By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran says his caucus has proposed changes to the SAFE-T Act that are hyper-focused on domestic violence.

Senate Republicans introduced four bills they say would strengthen enforcement of protective orders and increase penalties for abusers.

Curran, R-Downers Grove, said the bills do not contradict the SAFE-T Act.

“There have been at least three, maybe four amendments to the SAFE-T Act already. This is hyper-focused on domestic violence,” Curran said.

Curran cited an Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence report stating that domestic violence deaths are up 140% since 2022.

Domestic violence survivor Dakota Sebring said the legislative package is about prevention and stopping escalation, not punishment.

“It’s about giving orders of protection real weight so they can actually protect victims of domestic violence and help them feel safe, like our laws are meant to do,” Sebring said.

Sebring said, in her case, the cycle of violation, arrest, release and another violation kept repeating from March 2025 to December 2025.

“I called the police over 15 times because of these repeated violations,” Sebring said.

Curran said Senate Bill 3139 would shift the burden from victims to offenders to prove they are not an imminent threat to the victim or the general public.

State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, introduced Senate Bill 3140, increasing penalties for those who violate orders of protection.

“This would deter people from violating orders of protection, and the felony charge would allow for more intervention and long-term rehabilitation,” McClure said.

State Sen. Darby Hills, R-Barrington Hills, introduced Senate Bill 3141 to double minimum imprisonment times for violations of no-contact orders.

Hills said Senate Bill 3142 provides for felony charges against repeat offenders.

“Orders of protection do not work unless they are enforced. When they are ignored or repeatedly violated without real consequences, they fail the very people they were there to protect in the first place,” Hills said.

Curran said he has discussed the package of bills with a Democratic committee chair.

“My hope is that these will all be heard in committee,” the Senate GOP leader said.

Curran said he would be fine with lawmakers passing stand-alone bills or including the package as part of a larger omnibus to amend the SAFE-T Act.

In the Illinois House, state Rep. David Friess, R-Red Bud, introduced legislation that would require a defendant’s pretrial release to be revoked if they are charged with any new offense while already on pretrial release.

Friess filed House Bill 4907 last Tuesday.

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