Bill Text: IL HB0104 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Creates the Police Sensitivity Task Force Act. Provides that the Task Force shall: (1) investigate instances of racial disparity related to traffic stops; (2) obtain testimony from persons who believed that they were victims of racial disparity in traffic stops and from law enforcement officers; (3) study past practices relating to traffic stops; and (4) make recommendations to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board for suggested revisions to existing racial sensitivity curriculum, and to municipal, county, and State law enforcement agencies to address the problem of racial disparity related to traffic stops. Provides that the Task Force shall hold public hearings and shall issue a written report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2017; and that upon filing its report the Task Force is dissolved. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-27 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB0104 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-HB0104-Introduced.html

---

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2015 and 2016 HB0104 Introduced , by Rep. Mary E. Flowers SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Police Sensitivity Task Force Act. Provides that the Task Force shall: (1) investigate instances of racial disparity related to traffic stops; (2) obtain testimony from persons who believed that they were victims of racial disparity in traffic stops and from law enforcement officers; (3) study past practices relating to traffic stops; and (4) make recommendations to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board for suggested revisions to existing racial sensitivity curriculum, and to municipal, county, and State law enforcement agencies to address the problem of racial disparity related to traffic stops. Provides that the Task Force shall hold public hearings and shall issue a written report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2017; and that upon filing its report the Task Force is dissolved. Effective immediately.
LRB099 00134 RLC 20134 b
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
HB0104 LRB099 00134 RLC 20134 b
AN ACT concerning police procedure.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Police
Sensitivity Task Force Act.
Section 5. Purposes.
(a) The General Assembly acknowledges that the 2010 Traffic
Stop Statistics Report prepared by the Illinois Department of
Transportation indicates that the number of vehicle stops has
declined in recent years but the number of consent searches
performed and citations issued to minorities has increased.
(b) The General Assembly acknowledges that minorities
typically experience intimidation to allow law enforcement
officers to search their vehicles, trunk space, containers, and
person, because of the authoritative relationship displayed by
police.
(c) The General Assembly acknowledges that although
consent searches have proven to be very useful tools in
reducing the availability of prohibited items such as guns and
drugs, the Illinois Department of Transportation report
indicates that a disparity exists and more specifically, that
police officers misinterpret signs of suspicion in minorities
more than they do for Caucasians.

HB0104 - 2 - LRB099 00134 RLC 20134 b
(d) Leaders within the law enforcement community have
recognized that the stop, question, and search process has
created a problem of public trust and undermines police
legitimacy.
(e) Existing policies regarding consent searches are
inconsistent among law enforcement agencies and fail to address
all elements of the stop and search process.
(f) The General Assembly acknowledges that the key to
achieving policing policies based on mutual respect,
neutrality, and trust between the officers and the citizens
they detain is the elimination of bias, discrimination, and
incompetence with law enforcement.
(g) The General Assembly believes that a Task Force should
be created to investigate instances of racial disparity related
to traffic stops and make recommendations concerning the
revision of racial sensitivity curriculum offered by police
training academies.
Section 10. Police Sensitivity Task Force.
(a) The Police Sensitivity Task Force (hereinafter
referred to as the Task Force) is created and shall be composed
of the following members who shall serve without compensation
for their service as members of the Task Force:
(1) two members of the House of Representatives
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(2) two members of the House of Representatives

HB0104 - 3 - LRB099 00134 RLC 20134 b
appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives;
(3) two members of the Senate appointed by the
President of the Senate;
(4) two members of the Senate appointed by the Minority
Leader of the Senate;
(5) the Executive Director of the Illinois Law
Enforcement Training Standards Board or his or her
designee;
(6) the Director of State Police or his or her
designee;
(7) the Chairperson of the Illinois Human Rights
Commission;
(8) the Superintendent of the Chicago Police
Department or his or her designee;
(9) the Sheriff of Cook County or his or her designee;
(10) a university professor teaching in the field of
law enforcement appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives; and
(11) a university professor teaching in the field of
law enforcement appointed by the President of the Senate.
(b) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives shall each appoint a joint chair to
the Task Force.
(c) The Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board
shall provide administrative support to the Task Force.

HB0104 - 4 - LRB099 00134 RLC 20134 b
(d) The Task Force shall:
(1) investigate instances of racial disparity related
to traffic stops;
(2) obtain testimony from persons who believed that
they were victims of racial disparity in traffic stops and
from law enforcement officers;
(3) study past practices relating to traffic stops; and
(4) make recommendations to the Illinois Law
Enforcement Training Standards Board for suggested
revisions to existing racial sensitivity curriculum, and
to municipal, county, and State law enforcement agencies to
address the problem of racial disparity related to traffic
stops.
(e) The Task Force shall hold public hearings and shall
issue a written report of its findings and recommendations to
the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2017; and that
upon filing its report the Task Force is dissolved.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.