An update from the Catholic Conference of Illinois

 

At the end of session in Springfield, Senate Resolution 297 passed the Senate - CCI signed in support of it.  The resolution directs the IL Criminal Justice Authority to conduct a study of the costs of the death penalty in Illinois and a parallel study of  the costs of sentencing persons for first degree murder to life imprisonment.  A preliminary report of the study is to be given to the Senate during the fall 2009 veto session and a final report and recommendations by January 29, 2010. 

 

Also, there was another Senate Resolution (SR 260) that was introduced to abolish the death penalty, however that was not called for a vote in order for this cost study to be conducted first.  As you know, the House Bill to abolish the death penalty (HB 262) did pass a House committee earlier this spring but was not called for a vote before the full House.