Illinois Members! Please Contact Your Legislators!

This week, the House and Senate will be back in session, and several firearm-related bills could be brought up for discussion. In the Senate, SB 2165 and SB 2386 (both supported by NRA) address the problem highlighted by the outrageous prosecution of Hale DeMar--the man in Wilmette who was forced to use a handgun to defend himself and his family against a convicted criminal who had broken into his home for the second time in as many nights.  SB 2165, introduced by Senator Edward Petka (R-42), would establish an affirmative defense for a gun owner if he uses a firearm prohibited by local ordinance in the defense of himself or others.  SB 2386, introduced by Senator George Shadid (D-46), would prohibit any civil suit against a gun owner who uses a firearm to defend himself or others. HB 4075 (NRA supported), introduced by Representative John Bradley (D-117), is the House version of SB 2165. Also in the House, HB 3989 (NRA supported), introduced by Representative Brandon Phelps (D-118), would lower from 21 years to 18 years the age at which a person may apply for and be issued a Firearm Owner`s Identification (FOID) Card without the consent of a parent or legal guardian. Finally, we have learned that Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (D) are teaming up to establish a new gun owner registration database in Illinois. This move by Blagojevich and Daley is intended to circumvent a federal law that requires law enforcement agencies to destroy approved gun purchase records within 24 hours. If this proposal becomes law, then you and all your guns will be registered in a government computer that can be accessed by virtually anyone. Thus, your gun inventory, along with your name, address, and phone number, will be available to government agents, reporters, crooks, and anti-gun extremists. There is no bill number yet for this assault on our freedoms and privacy, but we suspect that the bill will be introduced in the House soon. Please call your state legislators and respectfully urge them to support the NRA-backed bills, and oppose any efforts to establish a gun owner registration database. You can find contact information for your state legislators by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org.  Also, the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA)--the state affiliate of your NRA--is sponsoring a "Lobby Day" this week. "Lobby Day" will be held in Springfield on Wednesday, March 24, in the Stratton Office Building Cafeteria. The Stratton Building is adjacent to the Capitol, and the cafeteria is located in the lower level.  Lobby Day will kick off at 8:00 a.m. with a rally and instructions on how to effectively discuss your concerns with your Representatives.  In order to ensure the legislature understands the concerns of the pro-gun community in Illinois, it is important that NRA members, as well as their family and friends, turn out in support of ISRA`s "Lobby Day" on Wednesday, March 24.  If you have any questions regarding Lobby Day, please feel free to call the ISRA staff at (815) 635-3198.