Kevin Schmidt: IL Supreme Court decision validates SAFE-T Act concerns

Millstadt, IL – Kevin Schmidt, candidate for State Representative in the 114th District, says a recent Illinois Supreme Court decision retroactively applying the SAFE-T Act demonstrates why so many people are concerned about the full ramifications of the LaToya Greenwood-backed SAFE-T Act.

The decision revolves around a young man named Denzal Stewart who in 2017 was convicted of possession of a stolen motor vehicle he stole in 2016. While being sentenced, prosecutors brought up past burglary convictions in 2013 and 2014, which elevated the sentencing to Class X felony status and Stewart was sentenced to a minimum of six years.

Stewart appealed, arguing his previous convictions should have been ignored because he was a juvenile at the time. Because the justices said the intent of the Legislature was unclear in circumstances like this, they looked to the SAFE-T Act which has yet to even be fully implemented, and because the SAFE-T Act forbids judges from considering offenses committed as a juvenile, they sided with Stewart.

“In essence, the Illinois Supreme Court retroactively used the SAFE-T Act to interpret the intent of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987,” Schmidt said. “A major concern about the SAFE-T Act is how the courts will interpret it and if the Illinois Supreme Court is willing to retroactively apply this law to old cases, those concerns are indeed valid. The intent of the LaToya Greenwood-backed SAFE-T Act was to completely transform our judicial system and it is already accomplishing this goal even before it fully takes effect.”

Schmidt said he is the only candidate in the race who will fight to repeal the SAFE-T Act.

“Voters in the 114th District have an opportunity to voice their concerns about the SAFE-T Act by electing me to office,” Schmidt said. “The only way we can repeal this legislation and enact common-sense reforms is to vote legislators like LaToya Greenwood out of office. I will put the safety of our communities first and I will never turn my back on the residents of the 114th District.”

Kevin Schmidt is a Board-Certified Chiropractor and the owner of Schmidt Chiropractic with locations in Millstadt and Freeburg. He is running as a Republican in the 114th District. The General Election is Nov. 8th.