Reintegration RACE Act of 2026 (ILARJ Proponent)
Witness Slips Needed
Send witness slips BY 05/19 at 1:00 p.m.
This legislation needs your support right now. The Illinois Legislature is holding a Subject Matter Hearing on H.B. 5414, the Reintegration RACE Act, on 5/19 at 2 p.m. Witness slips are the most direct way the public can support this legislation. Scroll down to read more about this legislation.
Endorsed By
About H.B. 5414 / S.B. 2983
What is a subject matter hearing?
A subject matter hearing is a non-voting session of a committee that aims to reach out to the public for their viewpoint on legislation.
This means that the public has a chance to provide their stories, their perspectives, and use their voices to speak for the RACE Act and show that the public opposes felony disenfranchisement in the state of Illinois.
Why file a witness slip?
Witness slips — especially for subject matter hearings — are an important consideration for legislators when deciding on legislation. A strong showing for witness slips in a subject matter hearing shows our lawmakers that we, the public, truly care. Every voice matters, and you do not have to be an IL resident or voter to sign a witness slip.
Why Now
The RACE Act has the potential to be the first major response Illinois can make to the Supreme Court since the Voting Rights Act was gutted in Louisiana v. Callais, 608 U.S. ___ (2026).
The Reintegration RACE Act would restore the right to vote for over 30,000 Illinoisians who are currently incarcerated, effectively ending all disenfranchisement for people in the criminal legal system in Illinois.
The Reintegration RACE Act will limit the period of disenfranchisement to only two weeks, expand access to civics education for all incarcerated persons, and allows people to vote now.
FACTS
95% of people in prison return home.
Civic engagement is a cornerstone of reentry and reintegration, reducing recidivism and making communities safer.
The RACE Act promotes rehabilitation
When incarcerated persons are treated as stakeholders rather than outsiders, willingness to take personal responsibility and motivation to reenter are dramatically increased.
Family connections are strengthened through voting
People in prison are more invested in staying together with family when they are given a voice in matters involving them.
The ability to vote restores dignity and upholds our democracy
Without the right to vote, the voice of many incarcerated persons is diminished. While leadership spaces can and do exist, voting provides incarcerated persons an accessible and acceptable way for them to address the inhumane conditions they are subjected to.
Credit to Chicago Votes | Unlock Civics for the information presented in the Facts section of this page; however, the information does not reflect Chicago Votes | Unlock Civics directly. The wording is reflective of ILARJ’s stance on the RACE Act.
