Shaw Local asked all four candidates in the 76th Illinois House District race the same question: “What is your stance on the SAFE-T Act? What changes, if any, would you support?”

The answers reveal one of the sharpest divides in the race. The two Republican candidates want the law repealed or significantly overhauled, while the two Democrats say it is working — though both acknowledge room for improvement, particularly around repeat offenders.

Loughran: abolish it

Crystal Loughran was the most unequivocal. “I do not support the SAFE-T Act in its current form and would work to abolish it,” she wrote. She argued the law has limited judges’ and prosecutors’ tools for detaining repeat offenders, citing complaints from law enforcement in multiple counties.

In its place, Loughran said she would push for legislation that reinstates cash or secured bail as an option for judges, restores local discretion to prosecutors, strengthens tools for handling repeat lower-level offenders – including mandated treatment or secure supervision – and improves data transparency on how the reforms have affected public safety and court backlogs.

Bishop: bad policy in need of real fixes

Liz Bishop stopped short of calling for full repeal but was equally critical, calling the SAFE-T Act “bad policy for Illinois” even after numerous amendments. She said law enforcement — police, deputies, lawyers, and judges – must be more meaningfully involved in shaping solutions.

Bishop’s specific proposed fixes focused on pre-trial release: she wants defendants to be able to have their release revoked if they commit additional crimes or violate release terms, and called for “strict and swift action” when defendants violate no-contact orders.

Briel: working, with room to improve

Amy “Murri” Briel, the incumbent, defended the law briefly but acknowledged it is not perfect. “Evidence shows that the SAFE-T Act has done good for crime rates and victim support,” she wrote. “There are some implementations of the act that could be improved.” She did not specify which implementations she had in mind.

Thompson: keep it, but get tougher on repeat offenders

Tyler Thompson offered a similar overall defense of the law but with sharper concern about its handling of repeat offenders. “The SAFE-T Act works well, however, we need to implement changes for repeat offenders and severe crimes,” he wrote. He called for “a tough on crime approach to those who continuously break the law” to balance the act’s broader reforms.

The race

The 76th District covers parts of the Illinois Valley region and DeKalb. Briel, the Democratic incumbent, faces write-in challenger Thompson in the Democratic primary. Loughran and Bishop are competing in the Republican primary. The winners of the March 17 primary will face each other in the November general election.

Note on methodology: This article includes summaries of candidate questionnaire responses generated with the assistance of an artificial intelligence tool. Journalists on our team reviewed, edited, and verified all summaries for accuracy and fairness before publication.