Illinois Democrats have sparked outrage with a shocking new bill that would effectively legalize attacks on police officers during mental health episodes. The controversial legislation, introduced by State Rep. Lisa Davis, has law enforcement advocates up in arms – and rightly so.
At a glance:
• Illinois House Bill 3485, introduced by Democrat Rep. Lisa Davis, would create a legal defense for assaulting police during mental health episodes
• The bill provides a defense against aggravated battery charges if the officer believes the attacker has a documented mental illness
• State Reps. Marcus Evans and Kelly Cassidy have co-sponsored the controversial legislation
• Critics argue the bill could be exploited by individuals seeking to attack police officers under the guise of mental health issues
• The proposal specifically targets police officers, not other first responders like paramedics and firefighters
Democrats Push Bill Legalizing Attacks on Police
Illinois Democrats’ latest proposed legislation, formally known as House Bill 3485, was introduced in February by Democratic State Representative Lisa Davis with co-sponsors Marcus Evans and Kelly Cassidy. The bill would create a legal defense for individuals who assault police officers if they were experiencing a mental health episode at the time of the attack.
Under the proposed law, a person could avoid aggravated battery charges if the officer involved believes the attacker has a documented mental illness and acted abruptly. This carve-out specifically targets police officers while notably excluding other first responders like paramedics and firefighters from similar treatment.
In other words, they’re finding excuses to attack police officers and giving people a legal loophole to get out of more serious punishments.
Law enforcement advocates have immediately sounded the alarm on what they view as a dangerous precedent that could put officers’ lives at risk. The bill has generated significant backlash on social media platforms where critics question the logic behind creating such a specific exception for violence against police.
Critics Warn of Dangerous Precedent
The blog Second City Cop, which focuses on Chicago policing matters, described the proposal as possibly the “dumbest proposed law ever.” They issued a stark warning about the potential consequences if such legislation were to become law.
“If this passes, mental illness will be an excuse to attack and beat police officers. In fact, who wants to bet there will be thousands of people who suddenly have doctor notes that permit them to attack cops?” Second City Cop wrote in their scathing criticism of the bill.
CWB Chicago, another local news source, noted that Davis’s legislation has been referred to the Rules Committee, which they described as where “bad legislative ideas are often sent to die.”
Some critics have pointed to potential bias behind the legislation, noting that Davis is married to a firefighter while the bill specifically excludes firefighters from its protections.
Growing Tension Between Law Enforcement and Mental Health Advocates
The controversial proposal comes amid ongoing national debates about police interactions with individuals experiencing mental health crises. While many states have implemented crisis intervention training for officers, Illinois Democrats have taken the unusual step of proposing legal protections for those who assault police during such episodes.
Law enforcement groups argue the bill could incentivize false claims of mental illness to evade prosecution for violent acts against police. Second City Cop suggested that if passed, the law could lead to “thousands of people who suddenly have doctor notes that permit them to attack cops,” highlighting concerns about potential abuse of such a defense.
