A couple of weeks ago, I alerted you about Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel's perverse plot to expand Chicago-style handgun registration throughout the state of Illinois. Just days after that email was sent, Rep. William Davis (D-East Hazel Crest) emerged to do Rahm's nefarious bidding, by introducing house bill HB5831, the FOID-Handgun Registration bill.
This bill would force all Illinois handgun owners to submit their name, address and phone number, as well as their guns' make, model, serial number and location and date of purchase to the state police, charging a $65 fee per gun for this privilege. It would also subject firearm owners to penalties for failing to report the loss or theft of a handgun within 72 hours of the event!
On February 29th the Illinois General Assembly's Executive Committee recommended that the bill be sent to the full house for a final vote, along with an amendment that was filed by bill cosponsor Rep. Rosemary Mulligan (R-Park Ridge) that lowers the registration fee from $65 to $20--per handgun.
Make no mistake...the Mulligan amendment to lower the fee is a HUGE and ominous danger sign, as it means that a compromise is in the works! Is the opposition's collective spine beginning to cave? We must not let that happen!
It is now more important than ever to call your state representative and find out where he or she stands on HB5831, as this bill is on the move and the House could vote on it at any time. You should then politely inform your representative that you strongly oppose HB5831 and will NOT stand for ANY compromise - handgun registration is NOT acceptable whether the fee per gun is $65 or a single cent.
You can find your state representative by clicking here.
Mayor Emanuel claims that statewide registration is necessary so that Chicago police can find out where guns came from when they are used to commit crimes.
Does he really believe this is going to make any dent in Chicago's horrible homicide rate? Does the mayor really think the criminals are going to register their guns, or purchase them through legal channels?
HB5831 will NOT stop crime, but it will turn law-abiding citizens into felons if they fail to comply with all of the rules and pay all of the fees. You could be thrown in jail for failing to produce a certificate of registration while transporting your handgun!
And as we all know, gun registration lays the groundwork for future gun confiscation.
Rahm and his second amendment-hating co-conspirators in the General Assembly will stop at nothing to punish the law abiding gun owners in our state. We must respond in kind to their shameless attempts to further undermine our rights and drain our pocketbooks. Oppose HB5831 by calling your representative today!
Print 
PDF