HB4736 Summary

• Creates Crime Reduction Task Force composed of 19 members including state legislators, law enforcement officials, judges, public defenders, and justice-involved community members to develop policies reducing crime in Illinois.

• Task Force must meet at least 4 times starting within 60 days of effective date and submit a report with findings and recommendations to General Assembly and Governor by March 1, 2023; Task Force repeals March 1, 2024.

• Establishes co-responder pilot program in East St. Louis, Peoria, Springfield, and Waukegan police departments pairing licensed social workers with officers to provide victim assistance, crisis intervention, and connections to community services; program repeals January 1, 2029.

• Expands Illinois State Police training requirements to include cultural diversity, death/homicide investigation, sexual assault response, human trafficking detection, and hate crimes; requires victim-centered, trauma-informed instruction by July 1, 2023.

• Renames "Gang Crime Witness Protection Act" to "Violent Crime Witness Protection Act" and expands financial assistance to include mental health treatment and lost wage assistance for violent crime victims and witnesses at risk; program begins January 1, 2023.