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Update: SB 1966, the Fix FOID Act, passed the Illinois House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on May 21, 2019 and is headed to the full House for a vote. Thanks to all those who submitted a witness slip!
On February 16, 2019, 45 year-old employee Gary Martin was called into a termination meeting at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois. Martin knew he was about to be fired and brought a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun to work that day. He opened fire during the meeting, killing five co-workers and injuring seven.
It was soon revealed that Martin had obtained a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID card) in Illinois despite a lengthy history of violence that included stabbing one girlfriend and threatening to kill another. The card allowed him to legally purchase the weapon used in the mass shooting. Martin’s FOID card was revoked in 2014 after authorities discovered a felony assault conviction on his record, but there is no law directing Illinois law enforcement to retrieve revoked FOID cards and the guns purchased with them.
Illinois House majority conference chair Kathleen Willis, Rep. Barbara Hernandez, Sen. Julie Morrison, and Sen. Elgie Sims have introduced SB 1966, the Fix FOID Act. The bill would require background checks for all private sales of firearms, mandate fingerprinting for FOID card applicants, establish a renewal process for FOID cards (every 5 years), and define a process for the State Police to seize revoked FOID cards and illegal firearms. There is significant peer-reviewed evidence to support the efficacy of these policies.
Please take one or more of the following actions:
1) Submit a Witness Slip to the Illinois House Judiciary-Criminal Committee in support of SB 1966.
a) Click below to access the committee’s Witness Slip form for SB 1966:
b) Fill in your personal information under “IDENTIFICATION” heading. Under “Firm/Business or Agency” and “Title” fields, type “Individual” unless you are speaking on behalf of an organization.
c) Under “REPRESENTATION,” type “Individual” unless you are speaking on behalf of an organization.
d) Under “POSITION,” select “Proponent.”
e) Under “TESTIMONY,” select “Record of Appearance Only.”
f) Click to agree to the Terms of Agreement.
g) Click “Create Slip.”
2) If you live in Illinois, volunteer to join the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence at the state Capitol in Springfield on May 22, 2019 to lobby for SB 1966. You can RSVP at the following link:
https://forms.gle/fazQB61VKjVHe5AGA
Once you have submitted your Witness Slip, fill out the three fields below and click here to report taking action!