News/Commentary

Dem introduces bill that will legalize attacks on cops under certain circumstances

March 13, 2025 | | Print Article

An Illinois Democrat lawmaker has introduced a bill that would effectively legalize violence against police if an attacker is having a mental health episode, potentially imperiling the safety of the state’s law enforcement officers.

State Rep. Lisa Davis unveiled the bill that will “[provide] that it is a defense to aggravated battery when the individual battered is a peace officer and the officer responded to an incident in which the officer interacted with a person whom a reasonable officer could believe was having a mental health episode and the person with whom the officer interacted has a documented mental illness and acted abruptly.”

Davis, a lawyer in the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender’s office, introduced Bill 3458 in February, Fox News reported. The legislation has predictably drawn criticism from those who contend that it will provide an excuse to engage in violence against police who have repeatedly been exposed to danger by Democrat policies since the 2020 George Floyd race riots and the party’s embrace of activist efforts to defund the police.

State Reps. Marcus Evans and Kelly Cassidy have co-sponsored the controversial bill which was first reported by Second City Cop, a local blog that reports on Chicago-related law enforcement news, suggesting that it’s the “dumbest proposed law ever,” and labeling Davis as “another anti-police scumbag.”

“If this passes, mental illness will be an excuse to attack and beat police officers,” the blog states. “In fact, who wants to bet there will be thousands of people who suddenly have doctor notes that permit them to attack cops?”

Currently in Illinois, a person can face charges of aggravated battery if they attack “an individual whom the person knows to be a peace officer, community policing volunteer, fireman, private security officer, correctional institution employee, or Department of Human Services employee supervising or controlling sexually dangerous persons or sexually violent persons,” according to Fox News.

Davis’ bill would only legalize attacks on police officers, with other first responders, including paramedics and firefighters, not being impacted. The Democrat lawmaker’s husband is a Windy City firefighter, CWB Chicago reported, suggesting that she “probably doesn’t fancy the thought of him being attacked by a stranger without repercussions.”

X users reacted to the lunacy of the anti-cop proposal.

“Fortunately, Davis’ legislation has been referred to the Rules Committee, where bad legislative ideas are often sent to die,” CWB Chicago reported, expressing optimism that common sense will prevail.

Chris Donaldson
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