinoisans? This law creates greater equity in our pretrial detention system while prioritizing public safety. The SAFE-T Act will help reduce jail populations, freeing up resources to hold dangerous criminals that pose the biggest threats to public safety accountable. The SAFE-T Act empowers judges to make decisions about a detainees potential threat to the public, moving away from access to cash as the determining factor. Why is this bill controversial? Disinformation being spread about the SAFE-T Act is an attempt by right-wing conservatives to fearmonger and deceive Illinoisans. Illinoisans were inundated with false information about what the SAFE-T Act would actually mean, mischaracterizing the elimination of cash bail as a complete loss of judicial power to keep dangerous criminals in jail before trial; it does the opposite by giving judges discretion to hold detainees including flight risks, repeat offenders out on pretrial release, and those who pose a specific threat to public safety. Viral graphics asserted that the SAFE-T Act would create non-detainable offenses for which detainees could not be held in jail; these claims were patently untrue as judges were always given discretion to detain dangerous criminals. SAFE-T Act opponents claimed the bill would “defund the police;” the SAFE-T Act updates requirements for police departments receiving government funding, outlines funding allocation requirements for new training, and gives funding preference to departments that complied with new body camera requirements, but did not defund any Illinois police. Toplines: There is no such thing as a “non-detainable offense.” Judges still have the discretion to detain dangerous criminals. The SAFE-T Act moves Illinois from a pretrial detention system which prioritizes wealth to one that prioritizes public safety. Pretrial detention reform is just one of many provisions included in the SAFE-T Act. There are several changes included to create a more equitable criminal justice system that restores trust and promotes public safety. The bottom line: our current system allows people to be released from jail if they have the money for bail. The SAFE-T Act removes money as a factor while allowing judges to detain offenders they deem to be a threat. Talking Points: Without the pretrial reform included in the SAFE-T Act, the amount of money an offender has determines whether they can be released. Bail reform empowers judges to hold dangerous offenders in jail based on public safety assessments, not access to cash. There is nothing in the law that requires those suspected of crimes be let out of prison. Judges are still able to impose pretrial restrictions on dangerous people, and are required to consider the threat the defendant poses to public safety. Public safety is best addressed by focusing on risk rather than money. That’s what the SAFE-T Act does. Any person suspected of a crime can be detained because they pose a flight risk or because they are a repeat offender. Those charged with the most serious crimes can also be detained for their risk to public safety. The state Constitution does not require Illinois to maintain a system of cash bail–opponents are attempting to tie up this legislation in courts as a last ditch effort to prevent equitable reform from being implemented. Examples: A single mother who shoplifted diapers for her baby would not have to be kept in jail for months awaiting trial if she could not produce bail money. Individuals accused of violent crimes who previously could have gotten out of jail because they were rich or backed by a criminal organization can now be held based on a judge’s discretion based on that person’s threat to public safety. Spending even a few days in jail increases one’s likelihood of becoming homeless, unemployed, or rearrested, even if they aren’t convicted. A low-income, non-violent offender might be detained and lose out on income or potentially lose their job entirely only to be acquitted or have their charges dropped. The SAFE-T Act prevents them from sitting in jail while they wait for a court date, preventing a potential domino effect. Volunteer at the 2024 Democratic National Convention In just over a year, we will all be heading to Chicago for the 2024 Democratic National Convention to watch President Joe Biden be nominated for a second term. It will be an amazing moment to witness. In order to pull off an event of this magnitude the Democratic National Convention is going to need a lot of volunteers. Registering online doesn't guarantee anyone a volunteer spot but it's the only way to start the process of volunteering. Volunteer Message from Sheila Rutledge - DuPage County Environmental Chair Do you live in unincorporated DuPage County or have friends or family that do? Please watch at the end of July for a postcard with a QR code, mailed by the Environmental Division, that will ask you to participate in a survey about your trash hauler experience and what your preferences are. Currently, unincorporated areas unlike municipalities do not have a single trash hauler. Some neighborhoods have four and five trash days a week and up to six companies that service their neighborhoods.  As the environmental chair of the county, I am always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and I think this is an easy one.  The advantages would be a contract with a single service provider for an extended period where they would not be able to raise your rates, less trucks on your streets (especially during summer months when children are out and about in their neighborhoods), improved neighborhood appearance,  better service for less and it would make it easier to clear roads after a significant snowfall.   We truly do want to know how you feel about this issue. Three townships have put it to voters who said yes! They preferred one hauler. Six others have not. The feedback I get from those townships with a single hauler is that people are satisfied with the service.     It is my hope to put out bids for those six townships to improve service and lower costs. Think about it, five days a week having your street lined with trash cans, trash companies that come way too early in the morning every day, and price increases at the whim of the trash companies. A single hauler contract would assure the best price for you!  Our first survey asking about what residents pay found a wide range from $20-$100 per month.  I would also like to add lawn waste and food scrap pickup as well.   I want to know how our voters feel!  My opinion is that trash pickup is a public service much like electric or gas service.  We collectively use those services without a choice of provider.  This is your opportunity to help design the type of service people actually want! If you have questions about this or want further details, please reach out to me at Sheila.rutledge@DuPageCo.org Sheila Rutledge DuPage County Environmental Chair Register Sign up Donate here RSVP Downers Grove Township Democrats will gather for our annual summer picnic on: Saturday, July 22 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm Christopher Espinoza's yard 5908 Springside Ave, Downers Grove Our organization will provide all the food, so you need to only bring yourself and your family, any alcoholic drinks you would like, and a lawn chair or two. We will grill burgers and hot dogs as usual, and also offer some vegetarian fare. Come for good food, fellowship and fun with your fellow DGTDO Dems.   If you have questions, send an email to dgdemocrats@gmail.com In lieu of bringing food, consider making a donation to support DGTDO events. Donate RSVP Tickets Tickets & Donations Register Register RSVP BTDO-ATDO Summer Baseball Fundraiser 2023 Join the ATDO & BTDO for summer baseball with the Schaumburg Boomers on August 26, 2023. Pre-Game Party at MT Barrels (1712 W Wise Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60193) - 3:00 to 5:15 pm. Shaumburg Boomers Wintrust Field - 5:30 pm. The game starts at 6 pm Fireworks after the game 9:15 - 9:30 pm Tickets Invest in your future! Support DuPage Dems. The better we do, the more we can help our voters get needed information. Help us keep the office lights on, build the Party, provide mailers and help for our candidates, and much more. Please donate $10 if you can! Donate           DPDC Membership - Join/Renewal | DPDC ByLaws | DPDC WEBSITE] Questions/concerns? Please reach out to info@dupagedemocrats.com.

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