Edly-Allen to host Stateville Calling documentary and discussion panel

LIBERTYVILLE – State Senator Mary Edly-Allen invites the public to attend a documentary and discussion of Stateville Calling on August 10.

“It is important our community is informed of the high costs associated with keeping aging inmates in the prison system. Elderly inmates cost our state billions of dollars, and they are the least likely to re-offend,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville).

The event will be held at the University Center of Lake County, 1200 University Center Dr. in Grayslake from 6 to 8 p.m. It will include a screening and discussion panel on Stateville Calling – an Emmy-nominated documentary that explores parole reform and the struggle of aging inmates in Illinois.

“This is an opportunity to provide the audience with a variety of perspectives and viewpoints regarding parole reform and our aging inmate population,” said Edly-Allen. “I hope this event can shed light on this issue and begin a dialogue on criminal justice reform in Illinois.”

This event is sponsored by State Senator Mary Edly-Allen and several other Lake County legislators. It is free, and those planning to attend can register here.

For questions contact Edly-Allen’s district office in Grayslake at (847) 548-5631.

Edly-Allen urges local agencies to apply for OSLAD grant

LIBERTYVILLE – State Senator Mary Edly-Allen is urging agencies across the 31^st District to apply for Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grants.

“Being outdoors is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Spending time in a park is one way to clear your mind and boost serotonin levels, which is why I encourage our local agencies to apply for the OSLAD grant so every resident can have a public safe space,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “By applying for this grant, I hope to see safer and accessible parks that everyone can enjoy.”

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will be accepting applications for Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, grants through Aug. 31.

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Measure to crack down on harmful deepfakes signed into law thanks to Edly-Allen

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mary Edly-Allen championed a law signed Friday to crack down on the abusive and harmful use of digital forgeries known as deepfakes.

“These videos may be fake, but the emotional impacts are real. The sad reality is, deepfake technology is predominantly being used to create sexual videos of women without their consent,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “Despite the rise of deepfakes there are no consequences for bad actors.”

Deepfakes are images, video, or audio that have been manipulated using AI technology to insert the face and/or voice of a person, in a way that looks authentic.

House Bill 2123 creates a civil cause of action against any person who knowingly distributes, creates or solicits a digital forgery of another individual without their consent and for the purposes of harassing, extorting, threatening or causing harm to the falsely depicted individual.

"Technology, including AI technology, continues to evolve rapidly - now is the time to take action to end image-based sexual abuse and hold bad actors accountable," Edly-Allen said.

House Bill 2123 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Edly-Allen on Illinois Supreme Court’s cash bail decision: Today is a win for equity and fairness in our criminal justice system

LIBERTYVILLE – State Senator Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) issued the following statement in response to the Illinois Supreme Court’s ruling on the pretrial release portions of the SAFE-T Act:

“Today is a win for equity and fairness in our criminal justice system. I am grateful the Illinois Supreme Court upheld historic, nation-leading legislation that prioritizes public safety over wealth. The current outdated cash bail system will no longer harm Illinoisans — instead our criminal justice system will become fairer and our communities will become safer.

“The Illinois Supreme Court’s decision is a long-overdue step toward dismantling systemic racism and unfair financial burdens. The General Assembly is tasked with improving the lives of all citizens, regardless of their financial status. Today we can finally say that we have accomplished just that.”