Illinois: Senate May Hear Waiting Period Expansion Bill

Today, the Illinois state Senate may consider House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3256, which would expand the 72 hour waiting period to all firearms.  HA 1 to SB 3256 previously passed from the state House of Representatives by a vote of 72-44.  Please urge your state Senator to OPPOSE HA 1 to SB 3256!  Click the “Take Action” button below to contact your state Senator.

While Governor Bruce Rauner previously vetoed House Bill 1468, which would have expanded the 72 hour waiting period to most commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3256, offered by Representative Jonathan Carroll (D-57), would expand the 72 hour waiting period to all firearms.  In addition, it would eliminate the current waiting period exemption for nonresidents attending gun shows in Illinois.  Current Illinois law requires a 72 hour waiting period for handguns and a 24 hour waiting period for long guns.  Waiting periods are an archaic relic from before the digital age, since they were originally meant to give local law enforcement time to complete background checks.  Since the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) came into operation in 1998, technology has allowed background checks to be done instantly, activating the law that eliminated the federally required waiting periods.

Again, please click the “Take Action” button above to contact your state Senator and urge them to OPPOSE HA 1 to SB 3256.  In addition, you may click here to find your state Senator.