State Senate District 25 candidates Villa, Brown differ on SAFE-T Act

The candidates for the state Senate District 25 seat have very different views about parts of the SAFE-T Act due to take effect on Jan. 1.

Incumbent Karina Villa, a Democrat from West Chicago, supports the sweeping criminal justice reform package that will eliminate cash bail.

"I do believe that it is a good bill," said Villa, 44, adding it removes a "punitive system" that requires poor people to await trial in jail because they cannot afford to post bail.

Her Republican opponent, Heather Brown, disagrees.

"There needs to be real consideration to repeal this bill and make sure that it is taken off the agenda for Jan. 1," she said.

Brown, a 35-year-old West Chicago alderman, says local law enforcement leaders have told her they are concerned that some crimes have been made non-detainable offenses or even just tickets.

"I trust our law enforcement and first responders, who day in and day out are out protecting our community," Brown said.

She also criticized Villa's support of a proposal that would make possession of less than 3 grams of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine a misdemeanor. "That (3 grams of fentanyl) could potentially kill 1,500 people," Brown said.

Villa was elected to the state House in 2018 and the state Senate in 2020.

Brown was appointed to the West Chicago City Council in 2017 and elected in 2019 and 2021.

The 25th District encompasses parts of Aurora, Bartlett, Batavia, Elgin, Geneva, Naperville, North Aurora, South Elgin, Streamwood, Warrenville, Wayne and West Chicago.