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 But it is not the weekend tragedy or the spike in violence in
Chicago that is most significant about the law. The legislation,
which requires prison time for criminals caught with a gun, is one
of the few gun laws that passed the Legislature with broad support.
Illinois' attempts to regulate, or deregulate, guns face the same
regional challenges every year. Lawmakers in Chicago want to get
tough on guns, but downstaters want to allow people more freedoms.
That stalemate means very few gun laws are passed.
But the legislation signed by Quinn on Monday,
House Bill 5832,
passed with broad support in Springfield. Todd Vandermyde with the Illinois State Rifle Association said the
new law deals with a topic that both gun supporters and opponents
can agree on. Vandermyde says no one wants bad guys to be walking
around with illegal weapons.
"If you don't posses a FOID card and you're prohibited from owning a
firearm, those are the people we've always said should be punished,"
he said.
The governor said two recent shootings of Chicago police officers,
for a total of three this year, show the need to keep guns out of
the hands of the bad guys.
"We must enact laws ... so that we do prevail over the gangbangers
and the thugs who think they can use guns to erase human life and
create great chaos in our law-abiding society," said Quinn.
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Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who earlier this summer pushed through
tougher laws for anyone who wants to legally own a handgun in
Chicago, agrees. Daley said the new law and its tougher penalties is
just one common-sense gun law passed out of Springfield. "Within the last two years, in addition to the (new law) we were
able to pass a new state law that requires mandatory-minimum jail
time for gang members caught with illegal guns, a new state law that
increases penalties for shooting students on or near school grounds
or public transit systems. … We have created a new interstate
trafficking gun task force."
Vandermyde said common sense has a few definitions, but he thinks
there is common ground for both sides of the gun debate at the state
Capitol.
"The common sense deals with punishing criminals who misuse
firearms. Not punishing people who choose to exercise their
constitutionally guaranteed rights."
The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, requires a mandatory one- to
three-year prison sentence for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon
without an Illinois firearm registration card.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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