CHICAGO – State Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, continued his efforts to pass lifesaving, commonsense gun reforms at the first meeting of the newly created bipartisan Firearm Public Awareness Task Force. 

“There are real, tangible, commonsense steps that we can take to protect our and families from gun violence that has impacted so many communities in Illinois and across the nation,” Kalish said. “This task force will help us put everything on the table and build consensus for lifesaving reforms that will keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.”

Kalish was appointed last month to the bipartisan Firearm Public Awareness Task Force comprised of 10 members of the House Democratic Caucus and 10 members of the House Republican Caucus. The task force will review gun violence data throughout the state and submit a report with gun safety recommendations to the General Assembly. Experts from various non-profits, government agencies, academia and families affected by gun violence provided testimony to legislators during the meeting.

Over the coming months, the task force will continue to meet to outline reforms aimed at protecting communities in Illinois from senseless gun violence.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Kathy Willis, D-Northlake, supported a new law that increases penalties for individuals who commit religiously-motivated hate crimes. The measure was recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“Violent gun crime is occurring too often across our country, and something must be done to end this insanity,” Willis said. “This new measure will offer much-needed protections for people of faith who will now have the security of engaging in their religious practices without fearing for their lives. It is now more critical than ever to continue efforts to fix the FOID system in Illinois too.”  

Willis supported House Bill 38, which increases the penalties for inciting an act of violence in a church, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship. Prior to this law taking effect, it was an aggravating factor in sentencing when the target of an attack was a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician or child under the age of 12. The Willis-backed bill expands this classification to violent crimes occurring in places of worship and against those who are praying or engaged in religious activities.

In Illinois alone, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are 31 known hate groups, some of which include Nazi-sympathizers like the Aryan Nations Sadistic Souls and the America First Committee. There are more than 1,000 hate groups nationwide.

“People of faith have rights too, and they should never be afraid to pray in a peaceful setting,” Willis said. “Hate groups and hate speech are being flamed by the divisive rhetoric that is coming out of Washington D.C. on a nearly daily basis, but Illinois must remain vigilant in calling out that division.”

CHICAGO – In the wake of the tragic mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso, state Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, is leading the fight to pass gun control legislation, launching a petition drive to build support for a series of gun law reforms including stronger background checks, fingerprinting for all gun owners and revoking firearm privileges from dangerous individuals.

“The senseless violence that has devastated communities across the country and touches countless Illinois families must end—we need to act now,” Kalish said. “There is a commonsense reform that is pending in the legislature that will save lives, the time to act is now.”

Kalish is leading a petition drive in support of the Fix the FOID Act, Senate Bill 1966, a proposal that is backed by gun-control advocates and law enforcement groups. The measure will prevent irresponsible gun sales and protect Illinoisans from future tragedies by:

• Instituting universal background checks
• Requiring all firearms sales to take place through licensed dealers
• Requiring mandatory fingerprinting for all gun owner applications and renewals
• Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals by working with law enforcement to create a database of prohibited, dangerous individuals
• Strengthening enforcement of gun revocations performed by the Illinois State Police and requiring any gun revocations for felony indictments
• Modernizing the gun owner licensing system by increasing the period for approving or denying an application to 90 days and allowing for cancellations

Kalish helped pass the legislation out of the House during the spring legislative session, however, it did not receive a vote in the Senate. Kalish is launching a petition drive to help build support to pass the lifesaving reform.

“I refuse to stand by while gun violence threatens our families,” Kalish said. “We need to work together to get this proposal passed and reverse the alarming increased trend of tragic mass shootings.”

Kalish is urging residents to contact request a petition, sign the petitions over the phone, or to sign his petition online at bit.ly/KalishEndGunViolencePetition. For more information or to sign Kalish’s petition to combat senseless gun violence contact his office at 847-673-1131.

CHICAGO – In light of the horrific hate-driven attack in El Paso, the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus released the following statement condemning Donald Trump for his racist rhetoric as it is inciting violence towards Latinos and immigrants, and called for action on the Fix the FOID Act, which remained in the state Senate after passing the House this spring.

“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims at the tragic attack in El Paso over the weekend. It is truly disturbing to learn that this attack may have occurred because the individual was emboldened by white supremacist rhetoric that scapegoats immigrants for failed economic policies that have enriched multinational corporations and the top 1% at the expense of the middle class. 

“Donald Trump has time and time again invoked this bigoted rhetoric for political gain and to justify his extremist agenda. He has continuously vilified and dehumanized immigrants and communities of color. He has given a megaphone to white supremacy, refusing to condemn it every time he’s had the chance to. Just three months ago, he literally laughed and joked after a supporter of his suggested shooting migrants at one of his rallies. Donald Trump is at fault for the rise in hate crimes we have seen over the last few years and for the hate-driven attack in El Paso. His rhetoric must be called out for what it is and must be condemned. White supremacy is an affront to our values and security, jeopardizing the well-being of the communities we represent.

“While thoughts and prayers provide much-needed solace to the families of the victims of gun violence, they are not enough. Earlier this spring, the House passed legislation to fix the FOID by eliminating existing loopholes in the law that have allowed dangerous criminals to obtain deadly weapons and murder our fellow citizens. While progress on it has stalled, we are committed to ensuring its passage and discussing further options to keep our families safe from senseless violence. For the sake of our families and children, we must lead, as it clear that Donald Trump and his allies care more about pleasing the NRA and gun manufactures than protecting our communities.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Continuing his effort to fight for commonsense gun safety reform throughout Illinois, state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, supported legislation to help close loopholes in the FOID system.

“We need to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people,” said Moylan. “One step we can take is to close the loopholes in the FOID system to make it much more difficult for criminals and dangerous people to get a gun.”

Earlier this year, a man who should have never been able to legally obtain a gun because of past felony convictions, shot and killed five people in a factory in Aurora. The Moylan-backed legislation, known as the Fix the FOID Act, would close the loopholes the shooter exploited by taking many crucial steps to improve our FOID system.

The Fix the FOID Act, Senate Bill 1966, would require mandatory finger printing for all FOID applications and renewals, require universal background checks for all firearm transfers and streamline and strengthen the revocation process, to ensure law enforcement confiscates guns only from individuals who lose their privileges. The Fix the FOID Act would also require FOID renewal every five years, and raises the FOID fee to fund mental health services and revocation services.

“As gun violence continues to plague our state and nation, we are proud advocates of the Fix the FOID Act that would prohibit people with violent criminal histories from buying guns,” said Kathleen Sancesm president and CEO of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC). “We stand by Rep. Moylan and more than 170 organizations who have joined a coalition to put a stop to preventable tragedies, like the recent shooting in Aurora, Illinois.”

For more information about the Fix the FOID Act, or any other state-related questions or concerns, please contact Moylan’s full-time constituent office at 847-635-6821 or email StateRepMoylan@gmail.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To help prevent tragedies and save lives, state Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, is supporting a legislative package of reforms that will tighten Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card regulations and create new tools to enforce current gun laws.

“Just a few months ago, five people were killed in a workplace shooting in Aurora by a man who still owned a handgun, despite his long, well-documented criminal history,” Costa Howard said. “We cannot wait any longer to close loopholes that enable dangerous people to obtain and keep firearms. We need to tighten the application process and empower law enforcement officers to confiscate guns from individuals who lose their FOID privileges because of felony convictions.”

Costa Howard is backing Senate Bill 1966, which passed out of the Illinois House today. This measure includes a number of important regulatory changes, including:

• Requiring mandatory finger printing for all FOID applications and renewals, to align with current requirements of Concealed Carry licenses in Illinois;
• Requiring universal background checks for all firearm transfers;
• Streamlining and strengthening the revocation process, to empower law enforcement to swiftly confiscate guns from individuals who lose their FOID privileges;
• Requiring FOID renewal every five years;
• Raising the FOID fee to fund critical law enforcement services.

“We are proud advocates of the Fix the FOID Act, which would prohibit people with violent criminal histories from buying and owning guns in Illinois,” said Kathleen Sances, president and CEO of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC). “We stand by Representative Costa Howard and the more than 170 organizations who have joined our coalition to strengthen the FOID Act and take practical, effective steps to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – After voting to enact a balanced budget and protections for women during the final days of legislative session, state Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, released the following statement:

“Over the past months I’ve watched states across the country enact extreme restrictions on abortion, rolling back fifty years of hard-fought progress. The ultraconservatives in Washington DC have made it clear that they will do everything possible to repeal Roe vs. Wade. I worked to pass the Reproductive Health Act, which will enshrine a women’s right to choose in Illinois law. No person will have to resort to an unsafe, illegal abortion in our state – no matter what happens at the federal level.

“This session I voted to make Illinois a leader in the nation when it comes to gun safety by passing the ‘Fix the FOID Act’ through the House. It’s long past time for mandatory fingerprinting and universal background checks. By giving law enforcement more tools to check an applicant’s criminal history and resources to revoke guns from dangerous people, I truly believe we can reduce the number of tragic shootings. Although it’s disappointing that this legislation stalled in the Senate last week, I’m dedicated to putting these protective measures into law next year.

“The historic effort to put a Fair Tax Amendment on the 2020 ballot passed the General Assembly

, which will give Illinois residents the opportunity to implement a graduated tax system and raise the funds we need to stabilize our economy while providing relief to those who need it most. This new revenue will be necessary to finance the Evidence-Based Model of public school funding adequately – as this year’s budget did – ensuring all schools have the resources they need to provide the quality education that every child deserves.

“In addition to these groundbreaking initiatives that establish Illinois as a progressive leader in the nation, I passed legislation that will improve access to education and job opportunities in our community. The Illinois Higher Education Savings Program Fund will expands the ability of parents to save for their children’s futures, and a new firefighters apprenticeship job pipeline will provide good-paying job opportunities while ensuring that more of our newly-hired first responders have experience handling these dangerous situations.

“I’m looking forward to having conversations over the summer with my colleagues in the legislature, advocates and most importantly residents of the 18th District about the work we can do next year to reduce carbon emissions, limit climate change, care for the children in our DCFS system and make healthcare more affordable for all.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To offer comprehensive solutions to loopholes in current gun laws, state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is supporting a legislative package of new reforms to give law enforcement the tools needed to effectively enforce current law and modernize the application and renewal process for a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card.

“Action needs to be taken to close loopholes in current law that have allowed unfit individuals to obtain dangerous firearms, like the recent tragedy in Aurora,” said Mussman. “Tragedies like this could have been prevented with a streamlined revocation process like that offered in this legislation. We have seen too many instances of senseless gun violence claiming the lives of people all over the United States and in communities very close to home. I am supporting the Fix the FOID Act to create real change and ultimately save lives.”

Earlier this year, a gunman who should have never obtained a gun due to previous felony convictions shot and killed five people in a factory in Aurora, IL. Mussman is backing Senate Bill 1966, which closes the loopholes the shooter exploited by taking the following steps:

• Requiring mandatory finger printing for all FOID applications and renewals
• Requiring universal background checks for all firearm transfers
• Streamlining and strengthening the revocation process, to ensure law enforcement confiscates guns from individuals who lose their privileges
• Requiring FOID renewal every five years, and raising the FOID fee to fund mental health services and revocation services

“As gun violence continues to plague our state and nation, we are proud advocates of the Fix the FOID Act that would prohibit people with violent criminal histories from buying guns,” said Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC). “We stand by Rep. Mussman and more than 170 organizations who have joined a coalition to put a stop to preventable tragedies, like the recent shooting in Aurora, Illinois.”

For more information, please contact Rep. Mussman’s constituent service office at 847-923-9104 or StateRepMussman@gmail.com.

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. – To celebrate LGBTQ Pride month in June, state Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, is inviting residents to participate in an LGBTQ Rights Citizens’ Advisory Committee on commonsense gun laws on Saturday, June 22 in Buffalo Grove.

“Our country and our community have come so far in providing equal rights for everyone in the LGBTQ community,” said Didech. “There is still a lot of work to be done, however, and I want to discuss how we can keep moving forward with my friends and neighbors.”

Didech will be joined by special guest Mike Ziri, the Director of Public Policy for Equality Illinois. The advisory committee will meet on Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m. in the Omni Room of the Vernon Township Community Service Building, located at 2900 N. Main St. in Buffalo Grove. Didech hopes this will be an opportunity to showcase the progress Illinois has made in supporting LGBTQ individuals, and a forum for discussing what the state and country can do in the future.

“I’ve been working this year to fight discrimination in all its forms this year, and that is one of my central missions moving forward,” said Didech. “I encourage anyone who shares that mission to join me in June to talk about how we can continue fighting for equality in our state.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill – Throughout the 2019 Legislative Session, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, advocated for middle-class families by supporting a Fair Tax, protected access to health care, backed commonsense gun safety legislation and fought for criminal justice reforms.

Slaughter voted in favor of the Fair Tax amendment, which would cut taxes for 99 percent of local families and require the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share. Middle-class families would also receive additional tax credits for each child to help ease the costs of living.

 “With a Fair Tax, Illinois will move away from a tax structure that benefits the wealthy and places an unfair burden on working families,” Slaughter said. “Implementing a fairer tax system that requires millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share will help provide needed relief to middle-class families while ensuring that critical services such as health care, education, and senior services are funded.”

In addition to voting for the Fair Tax amendment, Slaughter backed measures to protect health care coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and help keep health care costs from increasing. Slaughter sponsored Senate Bill 2026 to keep Illinois from reducing or eliminating coverage for pre-existing conditions required under the Affordable Care Act and supported House Bill 471 to prevent excessive health insurance rate hikes.

Slaughter, a strong advocate for women’s rights, also supported the Reproductive Health Act to protect a woman’s right to reproductive health care from the political crossfire of extreme, anti-woman politicians in Washington.

“Health care should be a right for every resident of Illinois, and we must do all we can to protect and expand access to the health care services we need,” Slaughter said. “The wellbeing of our community is one of my top priorities, and we must continue to work to implement measures that protect their health and safety.”

Slaughter further protected the wellbeing of residents by backing commonsense gun safety legislation that would close loopholes in the Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) system and keep dangerous firearms out of the wrong hands. He supported Senate Bill 1966, also known as the Fix the FOID Act that would ensure that violent criminals cannot legally obtain guns and help streamline the revocation process for law enforcement.

As the Chairman of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee, Slaughter also took steps to pass numerous criminal justice reform measures, including House Bill 1438, which legalizes recreational marijuana for adult use and offers expungement of records for persons arrested for possession charges. Slaughter also sponsored and passed House Bill 386 to require transparency from the Department of Corrections on assessments used for conditions of release as well as the use of electronic and GPS monitoring. In addition, Slaughter introduced House Bill 3061, which helps provide opportunities for those with non-violent criminal records to more easily apply for health care worker license. Slaughter also introduced House Bill 3349 to improve outdated water and sewer infrastructure while providing jobs to underserviced communities, and House Bill 2304 which establishes a youth oriented trades and skills program to help prepare young people from disadvantaged communities to earn valuable and rewarding skills.

 “It is critical that we expand access to new jobs for those who are working toward a better future and create job training programs for underserved communities,” Slaughter said. “Legalizing cannabis and allowing for the expungement of nonviolent offenses will help people pursue opportunities and contribute to making Illinois a better, more prosperous state.

“My commitment to our community means taking steps to fix our criminal justice system, creating economic opportunity, protecting and expanding access to health care and providing needed tax relief to middle-class families. There is more work to be done, and I will continue fighting for the needs of our community while working to build a stronger Illinois by building a stronger middle class.”