Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – An Illinois State Senator says she’s optimistic the bill she’s authored that would let voters decide whether Sangamon County elected officials should be recalled, will pass.

The bill from State Senator Doris Turner was crafted in response to last year’s death of Sonya Massey, and for which former Deputy Sean Grayson is awaiting a murder trial.

“I feel very, very good about it,” said Turner, to a meeting Monday night of the Massey Commission.  “I don’t even want to say this because I really believe that this is going to pass; keep in mind that even if it doesn’t, we still have time during [veto session in the fall].  Nothing is ever dead until the next General Assembly.  So we still have veto session to get it done.”

If the legislature passes it, a recall question would only be on the November, 2026 election ballot.  If it fails then, the measure won’t come up again, as the bill sunsets in January, 2027.  Turner admits that she had to change that bill to make it more Sangamon County centric, partly because voters by and large don’t like the idea of recall.  Senate Bill 1954 awaits a potential House vote.

Meanwhile, Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign a bill already passed that would require the former employers of law enforcement candidates to turn over all their employment records to the potential new employer — this, as Grayson allegedly bounced from department to department over the years, and as some said his record was questionable.  And that’s not all Turner says that bill does.

“Any County Board of any population of at least 75,000 must have a Sheriff’s Merit System,” said Turner.  “Right now, that threshold is at 1,000,000.”

Sangamon County does have a merit commission in place.  Turner says the law would not apply to 80 of the state’s 102 counties.

Some residents at Monday night’s Massey Commission meeting felt it didn’t even need to get to the point of having the legislature involved, with even an attorney saying his legal opinion related to recall was all but ignored.  Another resided chided the Sangamon County Board for, in his words, punting on the issue.

But, Turner says she’s just trying to fulfill the wish of Massey’s mother, who just wants justice for her daughter.

“The main theme that ran through everything that was happening was that Sean Grayson should never have been given a badge and a gun,” said Turner.  “I was like, ‘Okay.  What can we do to ensure that doesn’t happen again?”