State Lawmakers to Hold Hearing on Gun Crimes Thursday Morning

CHICAGO – The bipartisan House Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force, chaired by state Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, and state Rep. Fran Hurley, D-Chicago, will convene Thursday, July 28 at 10 a.m. for a virtual hearing on gun crimes, current efforts to curb violence and how the state can take action to help save lives.                                      

“In every corner of our state, families are dealing with the devastating consequences of gun violence,” Ford said. “We’re meeting Thursday to talk with stakeholders on what is happening to stop these crimes, as well as what we can do as lawmakers to assist them in their efforts.”

“We’re going to hear from law enforcement and other experts who are working around firearm issues and gun crimes on a regular basis,” Hurley said. “We understand there are many parts to this issue, and we will not be able to cover every aspect of gun violence in one single hearing. But we view Thursday as an important component of an ongoing dialogue that will produce future recommendations that can help make all communities safer.”

Expected participants include representatives from the Illinois Attorney General’s office, the Illinois Department of Human Services’ Office of Firearm Prevention, the City of Chicago, the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, and a licensed gun dealer. Participants will describe current efforts, provide input, and offer recommendations on how the General Assembly can better assist their efforts to responsibly prevent gun violence.

To view a livestream of the hearing, please visit https://ilga.gov/houseaudvid.asp.