Pamela Knight of Dixon (r) was killed in 2017 when attempting to take child into safe custody
SPRINGFIELD – House Democrats refused to toughen penalties upon those that assault social workers when the Democrat majority of the House Judicial – Criminal Committee rejected an effort proposed by State Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savannah) after a social worker was killed during a home visit in 2017.
After DCFS worker Pam Knight of Dixon, IL was brutally beaten to death, Rep. McCombie drafted legislation to give DCFS and Adult Protective Service employees the same protections that our police, fire, and other emergency responders already receive under Illinois law, the House Republicans said on Facebook.
Thursday, that legislation failed to pass full committee on a partisan roll call in which the majority decided to vote down any and all penalty enhancement bills.
Rep. McCombie's testimony was rejected by the House Democrats on the committee, and the measure was returned to Rules Committee, a dead end for legislation.
The list of committee members:
The measure had bi-partisan support:
House Sponsors
Rep. Tony McCombie - Brian W. Stewart - Tom Demmer, Robert W. Pritchard, Anna Moeller, Nick Sauer, Norine K. Hammond, Thomas M. Bennett, David McSweeney, David A. Welter, Terri Bryant, Michael D. Unes, Avery Bourne, Michael Halpin, Jerry Costello, II, Barbara Wheeler, Jay Hoffman, Linda Chapa LaVia, Margo McDermed, Daniel Swanson, Mark Batinick, Allen Skillicorn, Jerry Lee Long, Keith P. Sommer, Michael P. McAuliffe, Keith R. Wheeler, Jonathan Carroll, Peter Breen, Michelle Mussman, Reginald Phillips, Jim Durkin, Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., Steven A. Andersson, Katie Stuart, Laura Fine, Grant Wehrli, Charles Meier, Christine Winger, Marcus C. Evans, Jr., Sheri Jesiel, Natalie Phelps Finnie, Sam Yingling, C.D. Davidsmeyer, Joe Sosnowski, Dan Brady, Tim Butler, Randy E. Frese, Thomas Morrison, Ryan Spain and Patricia R. Bellock
