HR1032 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1032 LRB097 20930 GRL 69306 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives recognize their responsibility to promote, protect, and preserve the safety and welfare of the citizens of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The members of this body also recognize that criminal street gangs and gang-related activities promote crime and jeopardize the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The City of Chicago has experienced a recent increase in criminal street gang activity; over the weekend of March 17-18, 2012, 46 people were shot in the City of Chicago, with 9 fatalities as a result of criminal street gang violence; one of the victims, a 6-year-old girl, was caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting as she played on the sidewalk in front of her home; for the first 3 months of 2012, gang-related murders in Chicago rose 60%, compared to the same time period last year; and

WHEREAS, The gang problem in Illinois extends beyond the City of Chicago; outside the metropolitan area, gangs engage in violence, burglaries, and drug-related activity harmful to Illinois citizens' safety and well-being; and

WHEREAS, Criminal street gangs are rapidly employing new technology, including the utilization of social media, to orchestrate drug activity and violence; and

WHEREAS, Governor Jim Edgar last established a study on Illinois gang problems when he established the Governor's Commission on Gangs in 1995; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes a current need for a new task force to study and analyze the recent increase in street gang violence in Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the Illinois Task Force on Gang Violence; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Task Force shall be comprised of the following members, all of whom shall serve without compensation; (1) 2 representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives; (2) 2 representatives, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives; (3) a representative of the Cook County State's Attorney's office, appointed by the Cook County State's Attorney; (4) a representative on behalf of the State's Attorney offices in Illinois counties other than Cook County, designated by the Illinois State Attorney's Association; (5) a representative of the Illinois State Police, appointed by the Director of the Illinois State Police; (6) a representative from the Chicago Police Department, appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago; (7) a representative of the Cook County Sheriff's Department, appointed by the Cook County Sheriff's Department; and (8) a representative on behalf of the Sheriffs' Departments in Illinois counties other than Cook County, designated by the Illinois Sheriffs Association; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Speaker and Minority Leader shall each designate one representative to serve as co-chairs of the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois State Police shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force is charged with conducting subject matter hearings, which should include testimony from those individuals with knowledge of gang violence, involved with communities experiencing gang violence, or affected by gang violence; the Task Force shall then analyze the data regarding the increase in gang activity in Illinois and issue a public report of its findings and recommendations to help Illinois combat street gang violence on or before January 1, 2013.