Governor to veto Senate Bill 57 in order to protect
law enforcement agents         

[MAY 27, 2005]  SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich released the following statement Wednesday on the General Assembly's passage of Senate Bill 57, regarding destruction of firearm purchase application records and closing the gun show loophole.

"The state police's database of firearm purchases is critical to law enforcement officers around the state as they put their lives on the line to protect the public. The records help them know if a suspect they will be raiding owns a large stockpile of weapons, and enable them to track down the original purchaser of guns used in crimes. Why would we take a valuable public safety tool like that away?

"The NRA might have thought they could force us to eliminate the database by attaching it to legislation that closes the problematic gun show loophole -- but they were dead wrong. We can -- and should -- keep gun transaction records and close the gun show loophole.

"I will amendatorily veto Senate Bill 57 so that our police will be able to continue using the firearm purchase database to protect their officers and track down illegal gun dealers; and people who want to purchase firearms at gun shows in Illinois will go through the same important background checks as people who buy from retail dealers.

"In the end, our streets and communities will be safer."

[News release from the governor's office]