Illinois Senate approves bills, including one regarding police hiring, in response to Sonya Massey killing

Less than a year after a sheriff’s officer fatally shot a Black Springfield woman, the Illinois Senate has passed two measures aimed at issues raised during nationwide protests over the shooting.

One bill would prohibit law enforcement agencies from hiring any cops unless they authorize previous police departments they worked for to make their employment records available. The second would allow Sangamon County to create a process for countywide elected officials to be recalled through a referendum vote in the 2026 election. Both bills now head to the Illinois House.

Read more about Sonya Massey and the bill that aims to change police hiring practices in Illinois from Metro beat reporter Jeremy Gorner in the Chicago Tribune.