Will County Gazette

Adam Beaty, candidate for Illinois State House District 80, expressed his disapproval of the HB4409 bill and its House Amendment 001, stating that it is "headed to the Governor’s desk." He further conveyed his disbelief by saying, "To say I’m shaking my head is an understatement."

"Stop Apologizing to the Criminals," said Beaty, according to Facebook. "HB4409 and it's absolutely daft House Amendment 001 is headed to the Governor's desk. To say I'm shaking my head is an understatement. This piece of legislation is the product of legislators who are twiddling their thumbs while collecting a state paycheck instead of working to solve the multitude of higher priority issues that plague our state."

According to a post on his Facebook page dated May 22, Beaty criticized the amendment's change in terminology from "offender" to "justice-impacted individual." He wrote, "This is wasted time, resources, and your tax dollars. Changing the term does not solve anything. It certainly will not solve any issues that we currently face in this state. In fact, it will cost thousands of dollars to make this fruitless change."

Screenshot of Adam Beaty for State Representative's May 26 Facebook post | Adam Beaty for State Representative Facebook page

In the same post, Beaty shared a screenshot of a Fox News article explaining the bill’s aim. The article mentioned that Representatives Kelly M. Cassidy and Lindsey LaPointe, as well as Senators Robert Peters, Mike Simmons, and Adriane Johnson filed the bill. It also stated that the bill would increase the number of members on the Adult Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board while changing "offender" to "justice-impacted individual."

Beaty continued his critique by writing about other pressing issues such as high taxes and crime rates. He said, "Say nothing of some of the nation's highest taxes, costs of living or incredible crime rates. By all means, let’s make sure the feelings of those who violate our laws aren’t hurt by the language of who they are…OFFENDERS of the law! I’m hopeful Governor Pritzker has the sense to veto this bill."

According to his official biography on his campaign website, Beaty has served as a police officer for ten years and is also a Reed Township Trustee and member of Knights of Columbus. He states that he "will rely heavily on the voices of my constituents to guide my votes on the House floor," which he believes sets him apart from other legislators.