Reckless Funeral Procession Crackdown Legislation Passes

A bill sponsored by local lawmakers that aims to levy harsher punishments on those found to be driving recklessly during funeral processions passed the Illinois State House Tuesday.  

Senate Bill 2154, which was passed by the Senate last month, will give police officers the power to immediately impound vehicles that are driving recklessly during a funeral procession. It was formulated as part of a response to the reckless funeral processions coming in and out of Mount Hope Cemetery. 

State Sen. Bill Cunningham, the bill's sponsor, said last month that this was just one approach to dealing with a problem that should be tackled on multiple fronts. He says the bill should work to, "help return a sense of respect and dignity to the funeral processions that we see come through our community." 

In an email blast touting the bill's passage, Ald. Matt O'Shea expressed hope that its ultimate approval would serve to protect the community from reckless processions. 

"Moving forward, Senator Cunningham, Representative Hurley, and I will continue to work with the Chicago Police Department and Cook County Sheriff's Office to ensure the necessary allocation of police resources during high volume times," O'Shea wrote. "Moreover, our efforts with Mt. Hope Cemetery management on an additional entrance are ongoing.  As more information becomes available, I will keep you updated. 

The planned second entrance on 119th Street has yet to be completed by the cemetery's owners. The thought is that a second entrance would help alleviate the traffic pressures caused by the cemetery's multiple funeral processions each day.

The bill will now go to Governor Pat Quinn for approval. If he signs it, the Chicago City Council and other local municipalities would still have to enact an ordinance to give their police officers the ability to use the new power. 

Read a full copy of SB-2154