HB2644 amends the Illinois Line of Duty Compensation Act to broaden who may be treated as a “law enforcement officer” or “officer” for purposes of line-of-duty compensation. The bill expressly adds people who work as volunteers for the State or a local governmental entity in positions involving enforcement of the law and protection of the public interest at risk to their lives, including volunteers assisting with parking and traffic. The existing statutory definition already covers a range of public safety roles, and the bill would extend that coverage to certain volunteers who are performing comparable public-facing enforcement functions.
The measure is focused on eligibility under the Line of Duty Compensation Act, which governs compensation when covered public safety personnel are killed in the line of duty. By expanding the definition in Section 2, the bill would potentially make additional volunteer personnel eligible for benefits or compensation tied to line-of-duty death determinations. It does not appear to change criminal law, employment classification generally, or pension law; rather, it adjusts the scope of a specific compensation statute for public employees and volunteers.
Impact
If enacted, HB2644 would amend 820 ILCS 315/2 to include certain volunteers within the Act’s definition of “law enforcement officer” or “officer.” That would expand the pool of individuals whose deaths may qualify for line-of-duty compensation under Illinois law, affecting the State and local governmental entities that administer or fund such benefits, as well as volunteer personnel serving in law-enforcement-adjacent roles. The bill would likely be relevant to counties, municipalities, municipal corporations, and other public agencies that use volunteers for parking, traffic, or similar enforcement-related duties.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the available context suggests a straightforward, supportive policy proposal aimed at recognizing volunteer public safety service. The caption and language frame the bill as a compensation and recognition measure rather than a controversial restructuring of law enforcement policy. No recorded opposition, amendments, or divided vote history is available in the provided materials.
Contention
The main policy question raised by the bill is how far the Line of Duty Compensation Act should extend to volunteers, especially those in roles such as parking and traffic assistance that may not traditionally be viewed as core law-enforcement duties. Supporters would likely emphasize fairness and protection for volunteers who face risk while serving the public, while potential critics could question whether the expansion is too broad or could create uncertain eligibility boundaries for compensation claims. Because there are no transcripts or votes provided, no specific legislator, agency, or stakeholder opposition is identified in the record supplied here.