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The Illinois House approved legislation that would trigger state reviews of potentially dangerous group homes and allow for new management of dangerous homes.  It would also require regular background checks of employees.

The vote on House Bill number 653 went to the House of Representatives on April 14 and it overwhelmingly passed with 115 votes.

We called Ill. State Representative for the 93rd District, Jil Tracy's office and were told that she voted yes.  Also, State Representative Norine Hammond for the 94th District voted yes.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

This legislation came about following the death of a developmentally disabled man, Dustin Higgins, in 2008.  Higgins died at a group home called the Graywood Foundation home in Charleston, Ill.

A judge later convicted Daniel Clark, a former employee, of involuntary manslaughter and criminal neglect of a person with disabilities.  The State Journal-Register reports that Higgins died days after being beaten by several employees and residents at the home.

State officials knew conditions were bad at homes run by the Graywood Foundation. They also knew a resident had been killed at another Graywood home.  The state did not remove residents involved or notify their families about the problems.