Illinois governor signs bill for stricter police background checks

CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed the “Sonya Massey Bill” into law, revising police hiring procedures to require stronger background checks for applicants.

The bill is named after Sonya Massey, who was tragically shot and killed by former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson inside her home. The legislation mandates comprehensive reviews of applicants’ past employment records, a response to Grayson’s reported history of disciplinary issues at previous law enforcement agencies before his hiring by the county.

Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield), who sponsored the bill, stated, “When we call for law enforcement, it’s never a good day. And the expectation is that the responding officer will live up to the motto ‘Protect and Serve.’ With the passage of Senate Bill 1953, I feel confident that going forward, and over time, our communities and law enforcement will have built a trusting relationship, and I will have kept my promise to my friend and Sonya’s mother.”

Sean Grayson’s murder trial is set to begin in October in Peoria County, where he is claiming self-defense.

The implementation of the “Sonya Massey Bill” aims to rebuild trust between communities and law enforcement by ensuring thorough vetting of police applicants. As Grayson’s trial approaches, the impact of the bill on future hiring practices remains a focal point for local lawmakers and citizens alike.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.