SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the constitutionality of a state law ending cash bail, ordering implementation in mid-September.

The ruling overturns a Kankakee County judge’s opinion in December that the law violated the constitution’s provision that “all persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties.”

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Ann Theis delivered the court’s opinion, approved 5-2, saying that the constitution “does not mandate that monetary bail is the only means to ensure criminal defendants appear for trials or the only means to protect the public.”

The General Assembly dominated by Democrats approved the plan in January 2021 as part of an expansive overhaul of the state’s criminal justice system known as the SAFE-T Act. It followed the police-involved murders of George Floyd in Minnesota the previous spring.

The Kankakee County judge’s ruling did not block implementation of the law, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. The ruling sent the issue directly to the Supreme Court, which stopped its implementation while promising a quick resolution.

Theis ordered that the halt on the law be lifted 60 days after Tuesday’s opinion, on Sept. 18, 2023.

Proponents of eliminating cash bail describe it as a penalty on poverty, suggesting that the wealthy can pay their way out of jail to await trial while those in economic distress have to sit it out behind bars.

In spring 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices strongly endorsed bail reform, noting that found that a defendant who can’t afford bail sees his or her life unravel within days — loss of a job, loss of child custody, health problems without access to medication.

What’s more, the commission found that it tends to generate spurious plea deals. Defendants reason that pleading to a lower-level offense gets them out of jail sooner.

Critics have argued that bail is a time-honored way to ensure defendants released from jail show up for court proceedings.

State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) issued the following statement in response to the Illinois Supreme Court’s 5-2 decision to uphold the controversial no-cash bail provisions of SAFE-T Act:

“I am extremely disappointed by the Court’s ruling. Throughout the past few years, we have seen Democratic lawmakers prioritize the needs and wants of criminals within our judicial system over those of their victims and those seeking to protect them. Today’s ruling upholds that twisted and abhorrent mindset. The people of our state will be less safe once this Act takes full effect all across Illinois this September. And the further erosion of public safety that will undoubtedly follow will be all thanks to the Majority Party and this ruling.”

State Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) issued the following statement after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in favor of ending cash bail after more than half of Illinois’ State’s Attorneys sued to block the controversial provision of the SAFE-T Act.

“Illinoisans will be living in an even more dangerous state after the activist progressive leftist decision issued by the Illinois Supreme Court ending cash bail today. Other states have tried this experiment before and have seen disastrous impacts on public safety. Illinois’ law enforcement officers have been the target of weak-on-crime policies passed by out-of-touch Democrat politicians. I have stood firmly against the excessive abuse of our police officers that Democrats have eagerly enshrined into our laws. I strongly opposed the SAFE-T Act and was appalled that Democrat politicians that control every level of power in Illinois government cast aside their concerns and moved full-steam ahead on ending cash bail and allowing unlimited anonymous complaints against cops. I stand with our police, and I stand with the everyday law-abiding citizen that is horrified by the leftist-progressive movement that is infecting our system of criminal justice with anti-police, pro-criminal policies. I fear that our citizens will be less safe, that repeat offenders will feel emboldened to commit more crimes, and ultimately our police will be further demoralized because they will see the criminals they arrest allowed to walk out the doors of the jail with little to no consequences and little incentive to return for their court dates. We will likely see our citizens leaving for other states that value public safety and the hard work and sacrifice of our police officers. Illinois is moving in the absolute wrong direction and today’s decision will only make our crime problem worse.”