Will County Gazette

Legislation to create "Colton's Task Force," sponsored by Rep. David Welter (R-Morris), was recently approved by the House Human Services Committee.

Colton's Task Force, or House Bill 4262, was established to fight domestic violence in Illinois. 

Welter created the legislation to honor Colton Miller of Joliet, an 18-month-old who died in September 2019 in an act of domestic violence. 

Rep. David Welter

Cassandra Tanner-Miller, Colton's mother, survived the domestic violence attack. She has been helping Welter by raising awareness of domestic violence with the public, law enforcement and the media. 

“By working together to identify and correct the lapses in our laws that heighten the risk for more women and children to be abused or killed, we can honor the life of every victim of domestic violence in the State of Illinois and save others from suffering a similar fate,” Welter said on his website. “This is our moment to make clear that the people of Illinois will no longer tolerate domestic violence to take innocent lives, devastate families, and harm communities in every corner of our state.”

The task force has four specific objectives: to review Illinois' domestic violence laws, recommend changes for the current law to the General Assembly, create methods to protect victims and treat offenders and to review bail conditions for cases of domestic violence.

Welter's legislation is being co-sponsored by 83 members of the House of Representatives. The task force would turn in its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and governor by Sept. 1 if it becomes law. 

The Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court would appoint 2 judges to Colton's Task Force. One or both of the judges would have past experience working with domestic violence cases. 

The Chief Justice would also appoint the executive director of the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts to the task force and a probation officer with experience in the area. 

Chair of the task force will be appointed to the Illinois Attorney General or who he designates. 

Other members of the task force will be: the director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the director of the Illinois State Police, the secretary of Human Services and two members from both the House and Senate. 

The governor will appoint several public members to the task force, which will include five survivors of domestic violence.