AURORA, Ill. (WAND) – Governor JB Pritzker signs House Bill 562 into law, expanding background checks on all gun sales in Illinois and provides mental health funding for communities most impacted by gun violence. 

The legislation is the latest effort by the Pritzker administration and General Assembly to address gun violence as a public health crisis, building on the $128 million investment in violence prevention programs included in this year's state budget.

"The bill I sign today delivers to Illinoisans everywhere the most comprehensive reform to our state firearms laws in over a generation. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have come together to shape a law steeped in a commonsense commitment to safety," said Governor JB Pritzker. "The state will now require universal background checks on all gun sales in Illinois. We're also taking action to ensure responsible gunowners aren't held back by an antiquated licensing system – which hasn't seen significant updates since its founding more than 50 years ago."

The legislation passed with bipartisan support giving a much-needed update to the Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card system, which hasn't been updated since its creation over 50 years ago. 

In the last decade, the number of Illinoisans with a FOID Card has nearly doubled without modernization of statutory framework or technology – from 1.2 million in 2010 to 2.2 million today.

The legislation does the following:

  • Expands background checks to all gun sales in Illinois starting in 2024.
  • Invests in community-based, trauma-informed mental health programs in the communities most impacted by gun violence.
  • Properly funds the Illinois State Police's ability to enforce the surrender of firearms from people who have lost their license for gun ownership.
  • Requires ISP to remove guns from people with revoked FOID cards who have not surrendered their weapon.
  • Amends how FOID card fees are distributed: $5 will go to the State Police Firearm Services Fund and $5 will go into the State Police Revocation Enforcement Fund (previously, $6 went to the Wildlife and Fish Fund, $1 to the State Police Services Fund, and $3 to the State Police Firearm Services Fund).
  • Creates a stolen gun database and requires ISP to continuously monitor state and federal databases for prohibited gun buyers.
  • Creates stronger identification factors, like fingerprints, so Illinois State Police can more easily verify the identity of FOID applicants and firearm purchasers, as well as increase the frequency of background checks. Allows responsible gunowners who opt into this process to see their FOID and Concealed Carry applications expedited and automatically renewed going forward. 
  • Streamlines the FOID card system by allowing ISP to create electronic records, creating a combined FOID and concealed carry license, offering cardholders the ability to apply for renewal six months before the expiration date, and establishing a professional appeals board.
  • Formalizes in law preventative actions the Illinois State Police has taken under Director Brendan Kelly's leadership: giving all Illinois law enforcement agencies access to the FOID status of any individual, ensuring State Police continuously monitor federal and state databases for any new threat to safety, requiring every Illinois law enforcement agency to submit ballistics information to national crime databases within 48 hours, and making available to the public all firearms reported stolen to crack down on illegal gun trafficking.

The bill takes effect January 1, 2022, with the exception of universal background checks, which take effect January 1, 2024. 

"Effective violence prevention requires a multi-faceted approach, and partnerships between local law enforcement and state and federal government agencies are critical in order to reduce gun violence and violent crime in communities throughout Illinois," Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. "I appreciate Governor Pritzker recognizing this and signing House Bill 562 into law as another important step in our collective goal to prevent violent crime. I look forward to continuing to use the tools within my office and building upon our partnerships with law enforcement agencies and advocacy groups to work to prevent violent crimes and support crime victims across the state." 

"The ISP welcome the signing of this bill which modernizes FOID and eliminates redundant and duplicative processes that do nothing to improve public safety. This act will help us in our mission to make lawful gun ownership easier for the good guys while keeping guns out of the hands of those who threaten public safety," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.

"This is the type of lasting change the people of our state need and deserve," said House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch. "Never again will we allow another senseless tragedy like the mass shooting in Aurora, where a convicted felon killed five innocent people and wounded several others, to happen on our watch. With this bill we are giving our state police additional money and resources to ensure law abiding citizens can exercise their second amendment rights, while also equipping our officers with the tools to keep them out of the hands of individuals who present a danger to themselves or others." 

"Today our coalition delivered, organizing to ensure Governor Pritzker and legislators from both parties could take a major step forward in reducing the gun violence that plagues Illinois every day, in particular our Black and Brown communities," said Kathleen Sances, President of Gun Violence Prevention PAC Illinois. "While the scourge of gun violence is a major equity issue that will not go away overnight, survivors and violence prevention advocates across the country can look at our coalition's major victory and know that we can pass common sense measures that save lives without infringing on the rights of law-abiding gun owners. We thank Governor Pritzker for his support for this bill, the second major piece of gun violence prevention legislation he has signed into law."

State Sen. Darren Bailey (R) issued a statement opposing the new FOID law. 

"This is an example of Democrats passing and signing bills which offer no real merit to the everyday lives of the people of Illinois. When HB 562 was called for a vote in the House earlier this Summer, the bill's sponsor didn't even understand the process of getting a FOID card. Instead of actually trying to understand the issue, the Majority party, along with a few weak-kneed republicans, passed this bill outside of our normal legislative session to place unnecessary burdens on our law-abiding gun owners.

"This bill does nothing to curb gun violence and crime across our state, instead it prompts innocent people to undergo a redundant process, costing state resources and card holders more money. This bill is also a gateway for mandatory fingerprinting and a registry on our guns. It hurts small businesses and private dealers by placing new taxes and liability during the private transfer process.

"The Pritzker Administration's focus from day one has been circled around more restrictions on our God-given constitutional rights. It's time we Void the FOID and fight like hell for our constitutional rights."