Chicago City Wire

Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed legislation earlier this month that expanded the Democratic-led Reimagine Public Safety Act in an effort to tackle the state's firearm violence crisis.

The bill became law back in June, but under the expansion Pritzker signed on Dec. 10 guidelines were clarified and gave more "grant making flexibility" to the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention, Capitol News Illinois reported. 

"Today, the legislation I'm signing will advance our commitment to make the unprecedented commitment in public safety utilize data to inform where help is most needed, address both immediate needs and systemic change to reduce gun violence, and most importantly, reach even more communities that have historically been left out and left behind," Pritzker said during a news conference.

Pritzker noted that applications were open for groups who could help train organizations on the front lines, those that partake in evidence-based violence interruption and prevention, youth development, and trauma-based services. He promised additional funding would be available for those groups in the coming weeks. Pritzker noted that he's been committed to addressing the root of the state's violence problem, which included poverty, disinvestment and lack of access to healthcare.

"My administration has more than doubled investments in programs to interrupt and prevent violence. That's before the $250 million Reimagine Public Safety Act and the state has now appropriated $507 million for violence prevention diversion and Youth Employment Programs just in our fiscal year budget," Pritzker said. 

Pritzker said the state has experienced "too much loss" of life to gun violence.

"We are all here to say enough is enough," Pritzker said. "In this state, we are one Illinois and we stand up for one another."

The bill passed in the state House of Representatives with a 71-41 vote back in October, according to the Illinois General Assembly website. 

The law took effect immediately after Pritzker signed it into law.