Illinois: Your Action Needed – Contact Your State Representative in Opposition to FOID Fee Increase

Your NRA-ILA has learned that anti-gun Illinois legislators are attempting to introduce a new amendment to gun control legislation, Senate Bill 1966.  The fee increases and other mandated changes could also make it close to impossible for individuals to obtain the fingerprinting, as well as be able to transfer a firearm.  This legislation could be brought up at any time and your lawmakers need to hear from you immediately.  Please contact your state Representative and urge them to OPPOSE HA 2 to SB 1966.  Click the “Take Action” button below to contact committee members.

House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 1966, sponsored by Senator Julie Morrison (D-29), would:

• Criminalize private transfers, with violations being punished as a Class 4 felony.
• Require the recipient of a firearm gifted by a family member to call into Illinois State Police within 60 days to run a background check on themselves, even though they must already hold a FOID.
• Allow for the indefinite delay of firearm transfers.  Currently, federal law allows a licensed firearm dealer (FFL) to release a firearm after three business days if they have not received any additional correspondence after receiving a “delay” when conducting the initial background check for a firearm transfer.  This safeguard prevents the potential shutdown of sales via endless delays and allows law-abiding individuals to take possession of a firearm in a timely manner.
• Mandate FOID applicants submit fingerprints, including for renewals, which would not add anything of investigative value.
• Increase FOID processing time from one calendar month to thirty business days, which can span more than six weeks.
• Reduce the duration of the FOID from ten years to five while also increasing the application fee from $10 to $20, resulting in a significant increase in the cost to maintain a FOID for the same amount of time.
• Require FOID applicants pay all costs for fingerprinting and processing the background check on top of the application fee.
• Prohibit those with a revoked FOID from transferring firearms to someone in the same household, which would create confusion in determining the owner of the firearms and would take away the right to self-defense from individuals due to the alleged actions of someone else in their household.
• Require the owner of the seized firearms to petition the court to have them transferred to a third party.​

Again, please click the “Take Action” button above to contact your state Representative and urge them to OPPOSE HA 2 to SB 1966.