Dupage Policy Journal

First-term Illinois state Rep. Amy Grant, R-Wheaton, added to her goal of being a major voice on women’s issues in Springfield by serving as the chief co-sponsor of a recently enacted law that assures sexual assault survivors more transparency about the status of their cases.

Senate Bill 1411 is intended to keep rape victims better informed about the processing of their rape kits from the beginning to the end of the process.

“Illinois currently does not have law-enforcement agencies working across lines on this issue,” Grant said in a press release. “Whereas the current reporting system led to significant backlogs and other tracking problems, SB 1411 will create a mechanism for updates in real time for victims who wish to follow the status of their case evidence.”

SB 1411 was bolstered by the support of a bipartisan commission that convened to study the issue and make recommendations for legislative solutions. The new law requires Illinois State Police to create a statewide sexual assault electronic tracking system that is regularly updated and can more easily be tracked through the system.

“No one who has been sexually assaulted should be left in the dark while evidence is being processed,” Grant said. “This is an important first step in providing greater transparency for victims, ensuring survivors are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve and bringing more offenders to justice.”

Grant also recently proved instrumental in the enactment of House Bill 834, which prohibits employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s salary history.

“Nationally, on average, women earn just 79 cents for every dollar earned by a man,” she said. “In Illinois, our salary numbers align with this national average. While we have existing laws in this country that prohibit employers from paying one individual less than another based solely on issues such as gender, religion, etc., that law does not always translate into practice.”