Illinois Democrats move to ban assault weapons, fix FOID card after Highland Park mass shooting

Illinois Democrats are working behind-the-scenes to drum up assist to ban assault weapons and large-capacity magazines — as Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state lawmakers additionally take a look at methods to repair shortcomings within the state’s firearm proprietor identification card system and move different gun management measures.

The purpose within the aftermath of the July Fourth Highland Park bloodbath is to restrict army type weapons and hold these and different firearms out of the arms of individuals thought-about harmful to themselves or others.

However all the things is on the desk, mentioned state Rep. Bob Morgan, who was marching within the Highland Park parade on Monday together with his spouse, 4-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son when the handfuls of pictures rang out simply two blocks away.

The Deerfield Democrat mentioned he ran towards the scene — and is grappling with the traumatic aftermath of the bloodshed.

“If anybody’s going to reject any single resolution, effectively they’re going to listen to about that from me,” Morgan mentioned. “And so, it’s actually, all the things must be on the desk and we have now to take a look at this as a complete drawback. As a result of it truly is a complete drawback.”

Pritzker’s workplace is taking a look at all the things from coaching and training concerning the Firearm Restraining Order, or the “Purple Flag” regulation designed to maintain weapons away from these deemed a hazard to themselves or others — to placing into state statute the period of time a “clear and current hazard” file must be stored, even when it’s unfounded.

State regulation requires police and academics to file such experiences when somebody displays harmful habits that ought to bar them from having a gun.

The state presently retains such data for simply six months however lawmakers are in search of “readability within the regulation.”

Pritzker’s workplace has additionally had discussions about doubtlessly reducing the degrees of proof required for a report back to set off motion, in accordance with a supply with direct data.

This comes amid pushback and criticism that Robert E. Crimo III each allegedly threatened to commit suicide and “kill everybody” with knives in his household’s house in two separate incidents in 2019, however he was nonetheless in a position to get a state firearm proprietor’s identification card, or FOID card, in early 2020.

Crimo was 19 on the time he utilized, two years youthful than the authorized minimal, however his father signed off on the early card.

That allowed Crimo to instantly purchase lengthy weapons or rifles — out there to 18-year-olds with a FOID card — though he would nonetheless not be allowed to purchase a handgun till he turned 21.

Crimo, now 22, is charged with seven counts of first-degree homicide in reference to Monday’s mass taking pictures.

Police mentioned he used an M&P15, a Smith & Wesson semiautomatic rifle whose initials, M&P, stand for “army” and “police.”

Pritzker has already voiced assist for an assault weapons ban and a ban on high-capacity magazines. However in an election 12 months, Democrats within the Illinois Home didn’t drum up sufficient assist in February for a ban that might have solely required 60 votes. Payments handed after Might 31 require three-fifths majorities to take impact instantly.

The invoice’s sponsor, state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, on Thursday was calling Democratic colleagues to gauge their assist as soon as once more. Hirschauer, who helped begin a chapter of the gun violence prevention group Mothers Demand Motion earlier than taking workplace in January 2021, mentioned “it has some momentum behind it now.”

“It’s a reasonably easy invoice. It bans army type weapons and high-capacity magazines. Most people in Illinois has clearly mentioned that these sorts of weapons are designed for the battlefield, not for searching or any cheap use,” Hirschauer mentioned.“So, we’re transferring ahead with it. I’m working it from the bottom up, roll calling, gathering assist and simply actually doing my homework on it.”

Legislators assume it might move this time.

“I actually get a way that [support] has shifted, and never simply from what occurred Monday, however I feel what’s taking place across the nation,” Morgan mentioned. “I actually do hear from and have the previous few days heard from folks from all completely different components of Illinois which are supportive of banning assault weapons.”

Morgan believes there are different loopholes legislators also needs to work to repair and funding to assist, together with offering psychological well being coaching to determine behaviors that would stop violence from younger adults, supporting extra monetary assets for behavioral well being and taking a look at what social media firms can do to assist determine purple flags. Morgan mentioned there are additionally conversations taking place concerning the age limits required to buy weapons in Illinois.

“There are loopholes that we have to deal with, and if not, what’s it that we will do to raised implement a few of these legal guidelines and safeguards that we have now,” Morgan mentioned.

Members of the Latino Agenda 2.0, a coalition of Latino organizations, on Thursday referred to as for a particular session to ban assault weapons and excessive capability magazines, create an assault weapons registry and “demand’ necessary fingerprinting for FOID playing cards.

Pritzker in August 2021 signed into regulation a FOID modernization measure that expands background checks to all gun gross sales in Illinois starting in January 2024. And starting in January 2022, the measure additionally incentivized fingerprinting for FOID playing cards so police can extra simply confirm the id of FOID functions and firearm purchasers and enhance the frequency of background checks.

It additionally funded the Illinois State Police’s means to implement the give up of firearms from individuals who have misplaced their license for gun possession and required State Police to take away weapons from folks with revoked FOID playing cards who haven’t surrendered their weapon.

The governor’s workplace this week mentioned Pritzker and his administration will work with the Common Meeting “to make sure we tackle the gun foyer and do all the things we will to additional strengthen our gun security and purple flag legal guidelines.”

The Nationwide Rifle Affiliation despatched out a tweet on Tuesday, about current analysis from the nonprofit Crime Prevention Analysis Middle that mentioned since 1950, 94% of mass public shootings occurred in gun-free zones. That analysis group was based by John R. Lott, Jr., a gunowners’ rights advocate employed by the Justice Division throughout the Trump administration.

Pritzker responded together with his personal statistic.

“And 100% of mass public shootings occur with weapons,” the Democrat tweeted again to the NRA. “As Governor, on behalf of the folks of Highland Park — go away us the hell alone.”