Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday is expected to sign new legislation requiring more thorough background checks before hiring police officers, a law inspired by the shooting death of Sonya Massey.

Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1953, or Sonya Massey's Bill, which requires police agencies to review an applicant's detailed employment records before making a job offer, in order to increase accountability and prevent future tragedies.

Police agencies in Illinois will soon be required to do more thorough background checks on prospective officers. The measure signed by Gov. JB Pritzker Tuesday came in response to the July 2024 shooting death of Sonya Massey in Sangamon County by a sheriff’s deputy.