Republican candidate for governer Bill Brady on Wednesday called on Gov. Pat Quinn to sign legislation requiring the state to post online pictures of inmates who are released early from prison.
But the governor, who has been noncommittal about signing the bill, eluded that it was redundant and unnecessary.
"We've actually already done many of the things he's wanting us to do," Quinn said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "He should check the record."
Brady said the bill, SB3411, was a matter of public safety. Lawmakers approved it in April.
Brady, a State Senator from Bloomington, said photos and information of all early release criminals on the loose should remain posted until they are found in what he called an online "Most Wanted E-Gallery," though the legislation never uses the phrase.
Instead, it calls for "a community notification of inmate early release."
Currently, a search on the Department of Corrections' website will turn up pictures and other details about inmates and parolees.
The Illinois Corrections Department quietly granted early release to hundreds of inmates last year. Some had spent only days or weeks in prison. A list of those inmates is available on the Department of Corrections site.
The released prisoners included some with a history of violence.
"These criminals should have never been set free early," Brady said. "We need to provide law enforcement with every possible tool to find and capture dangerous criminals."
