South West Illinois News

Illinois state Sen. Terri Bryant's recent Facebook post highlighted her dedication to pursuing justice.

"Over the past few years, we have seen too many policies enacted that prioritize criminals in our justice system and ignore the victims of their crimes," she said in her April 24 post.

Bryant's post included a link to a recent news release on her website that announced a group of Republican officials including state Sens. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg), Sally Turner (R-Beason), Sue Rezin (R-Morris) and Steve McClure (R-Springfield) joined her in holding a press conference. The conference centered on unveiling legislation to combat the fentanyl epidemic and ensure justice for victims of crime.

Bryant has introduced two recent bills: one to strengthen penalties for domestic battery against older individuals and one to create a new criminal offense for domestic assault. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing victims over criminals in the justice system and standing with them to fight for justice. The two pieces of legislation are Senate Bills 1974 and 1976.

Senate Bill 1974 amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Bryant introduced the legislation on Feb. 9, and it proposes to raise the offense of domestic battery against a person aged 60 or older to aggravated domestic battery.

Senate Bill 1976, also filed by Bryant on Feb. 9, creates a new criminal offense called domestic assault. It simplifies the process for law enforcement to prosecute domestic abusers who deliberately threaten to harm any member of their household. It additionally mandates that defendants released before trial must be prohibited from contacting their victims or entering their residences for at least 72 hours.

"We need to send a signal to victims that we hear them, stand with them and will fight for them to see justice," Bryant said in the news release.

In the June primary election, Bryant ran unopposed in her efforts to serve the residents of District 58, a Journal Star report said.