[article originally published in DGTDO Newsletter - October 2019 Edition]
FIX THE FOID!
By
Joanna Williams
What
is a FOID? The
Firearm
Owners Identification card, required to buy a gun in Illinois.
Why
does the FOID system need to be fixed? The tragic shooting in February in Aurora
revealed dangerous gaps in the FOID law that allowed the shooter to easily
purchase the gun used in the shooting, although his previous felony conviction
should have prevented the purchase.
What
is in the “FIX” legislation? 4 main
provisions:
1.
Require point-of-sale background check for all
gun sales, including those by an unlicensed seller (gun show loophole).
2.
Require FOID applicants to submit fingerprints
as part of the application.
3.
Require action by the Illinois State Police to
remove guns once a FOID card is revoked.
4.
Reduce FOID card validity from 10 years to 5.
What
is the current status of the legislation? HB 96 passed the Illinois House in May, but
the Senate adjourned for the summer without taking up the Senate version of the
bill: SB 1966. The bill will now be considered in the Senate
either in the current veto session (Oct 28-30/ Nov 12-14), or in the regular
session in January 2020.
What can you do? Take action now! Together we can FIX the FOID
for a safer Illinois. Call your state
Senator and ask him/her to support SB 1966.
Remind your Senator that roughly three quarters of DuPage county
residents support the FIX!
For more Gun Violence Prevention information and actions you can take, check out:
Gun Violence Prevention Action Committee
