SPRINGFIELD – Republican State Representative Patrick Windhorst of Metropolis has passed legislation out of the Illinois House that allows sheriffs in the state of Illinois to serve on local 911 boards.
House Bill 5128 is an initiative of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association.
Although the county sheriff would have a critical interest in the operations of the local 911 operations and vice versa, sheriff department membership is common on local 911 boards but is not required. The bill is a Sheriff’s Association initiative to ensure that whatever composition of the board exists, the sheriff’s office can be included. Further, the bill helps address an issue in an informal Attorney General opinion that the office of sheriff is incompatible with serving on a 911 board.
The bill passed unanimously in the House. It now heads to the Senate.
