"Our hearts go out to this family. We in the General Assembly and the Governor especially praise them for their courage and dignity despite this unfathomable loss to their family," Haine said. "This was a tragedy that was entirely preventable and one that will continue to weigh on our minds and our hearts as our community moves forward."

"I felt a personal obligation to get this bill through because this was an officer of the state who committed this terrible act," Haine added. "It is especially painful that a state officer committed this great wrong, an officer whose conduct took these innocent lives."

Mitchell filed for workers’ compensation benefits relating to the injuries sustained during the accident. On February 18, 2011, a workers’ compensation arbitrator denied Mitchell’s claim, stating that Mitchell neglected his duties as an Illinois State Trooper by taking "unjustifiable" risks. Mitchell has filed for an appeal to the arbitrator’s decision.

"Employees who engage in such egregious, wanton behavior should not expect compensation for their recklessness nor will they receive these benefits now that this bill is the law of the land," Haine said.

Senate Bill 1147 forbids a person who is injured or killed at work from collecting workers’ compensation benefits if the individual’s injury, disablement, or death occurs while he or she was committing a forcible felony, an aggravated DUI, or reckless homicide that resulted in the death or injury of another person and the individual is convicted of the offense.

"Criminal carelessness will no longer have the opportunity to be awarded in Illinois," Haine stated. "We have corrected this unfortunate loophole in our law and we can now guarantee that this destructive behavior will have no grounds to receive workers'

compensation benefits."

Senate Bill 1147 was amended to address concerns discussed in Senate Executive Committee regarding employers and the precise circumstances surrounding a criminal act on the job that make an individual ineligible for workers’ compensation. The bill was amended to clarify that the individual must be convicted of one of the listed offenses to be considered ineligible for workers’ compensation. In addition, the bill insulates employers who deny or terminate worker’s compensation benefits from penalties for non-payment of these benefits when the employee has been charged with one of the three offenses. The bill also asserts that in the case of acquittal or dismissal of the charges, it should not be presumed that the individual is eligible to receive such benefits.

"This bill went through a thorough vetting process in committee and was amended to ensure that we protect the victims’ families and that those who are convicted of criminally reckless action are not rewarded for such unspeakable devastation," Haine stated.