Policies to Reduce Gun Violence in Illinois: Research, Policy Analysis, and Recommendations

By Timothy Carey, Lisa Geller, Daniel Webster

Though Illinois has stronger gun violence prevention laws than much of the country, there are specific actions Illinois could take to further reduce rates of firearm death and injury in the state. This report offers several recommendations, backed by empirical research, that state actors should adopt to achieve this end. The recommendations are divided among four main issue areas and preceded by an overview of the current state law and relevant research supporting the recommendations that follow. As public health researchers and advocates, our recommendations are for Illinois to: Improve Firearm Restraining Order (FRO) Implementation a. Assign statewide FRO coordinators to serve as a liaison between petitioners and the court system b. Mandate clear and comprehensive reporting on FRO use c. Mandate FRO training for those involved in implementation d. Expand the list of eligible FRO petitioners to include licensed healthcare providers e. Provide FRO education to key partners and advocates in the violence prevention space f. Extend the sixmonth FRO to one year g. Utilize Byrne JAG funding for FRO implementation. Improve FOID Card Process a. Raise the age to 21 to buy firearms & obtain a FOID Card b. Require individuals applying for a FOID Card to apply for the license and to undergo fingerprinting in person at a state agency or state-certified vendor c. Convene experts and impacted groups in the mental health community to reevaluate potential stigmatization in the FOID denial and revocation criteria d. Submit Governor Pritzker’s recommendations to expand the use of Clear and Present Danger Reports to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules’ proposed rules process Ban the Sale, Transfer, Manufacture, and Possession of Large Capacity Magazines Counteract Gun Trafficking a. Establish an anti-gun trafficking unit within ISP b. Create accountability for firearm dealers in Illinois by codifying a public nuisance law for dangerous firearm distribution practices to fit within the PLCAA exception

Baltimore: Center for Gun Violence Solutions, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2022. 16p.