Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) executive director Richard Pearson is commending members for the battle they successfully waged in preventing "one of the most expansive gun control measures in recent history” from becoming law.
“The spring session has come to an end and Second Amendment supporters can breathe a sigh of relief,” Pearson wrote to members in a bulletin posted on the organization's website after their actions proved instrumental in stopping Senate Bill 1966 in its track. “I appreciate the hard work so many people put in to stop this legislation. The phone calls and emails from Second Amendment supporters across the state made a big difference. Our voice was definitely heard in the Illinois State Capitol.”
In addition to drastically raising the cost of a Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) card, the bill that passed the House by a 62-52 vote aimed to require gun owners to submit to fingerprinting before obtaining a FOID card at a maximum service cost of $30. Card renewal costs were also set to be raised from $10 for a 10-year term to $20 every for a five-year term.
ISRA Executive Director Richard A. Pearson
“There is no doubt this legislation would have dramatically increased the cost of owning a firearm in Illinois, and for many families it would definitely have been a hardship,” Pearson added. “The fact this bill did not move to the governor’s desk this spring is a big win.”
Still, Pearson warned members to continue to stand up for their rights.
“It is just a temporary victory,” he said. “There is no doubt this legislation will come back and we as Second Amendment supporters need to be ready. Now more than ever we need Second Amendment supporters to stand with us because our constitutional rights are constantly under attack in our state legislature.”
Leading up to the vote, Pearson blasted SB 1966 as “an out and out attack on the Second Amendment” and urged ISRA members to be diligent in making their opposition known.
“While fixing prices might sound good, it actually forces people to work so cheap that they will simply not do it or go broke,” he added. “Either way, this is government price-fixing. If a couple of local gas stations did this they would be fined severely. Another way of looking at it is this is a type of theft of services by the state. The goal here is to make it harder, if not impossible, for you to exercise your Second Amendment rights. Every gun owner needs to vote. The ISRA will never abandon the fight for Second Amendment rights for all Illinois citizens.”
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