Illinois GOP looks to repeal criminal justice reform bill

Republicans in the Illinois Senate are proposing big changes to the state constitution.

Voters would get powerful new tools to rewrite state law and to recall elected officials.

Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie said if the constitutional changes were approved, one of the first laws he'd ask voters to target would be the 700-page criminal justice reform measure approved last January.

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House Republicans link it to the past year's explosion of carjacking and violence.

"We warned you that this would make crime even worse. Welcome to reality," said Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst).

"Crime is rising. Police officers are being shot at and killed. Murders are up across the state. Innocent victims are in even more dangerous positions than they were a year ago. Police departments large and small are seeing early retirements and struggling to recruit officers," said State Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis).

South Side Rep. Kam Buckner, chair of the House Black Caucus, defended the law in a tweet on Friday.

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"Hearing a lot of talk from my Republican colleagues about Repeal. They are using language that raises people’s hackles, because instead of offering thoughtful common sense ideas they would rather teardown the work of so many, including victims rights organizations & those in LE (law enforcement.)"

Buckner and other House Democrats said they're working on proposals they'll soon unveil to combat carjackings which have tripled in the past year as well as other problems that critics of the law have identified.