<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt;"><img alt="ACLU-CU-LOGO.alt2.jpeg" src="cid:F2C19FB7-88AD-4B51-8CCD-0721E490B994"></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#0068da" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 104, 218);"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#0068da" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 104, 218);">MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2025</span></font></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#0068da" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 104, 218);"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#0068da" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 104, 218);">DEAR ACLU FRIENDS,</span></font></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">The Illinois General Assembly’s Spring Session is accelerating with an important hearing tomorrow, <b>Tuesday, February 18, 2025</b>. We are asking you to file a witness slip to <a href="https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=42&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=157147&SessionID=114&GA=104" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">SUPPORT SB42</a>, a measure that addresses confusion around when the odor of cannabis can be used to stop or search motorists.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">SB42 seeks to address confusion from two recent Illinois Supreme Court decisions. In <i>People v. Redmond</i>, the Court held that the odor of <b><i>burnt</i></b> cannabis alone does <b><i>not</i></b> provide probable cause for police to search a car. But in <i>People v. Molina</i>, the Court held that the odor of <b><i>raw</i></b> cannabis <b><i>does</i></b> provide the probable cause for a search. <o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">SB42 addresses this confusion. The bill recognizes that officers are unlikely to be able to distinguish between the odors of raw versus burnt cannabis, and removes the requirement for an “odor proof” container to transport legal cannabis in Illinois. But, more important, Amendment No. 1 to SB42 states that the odor of cannabis – burnt or raw – does NOT provide probable cause to stop or search an individual, a vehicle or a person’s belongs. <o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">Please fill out a witness slip before SB42 is heard in the Senate Criminal Law Committee on Tuesday, February 18<sup>th</sup>, at 2:00 p.m. We urge you to file a witness slip as a <b>proponent</b> of the legislation ahead of the Committee’s scheduled meeting time. <b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b><u><o:p> </o:p></u></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><u><o:p> </o:p></u></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>PLEASE REMEMBER TO FILL OUT THE SLIP FOR YOURSELF, NOT FOR THE ACLU. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b> </b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>Take action today in support of SB42 by filling out a witness slip for the Committee and mark yourself as a PROPONENT.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><li class="xmsonospacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);"><a name="_Hlk163580300"></a><a href="https://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/157147?committeeHearingId=21397&LegislationId=157147&LegislationDocumentId=196938" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><b>FILL OUT A WITNESS SLIP FOR SB42 IN THE SENATE CRIMINAL LAW COMMITTEE</b></a><b><u><br><br></u></b><b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><hr size="1" width="100%" align="center"></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.aclu-il.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/witness_slip_one_pager.pdf" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><b>WITNESS SLIP INSTRUCTIONS</b></a><b>:</b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>Identification</b> – Fill in your name and personal contact information<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>Representation</b> – Fill in “<b>SELF.</b>” <b><span style="color: red;">THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. YOU ARE FILLING THIS OUT AS AN INDVIDIUAL, NOT ON BEHALF OF THE ACLU.</span></b><span style="color: red;"></span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>Firm</b> – Fill in “<b>SELF</b>”<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>Position</b> – Check the box next to<b> PROPONENT</b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>Testimony</b> – Check the box next to <b>RECORD OF APPEARANCE ONLY</b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">Check the box agreeing to the ILGA terms of agreement and click the ‘create slip’ box<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><hr size="1" width="100%" align="center"></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b>Take action before the committee meets TUESDAY AFTERNOON in support of SB42 by filling out a witness slip, and marking yourself as a proponent.</b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><li class="xmsonospacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><a href="https://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/157147?committeeHearingId=21397&LegislationId=157147&LegislationDocumentId=196938" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><b>FILL OUT A WITNESS SLIP FOR SB42 IN THE SENATE CRIMINAL LAW COMMITTEE</b></a><o:p></o:p></li></ul><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">Thanks for your help on this issue. We appreciate your participation in this work. <o:p></o:p></div><p class="xmsonospacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"> </p></div></body></html>