Rep. Barbara Hernandez Fighting to Close Loopholes Exploited by Aurora Shooter

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is demanding thorough background checks for gun sales in the wake of a mass shooting in Aurora committed by a gunman who should not legally have been able to purchase a gun.

“Last February, gun violence shook our community,” Hernandez said. “A deeply-disturbed person who should not have had access to a firearm exploited weaknesses in our laws to take the lives of five people and injure six others. If we had acted sooner, 11 families may not bear the scars of gun violence they now carry.”

Hernandez is supporting the Fix the FOID Act, also known as House Bill 96, which strengthens numerous aspects of Illinois gun safety laws to ensure people with criminal backgrounds cannot obtain a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card. These changes include requiring a fingerprint submission to obtain a FOID card and closing the gun show loophole which allows private sellers to sell guns to people without a background check. The act also requires state police seize any guns in the possession of FOID card holders who do not voluntarily turn over their card once it is revoked.

“This all-important legislation is an opportunity to correct shortcomings in the FOID system to create a safer future,” Hernandez said. “We owe it to the 11 families still reeling from the most recent mass shooting to do all we can to prevent more families from facing the same ordeal.”