U.S. House passes measure similar to Illinois' gun law

[June 10, 2022]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday raising the age to purchase a rifle from 18 to 21. Illinois already has that law, the regulating of unserialized firearms and others in place but still struggles with gun violence.

As debates across the country continue over gun laws, Chicago has regularly been referenced as an example of high amounts of gun violence in a state with strict gun control measures already on the books.

After the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed dozens of children, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked what he is doing to keep the children of Illinois safe.

"One of the ways to keep people safe in schools is making sure we have mental health and substance treatment for kids, and for the adults who work in these schools," Pritzker said.

The gubernatorial election will be held in November of this year. The primary election is at the end of this month. One of the main topics during the debates has been what to do with gun violence in the state as Illinois currently has the seventh most firearm deaths in the nation, according to the CDC.

The candidates who are running for the GOP nomination were asked about what they would do differently during a recent debate. Attorney Max Solomon suggested fighting fire with fire.

"I have always believed personally that it takes a good guy with a gun to defeat a bad guy with a gun," Solomon said. "I believe strongly that our schools should not be able to be accessed by bad guys with guns where kids can be shot and killed."

Another measure Illinois has in place is the Firearms Owner's Identification, or FOID, card, which includes additional background checks for anyone looking to purchase a gun or ammunition. The system is one that Pritzker said he helped modernize.

"We took a lot of effort into bringing up to date all of the FOID card renewals and CCLs in the state so that's one thing, is keeping weapons out of the hands of people who should not have them," Pritzker said.

Some Republicans say the system is broken and an unnecessary step to owning a firearm.

GOP candidate Paul Schimpf said if he is elected governor, he will make changes.

"We need to enforce the background checks but we need to get rid of the FOID," Schimpf said. "One of the things that I have that my opponents do not is my voting record. You know where I stand on these issues."

Other candidates vying for the GOP nomination include state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, businessman Gary Rabine, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, and entrepreneur Jesse Sullivan.

The congressional measure that could raise the age from 18 to 21 for owning a rifle still has a tough test in passing through the Senate in order to be sent to President Joe Biden.

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.