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“Through strong leadership, Illinois earned an A grade on the
GIFFORDS Annual Gun Law Scorecard this year. Commonsense gun
laws stop crime and save lives, and Illinois is proof of just
how effective they can be,” Giffords Executive Director Emma
Brown said in a statement. “While we celebrate the progress made
in states like Illinois, we still have more lifesaving work to
do."
Part of the law requires firearms to be stored if there is
anyone not eligible under federal and state law to handle a
firearm.
“If it's not on your person then you have to have it locked up
and securely locked up,” U.S. LawShield President Kirk Evans
told The Center Square.
Evans said the law goes beyond increasing the current age
threshold from 14 to 18 for when the firearm should be locked
up.
“Sort of the big one is that the statute adds two additional
categories of folks who you can't allow access to firearms, and
those are at risk persons and prohibited persons,” Evans said.
He said it’s unworkable.
“How in the world are you going to know about someone's criminal
history?” Evans said. “How are you going to know if they just
posted on Facebook that they're going to shoot up a school? It
makes it very, very subjective and difficult for individuals to
figure out.”
The bill also requires gun owners to report if a gun has been
stolen or lost within 48 hours, as opposed to the previous
72-hour requirement. Civil penalties could be up to $10,000 if a
stolen firearm not secured in a safe is used in a crime.
Opponents of the measure said it also infringes on the right to
keep and bear arms by making home defense more difficult.
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