When reflecting on the momentous impact of Barbara Flynn Currie on Restore Justice, one memory stands out: a long, loud, and contentious committee hearing in 2012.
Following the landmark Supreme Court Miller v. Alabama decision, Restore Justice worked with Leader Currie and Senate President Don Harmon to introduce a youthful parole bill that would bring Illinois in compliance with Miller‘s ban of mandatory life without parole sentences for children and give hope to those condemned to die in prison as youth.
The youthful parole bill was the subject of heated debate in the committee hearing. Despite the raised voices and discord, Leader Currie never lost her composure and calmly concluded, “Thank you for your remarks.”
After the bill made it out of committee, she turned to our team and said, “Okay, we have some work to do.”
She was right. It would take six more years for the youthful parole bill to pass. But Leader Currie never wavered; she championed the bill year after year. That moment captured so much of who she was: unflappable, honest, courageous, and fair-minded, with a quiet authority that could command any room.
In those early days, when we were new to Springfield, she made time for us and opened doors that might otherwise have remained closed. With the House Majority Leader as the lead sponsor of our youthful parole bill, she made sure we were taken seriously. She knew the legislature inside and out, navigating every situation with precision.
The youthful parole bill was passed in 2018. When the bill was called on the House floor, Leader Currie addressed the room: “I do think that our correctional system should be premised on the idea of rehabilitation, not just retribution. Rehabilitation so that when somebody has shown that they really are different, they’re really a changed person, we ought to take that seriously. We ought to take it into account. We ought to give them a second chance. Think of St. Paul on the road to Damascus.”
The legislation was signed into law in 2019, creating the first new parole opportunities in Illinois since parole was abolished in 1978. It was Leader Currie’s final piece of legislation passed in her remarkable 40-year career in the Illinois General Assembly.
After retiring from the General Assembly, Leader Currie deepened her commitment to our mission, joining Restore Justice as an active and engaged board member, most recently serving as Vice President. A dependable and delightful presence on our policy committee, she was instrumental in both the big milestones and the day-to-day meetings and strategy. Always ready to offer her keen insight and guidance, she was also a generous mentor and trusted friend.
Some tributes have called Leader Currie one of Illinois’ most consequential legislators. We wholeheartedly agree. We admire her deep empathy and care for the people at the heart of our work: the young people serving extreme sentences and their families.
Barbara Flynn Currie showed what it means to lead with integrity and purpose. She used her power to move difficult conversations forward and to advance fairness and compassion. We feel her legacy with every step we take in Springfield, and she is deeply missed.
