An over 600 page amendment to House Bill 163 touted as “criminal justice reform” was filed Tuesday, January 5. The bill is expected to be taken up during the upcoming lame-duck session scheduled for January 8 through January 13.
State Senator Neil Anderson said while details on the legislation are still emerging, there are some glaring concerns, including the following:
- Prohibits Pre-Trial Detention when an offender poses a danger to the Community At-Large.
- Significantly limits offenders being detained, which will pose a significant risk to victims, witnesses to crime and the community at-large.
- Impedes any law enforcement investigation, which will lead to less crimes being solved and no accountability for criminal perpetrators.
- Severely limits accountability for accomplices to murder by amending the Felony Murder Rule.
- Removes all due process protections for Police Officers.
“These proposals are simply outrageous,” said Sen. Anderson. “Criminal justice reform should keep people more safe, not less. This package is an insult to the men and women who risk their lives daily to protect us. Of course, we must hold law enforcement accountable, but this goes well beyond that and will end the profession as we know it and will make us all more vulnerable to criminal acts.”