SPRINGFIELD – Illinois children will receive additional consideration when prison sentence length is determined for an expectant or current mother under a proposal from State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“The absence of a mother can have devastating effects on the development of young children,” Loughran Cappel said. “Stunting their growth because of the poor decisions of a parent is irresponsible.”

To discourage further disruption of families caused by a parent going to jail, Loughran Cappel’s initiative creates a weighing factor for courts to consider when determining the imprisonment time of pregnant women or women with young children in their care.

The proposal was the result of discussions between the Senate Women’s Caucus and First Lady MK Pritzker. Both seek to pass legislation addressing the effects incarceration has on families.

“Prioritizing the needs of our kids when deciding the outcome of trials is common sense,” Loughran Cappel said. “I am thankful to my colleagues for their support on this initiative.”

Senate Bill 1566 now moves to the House for consideration.