Illinois governor signs bill banning police from lying to minors

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a bill into law on Thursday that would prohibit law enforcement from lying to minors, the first piece of legislation of its kind to be signed in the U.S. 

The bill was one of four that the governor signed to address criminal justice issues, according to a press release from Pritzker’s office. 

The legislation, formally known as S.B. 2122, prohibits law enforcement from using deceptive tactics when interrogating a minor, and the law will go into effect on Jan. 1 of 2022. 

Illinois is the first state to adopt this kind of law. Advocates say that deceptive tactics used by law enforcement on a minor can lead to false confessions. 

Another bill signed by the governor prevents statements made during restorative justice efforts from being used  in court. A third bill, H.B. 3587, will create a Resentencing Task Force Act to study the ways in which the state can reduce its prison population. 

Both of these bills go into effect immediately.

The last bill the governor signed into law allows state prosecutors to petition for resentencing of a defendant in their county “if the original sentence no longer advances the interests of justice.” It will go into effect on Jan. 1 of 2022.

Prtizker said that the package of bills signed are part of a wholistic approach to criminal justice, and are aimed at “advancing rights of the most vulnerable” in Illinois. 

“An essential tenet of good governance is recognizing the need to change the laws that have failed the people they serve. My administration has infused that value into everything we do,” said Pritzker, according to the statement. 

“The four bills I’m signing today advance the rights of some of our most vulnerable in our justice system and put Illinois at the forefront of the work to bring about true reform. Together, these initiatives move us closer to a holistic criminal justice system, one that builds confidence and trust in a system that has done harm to too many people for far too long,” he added.