For Immediate Release                                    

May 6, 2011                                                      

Hunter measure creating racial impact task force passes House committee

(Springfield, IL) – Legislation creating the Racial and Ethnic Impact Research Task Force earned approval of the House Civil Law Committee this week. The measure, authored by State Senator Mattie Hunter, is in response to recommendations proposed earlier this year by the Illinois Disproportionate Justice Impact Study Commission (DJIS) after an investigation found the disproportionate incarceration of African-Americans for low-level, non-violent drug crimes compared to their Caucasian counterparts.

"The task force created by Senate Bill 2271 would determine the best method to collect and analyze racial and ethnic identity data from arrests in order to create a Racial and Ethnic Impact Statement for Illinois’ criminal laws," Hunter said. "This impact statement would ensure that criminal laws in our state will not have a disproportionate impact towards certain ethnic groups."