By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News
Newly signed legislation will eliminate mandatory life sentences for minors in Illinois.
Someone under the age of 18 can still be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but the new law will leave that to the judge’s discretion, rather than imposing a mandatory sentence.
State Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) says he’s been trying to get this bill passed for several years to bring the state into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Miller v. Alabama, and found support was easier to come by this time around.
The law takes effect on January 1st, 2016.
In other news, a new law backed by state Rep. Frank Mautino takes aim at copper thieves by marshaling help from experts to find ways to help eliminate theft of the metal for profit.
House Bill 330 creates a task force responsible for developing a broad-based strategy to deter metal theft and strengthen existing laws. The task force’s composition will include representatives from insurance companies, public utilities and cooperatives, law enforcement agencies and scrap metal dealers.
The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2016.
