Gov. Pritzker Signs Landmark Sonya Massey Bill

SPRINGFIELD- ​ Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined state legislators and stakeholders to sign SB 1953, also known as Sonya Massey’s Bill. The law will revise police hiring procedures across Illinois, requiring agencies to comprehensively review an applicant’s employment history—including detailed employment records—before making a job offer. The legislation aims to increase policy accountability across the state and prevent future tragedies such as the killing of Sonya Massey.

“When Sonya Massey feared for her safety, she did what anyone would do—she called law enforcement for help. Communities should be able to trust that when they call the police to their home, the responding officer will be well-trained and without a history of bias or misconduct,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, I sign Sonya Massey’s Bill to help prevent these tragedies, to better equip law enforcement to keep our communities safe, and to continue working to build a justice system that protects all of our citizens.”

“Illinois is making it clear that a call for help should only ever be met with that: help. When a tragedy like this happens, leaders have a duty to respond with action,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “Because of the strength that exists in Sonya Massey’s family and the resilience that lives in the community she left behind, a bunch of individual people took their pain and made a difference. This is what happens when we meet each other with humanity.”

On July 6, 2024, Sonya Massey was shot and killed in her home by Sangamon County Sherriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson after calling 911 to report a suspected prowler. Following her tragic death, Grayson was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. Investigations revealed that Grayson had a history of disciplinary issues at his previous police jobs in other areas of the state, and he had additionally pleaded guilty in two misdemeanor DUI cases.

To prevent hiring oversights like these from reoccurring, State Senator Doris Turner worked with Massey’s family to create the Massey Commission, where she worked on SB 1953 with additional support from the Illinois Sheriff’s Association and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. This nation-leading legislation requires employment history disclosure during the police hiring process, to increase transparency and accountability when it comes to police officer background checks.

“Sonya’s murder left us with more questions than answers,” said State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield). “I’m proud of our collaboration with the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Chiefs of Police to determine necessary guardrails to ensure we have good officers on our street protecting and serving our communities.”

In addition to requiring past employers to provide employment records for inspection by the hiring agency, the Sonya Massey Bill also lowers the population requirement for counties to create police merit boards and commissions from 1 million to 75,000, overall increasing accountability across the State of Illinois.

“The Massey Commission has worked in a positive way to identify meaningful reforms that would strengthen law enforcement hiring practices and restore public trust,” said Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter. “Senator Turner led the effort to get this across the finish line in the Statehouse, working with people on all sides in a bipartisan effort. I’m grateful to Senator Turner and to the members of the Massey Commission for their dedication to making these changes a reality. This legislation is an important step toward ensuring our communities have the most qualified officers serving them.”

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