By GREG BISHOP
Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — The Illinois House could soon approve a measure requiring gun owners to lock up their firearms under certain circumstances, despite there being 6 to 1 opposition filed against the bill.
Before Senate Bill 8 advanced out of the House Gun Violence Prevention Committee Tuesday, state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, explained what would be considered locked up if a prohibited person, including someone under 18, is on the premises.
“An example of this is cable lock or placed, which is my preference and best practice, placed in a securely locked box or container,” Hirschauer said.
Illinois State Rifle Association’s Ed Sullivan pushed back on the cable lock provision Hirschauer mentioned, saying the bill only discusses a locked container.
“A cable, which is a cheap device, cheaper still, very good device to lock a thing is not eligible under this bill that was just reported,” Sullivan said. “You have to have a locked container.”
Hirschauer said that’s not true.
Sullivan also said the prohibited person could be anyone without a Firearm Owner ID card.
“So what that tells me is don’t invite aunt, grandma or your grandma from Wisconsin to your facility or a cousin or someone that lives out of state because if they would gain access to your firearm, you would be in violation of this law,” he said.
Hirschauer said that also isn’t true.
“A prohibited person under this bill is a person who is not eligible to have a FOID card or not eligible to own a gun under federal law,” she said. “I personally don’t have a [FOID] card. That does not make me a prohibited person. I am eligible to apply and be granted a FOID card or I’m eligible under federal law. So that was a misrepresentation.”
To questions about possible legal challenges using the lack of historically similar firearm control laws to find the measure unconstitutional, Hirschauer said she didn’t have any examples at this time. The U.S. Supreme Court has found that to successfully defend gun control laws, there must be historical analogs that defenders can point to.
Josh Witkowski from Illinois Federation for Outdoor Resources said the issue of firearm readiness has already been sorted out by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“It stated that that firearm not being accessible for self-defense is a violation of Second Amendment rights,” he said.
SB 8 also has lost and stolen reporting requirements. Hirschauer said someone not reporting a lost or stolen firearm within 48 hours could face consequences.
“Under this section, the Illinois State Police may revoke a [FOID card] after a second or subsequent violation of failing to report our lost or stolen firearm,” she said.
Sullivan said instead of more measures that will likely face constitutional challenges, the state needs to focus on firearms safety training for younger children.
“We don’t really push firearm safety training. We push sex ed training, we push drug use training, we push alcohol training,” he said. “And why do we do that? We do that to protect our kids, but we don’t allow firearm safety training.”
Hirschauer said while it’s not a mandate, the legislature did approve allowing local communities to teach firearm safety. She is also working on a tax credit for people who purchase safes for firearms.
More than 1,200 people filed in support of the bill. More than 6,300 people filed in opposition.
