Please Contact Your State Legislators Today!
Anti-gun extremists remain dedicated to advancing any bill that they can count as a defeat for law-abiding gun owners. A number of bills were mentioned last week, and they all remain potential threats, but the focus for next week appears to be on five particular bills.
House Bill 6123, which is in the House Judiciary II - Criminal Law Committee, could be taken up next week. This bill, introduced by anti-gun State Representative Harry Osterman (D-14), seeks to create a confusing new felony offense for “knowingly” supplying a “street gang member” with a firearm. A “street gang member” is vaguely defined in the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act, and this new legislation is undoubtedly intended to capitalize on the fears the general public has for words like “street gang” and “terrorism.”
The language contained in HB6123 is also incorporated into Senate Bill 3632 and Senate Bill 3709 by State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-33), which also may get a push next week. Senator Kotowski’s bills go even further than Representative Osterman’s, though, as they would also outlaw most private transfers of handguns, requiring they be processed through a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL). Both SB3632 and SB3709 have been assigned to the Senate Criminal Law Committee.
Representative Osterman also has House Bill 5480 ready to be taken up by the House Executive Committee. This bill contains language to prohibit most private transfers of handguns, like Senator Kotowski’s bills, but removes the “street gang” language.
Finally, House Bill 5495, introduced by State Representative William Burns (D-26), is also in the House Executive Committee. HB5480 would prohibit law-abiding citizens from purchasing more than one handgun in a 30-day period.
Please take a moment to contact your State Representative and State Senator and urge them to oppose these bills—especially if either is on one of the respective committees where these bills currently reside. Contact information for your State Legislators can be found by clicking here.
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