 House Bill 3500 adds an exemption to the Illinois Freedom of
Information Act protecting the personal information of FOID
cardholders. The bill prohibits state or local law enforcement
agencies from publicly releasing the names or other private
information of FOID cardholders or applicants. HB 3500 was signed
into law as Public Act 97-080.State Reps. Adam Brown, R-Decatur,
and Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, were chief co-sponsors of House Bill
3500.
"The privacy and safety of law-abiding gun owners and their
families should not be jeopardized simply because they have chosen
to comply with Illinois' FOID card requirement," Brown said. "The
General Assembly took action to prevent the release of this personal
information, and I am pleased that the governor approved this
important legislation."
House Bill 3500 was in response to a ruling by Attorney General
Lisa Madigan that declared the names of FOID cardholders to be
public information that must be disclosed. The Illinois State
Police, which oversees the program, opposed the attorney general's
ruling. The National Rifle Association also opposed releasing the
names and addresses of FOID cardholders.
"There should be a reasonable expectation of privacy for FOID
cardholders," Mitchell said. "Releasing their personal information
could endanger the safety of gun owners, as criminals may target
their homes to steal firearms. House Bill 3500 will help protect
law-abiding citizens throughout Illinois."
[Text from file sent on behalf of
Rep. Bill
Mitchell by Illinois House
Republican staff]
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