Ammons Passes Major Gun Safety Reforms to Get Firearms Out of the Hands of Abusers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, delivered major gun safety reforms to get guns out of the hands of domestic abusers Tuesday, creating new protection to remove firearms and ammunition from individuals who are the subject of protection orders.

“Karina’s Bill represents a monumental step forward in how we protect victims of domestic violence, especially for Black women and girls who are disproportionately impacted by domestic violence and systemic neglect,” said Ammons. “By taking guns out of the hands of abusers, this bill delivers long-overdue justice for victims and their families, ensuring that no mother or daughter is left unprotected.”

Ammons helped pass House Bill 4144, also referred to as Karina’s Bill, which aims to break the toxic combination of guns and domestic violence by strengthening protection orders and empowering judges to remove guns from abusers. After a judge issues a protection order for domestic violence, law enforcement would be required to remove firearms from the subject of the order within 96 hours of a judge’s order.

The bill is named in memory of Karina Gonzalez, who along with her teenage daughter Daniela was murdered by an abuser who should have never had access to a firearm. Even though Gonzalez had a protection order against her abuser, he was not made to surrender his guns.

National statistics show that the presence of a gun in a home where domestic abuse occurs increases the risk of homicide by 500%.

“For too long, victims of domestic violence like Karina Gonzalez and her daughter have paid the ultimate price. They did everything they could to protect themselves; our system failed them,” said Ammons. “By removing guns from abusers’ hands and strengthening protections for victims, this bill directly addresses the rising threats to women, particularly in marginalized communities, and works to safeguard the lives of those who are most at risk.”