Jones Fights for Gun Safety by Promoting Legislation to Close Loopholes Used by Aurora Gunman

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet, is responding to a tragic mass shooting in Aurora by pushing for stronger gun legislation that would close gun show loopholes and strengthen Illinois firearm identification safety measures.

“The families of the victims of the Aurora shootings deserve stronger gun safety laws, as do all of our families,” Jones said. “Our laws should have stopped the man who committed those terrible crimes from buying a gun, but instead, eleven people were shot. We have to do better. We have to build a more robust system of gun violence prevention so shootings like this do not happen again.”

Jones is supporting the Fix the FOID Act, also known as Senate Bill 1966, which bolsters Illinois gun safety laws to prevent violent criminals from obtaining a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card. The changes include closing the gun show loophole which allows people to bypass background checks and requiring fingerprint submissions to get a FOID card. Jones’s measure also streamlines the process of allowing law enforcement to seize the weapons of individuals who FOID cards have been revoked.

Workplace homicides have grown rapidly in the last ten years, and almost 80% were committed with a gun, often more than one-at-a-time. The Aurora shooting is currently the most deadly mass shooting of 2019, but there have been over 100 other similar incidents this year.

“It is too easy for deadly weapons to end up in the wrong hands,” Jones said. “This legislation will help our law enforcement professionals keep that from happening and ensure a more secure future for all Illinoisans.”