Manley Backs Measure to Keep Guns Away from Mentally Ill

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To give law enforcement officials additional tools to protect the community, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, is supporting legislation that would allow family members and law enforcement to take away someone’s firearms if they pose a clear and present danger to themselves or anyone else.

“It seems like every time we learn about a mass shooting, we learn after the fact that law enforcement officials or the shooter’s loved ones were concerned about the state of their mental health,” Manley said. “Oftentimes, there was no recourse available to them to stop their dangerous future actions. This legislation gives families and law enforcement the opportunity to take action if they know someone presents an immediate danger to themselves or the community.”

Manley is co-sponsoring House Bill 2354, which would allow courts to issue the Lethal Violence Order of Protection and enable law enforcement officials to take a person’s firearms as well as their Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) Card if an individual exhibits signs of mental illness or distress. The order would only be issued if it can be proven to a judge that someone poses a clear and present danger to themselves and those around them. Manley is supporting the legislation in response to the extreme gun violence plaguing the nation.

“We can’t do anything to bring back the lives that were lost in mass shooting across the country,” Manley said. “However, we can honor their memory by taking action to make sure we have policies in place to prevent mass shootings. This change would help those closest to someone with a mental illness make sure that they do not hurt themselves or other people in the community.”