February 9, 2012

On Feb. 9, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans to push for a statewide handgun registry that could make felons of downstate and suburban handgun owners.

The Mayor’s call for a statewide gun registry is expected to draw fierce opposition from gun advocates and many downstate lawmakers. According to media reports, the Mayor’s proposal would require all Illinois handgun owners to pay a $65 registration fee to the state, and provide the Illinois State Police with personal information, the gun’s make and model, and where and when the gun was purchased.

Currently, state gun owners are required to obtain a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card, but the actual guns aren’t registered with the state. Penalties for violation of Emanuel’s proposed legislation range from a misdemeanor charge for failure to report a lost or stolen firearm, to a felony charge for residents in possession of an unregistered gun.

The City of Chicago already enforces a strict gun ordinance, requiring handgun owners to register with the city and pay a fee. However, the Mayor says the statewide registry will help solve crime in Chicago, citing Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives statistics showing approximately 56 percent of guns at Chicago crime scenes are from outside city limits.

Gun advocates pointed out that Illinois residents are already vetted through the FOID card registration process, and criticized the hefty registration fees and severe criminal penalties associated with the Mayor’s proposal.