Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Harrisburg) | File Photo
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Harrisburg) | File Photo
Rep. Patrick Windhorst indicated he plans to oppose a bill that would allow children under the age of 13 to be detained pretrial the same way that they can be held if they've been convicted.
“Thank you for that clarification based on the court language of the law,” Windhorst (R-Harrisburg) said during a floor debate on House Bill 3767. “I’ll be opposed, but I appreciate the explanation.”
With the measure ultimately passing 65 to 43, Windhorst noted the bill also faces opposition from the Sheriff's Association and the probation and court services.
At its core, HB 3767 seeks to amend the Children and Family Services Act by paving the way for the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission to study and make recommendations to the General Assembly related to the availability of youth services to reduce the use of detention and preventing deeper criminal involvement.
Slated to go into effect immediately, the bill further stipulates that “the goal of the Act to ensure that detention is the last resort and for as short a time as possible.”
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