State Rep. William Hauter (Illinois District 87) joined us recently on the Prairie State Wire podcast to discuss Covid vaccine mandates.

Dr. Hauter is a practicing physician in Peoria, specializing in anesthesiology and emergency medicine. He discussed how the medical community suffered from a serious loss of trust based on lockdown policies and mandates that were pushed and enforced during the Covid pandemic.

We also discussed the need for reform at the state level to ensure that the Illinois assembly is able to exercise oversight during declared public emergencies and power isn't consolidated exclusively in the executive branch.

Joe Tabor from the Illinois Policy Institute's Center for Labor and Litigation joined us recently on the Prairie State Wire podcast to discuss gerrymandering in Illinois. He discussed how redistricting power in Illinois is being abused by politicians to create "safe" districts that protect incumbents and where voters aren't given real choices in competitive elections.

On this episode of the Prairie State Wire podcast, host Bryan Hyde talks with IL State Rep. Rep. Dennis Tipsword (R), who represents Illinois' 105th Legislative District and has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience.

Tipsword explains how the 2021 SAFE-T Act—passed as a sweeping 752-page criminal justice reform—has created major challenges for police, prosecutors, and judges, particularly in the elimination of cash bail. Drawing on real-world cases, he outlines the risks to community safety, the strain on courts, and the financial fallout for counties.

The discussion also highlights potential reforms, from expanding detainable offenses to restoring judicial discretion, and explores how citizens can engage in the legislative process through newsletters and witness slips