“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” –Abraham Lincoln
What laws does Illinois have to keep communities safe from gun violence?
Illinois law requires that any resident who acquires or possesses firearms or firearm ammunition must have a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card. The process to obtain this ten-year license involves a background check on the prospective FOID cardholder. In addition, Illinois has a Child Access Prevention law, and requires firearms owners to report lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement.
However, Illinois does not license or regulate firearms dealers, or require gun owners to register their firearms. There is no state law prohibiting the sale of assault weapons or large capacity ammunition magazines. Gun safety in Illinois was weakened with the passage of concealed carry in 2013.The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence ranked all fifty states on their gun laws in 2018. Illinois received a
B+. For details, see their scorecard and summary of Illinois laws.
Here are recent gun violence prevention bills which became law:
However, Illinois does not license or regulate firearms dealers, or require gun owners to register their firearms. There is no state law prohibiting the sale of assault weapons or large capacity ammunition magazines. Gun safety in Illinois was weakened with the passage of concealed carry in 2013.The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence ranked all fifty states on their gun laws in 2018. Illinois received a
B+. For details, see their scorecard and summary of Illinois laws.
Here are recent gun violence prevention bills which became law:
2019 - Firearm Restraining Order (FRO) - also known as a Red-Flag Law
2021 - Update: HB1092 (HB3483 amended) Passed Both Houses and Will Strengthen the Existing FRO Law
In many recent mass shootings, family members noticed warning signs beforehand but were unable to remove the shooter’s access to guns. Following the Isla Vista shooting, California enacted a law to enable family members and law enforcement officers to petition the court for a gun violence restraining order (GVRO) against a person who poses a threat to themselves or others. If issued by a court, a GVRO would temporarily prohibit that person from purchasing or possessing firearms or ammunition.
The Firearm Restraining Order Act (FRO), was signed into law in the summer of 2018, with an effective date of 1/1/19. This law allows family members and law enforcement to petition the courts to temporarily remove firearms from the home of someone who has been determined to be a risk to themselves and/or others.
Changes created by HB1092 will go into effect in January of 2022 after Governor Pritzker signs it.
The Firearm Restraining Order Act (FRO), was signed into law in the summer of 2018, with an effective date of 1/1/19. This law allows family members and law enforcement to petition the courts to temporarily remove firearms from the home of someone who has been determined to be a risk to themselves and/or others.
Changes created by HB1092 will go into effect in January of 2022 after Governor Pritzker signs it.
2019 - Statewide Regulation of Gun Dealers
As the link between gun manufacturers and the public, oversight of gun dealers is critical to protecting public safety. Unfortunately, gun dealers are subject to very little federal oversight. Gun dealers are inspected by the ATF on average only once a decade. This lack of inspection and enforcement allows gun dealers who illegally traffic firearms to go undetected. One percent of licensed gun dealers sell almost 60 percent of guns found at crime scenes and traced to a dealer.
Illinois regulates gun dealers by requiring them to be certified under the Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act. This new Illinois law encourages best business practices among gun dealers and holds corrupt gun dealers accountable. The law:
Click here to read the Act.
Senate Bill 337 passed out of the Illinois legislature on May 30, 2018 and was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker on January 17, 2019! Thanks to everyone who made phone calls, signed petitions, and filed witness slips! Your action was effective!
Illinois regulates gun dealers by requiring them to be certified under the Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act. This new Illinois law encourages best business practices among gun dealers and holds corrupt gun dealers accountable. The law:
- requires the licensee and employees of gun shops to undergo background checks,
- allows law enforcement to inspect gun shops, and
- requires video security for gun shops to prevent theft.
Click here to read the Act.
Senate Bill 337 passed out of the Illinois legislature on May 30, 2018 and was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker on January 17, 2019! Thanks to everyone who made phone calls, signed petitions, and filed witness slips! Your action was effective!
2021 - Regulating Gun Ownership
House Bill 562 is bipartisan, consensus legislation that includes all of the measures in the BIO bill, except it incentivizes fingerprints. Similar to the BIO bill, this legislation will address everyday gun violence by expanding background checks to all gun sales in Illinois, investing $9 million dollars for mental health programs in the communities most impacted by gun violence, allowing Illinois State Police (ISP) to remove guns from people with revoked FOID cards who have not surrendered their weapon, and enacting other life-saving measures. This piece of legislation is awaiting the governor's signature.
HB 562 does the following:
● Expands background checks on all gun sales in Illinois. Mandates record keeping of sales including the make, model and serial number of the gun by a Federal Firearm License gun dealer (FFL).
● Directs 9 million dollars of funding from the conceal and carry license fees to mental health and trauma support in community-based programs.
● Requires ISP to remove guns from people with revoked FOID cards that have not surrendered them.
● Creates incentives for fingerprints as part of FOID applications or at a firearm purchase
● Creates a stolen gun database
● Requires ISP to continuously monitor state and federal databases for prohibited gun buyers 1
● Improves processes to secure more National Instant Criminal Background Checks System (NICS) funding 2
Source: GPAC Illinois
Take Action
- Contact your Illinois state legislators and tell them your concerns about gun violence in Illinois. Urge them to support gun safety legislation.
- Do you know who your Illinois state legislators are? Search for your legislators using this tool on States United to Prevent Gun Violence’s website.
- Visit the Illinois General Assembly’s website to find the status of gun safety bills.
- The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence Background Checks in Illinois
- The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence Dealer Regulations Policy Summary
- City of Chicago report: Tracing the Guns: The Impact of Illegal Guns on Violence in Chicago
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health