Advocates pushing to repeal Illinois’ so-called “truth-in-sentencing” law are urging patience as they navigate competing bills through a General Assembly that’s still politically wary of voting on sweeping criminal justice reforms.

Lawmakers and advocacy groups in the Credit for Change coalition are debating whether to go for a complete repeal of the law via House Bill 2367 (formerly H.B. 5219), or whether to take an incremental approach with H.B. 3449 .

Truth-in-sentencing laws are a big reason many people in prisons nationwide are serving long sentences. Illinois’ law, passed in 1998, makes people convicted of certain crimes serve at least 75% of their sentences before being eligible for release. Before that, they often got released after serving half their sentences.

Sponsored by State Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, H.B. 3449 would chip away at the state’s truth-in-sentencing statute by reducing the amount of time people locked up under the law have to serve by 25 percentage points. For example, someone currently required to serve 100% of their sentence would only have to serve 75%, and someone now serving 85% would have their time recalculated to 60%.

Slaughter has also been added as a chief co-sponsor on H.B. 2367 alongside the bill’s original sponsor, State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora. Slaughter chairs the influential committee that would likely handle both bills; having his name attached to each of them signals he’ll have a leading role in deciding which one to advance.

“We’re still working on it,” Hernandez said of H.B. 2367. “Even though it might not be [only] under my name, I’m still determined to help whoever needs this.”

Both bills are now sitting in the House Rules Committee, and advocates and lawmakers say Slaughter will decide which one to push – if any. He did not respond to multiple interview requests from WBEZ.

But don’t expect big movement any time soon, advocates say.

“It’s too early to know, and we’re gonna do everything we can, but we gotta recognize that changing our sentencing structure is gonna take a lot of hard work, effort, education – and, likely, time,” said Lindsey Hammond, policy director with the group Restore Justice.

Despite Democratic supermajorities in Springfield, many representatives and senators are still hesitant to vote on big criminal justice bills after getting criticized for passing the 2021 SAFE-T Act that eliminated cash bail, lawmakers and advocates tell WBEZ. Those concerns about appearing “soft on crime” could complicate efforts to repeal – or even just scale back – the state’s truth-in-sentencing law.

“Timing is a huge part of this,” said Dr. Shaneva McReynolds, president of the advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums, or FAMM. “Is it possible in this General Assembly? I’m always hopeful, but…realistically, probably not. But I certainly believe that sweeping reform in Credit for Change can happen here in Illinois.”

Regardless, both Hammond and McReynolds said their groups continue to push for a full repeal, and that letters from incarcerated Illinoisans and their families have brought the issue to the front of lawmakers’ minds.

“If it means we start at the 25% [reduction in required time served], then come back for the full repeal, if that’s what we have to do, we’re gonna continue to educate the legislature on why [a full repeal] is necessary,” McReynolds said.