The Illinois State Police is working to combat the backlog of FOID cards and concealed carry licenses that need to be processed.
ISP has hired more workers and improved some systems, but State Police Director Brendan Kelly says it’s going to take more than that to handle the huge influx of people wanting FOID cards and concealed carry permits. He says legislative action is needed to address what he calls an antiquated renewal system.
“We find the delays unacceptable. It is not up to our standards serving with integrity and pride. We are doing everything we possibly can but it’s going to require some more fundamental changes to address these deficiencies.”
Kelly’s comments came after Republicans in the Illinois House held a press conference saying FOID and concealed carry delays are one of the biggest complaints they receive from their constituents and that they stand ready to pass much-needed reforms.
Republican Rep. CD Davidsmeyer says delays in the program are denying lawful gun owners the ability to buy ammunition during hunting season.
Davidsmeyer says if the ISP can’t keep up with renewals and issuing new licenses then the program needs to go away.
“If my father-in-law from Ohio comes to visit to go hunting he can go in and buy ammunition without a FOID card, all he has to do is show he is not a resident of Illinois. So we are second class citizens in our own state. We need to suspend the FOID system until they can get it under control and stop violating peoples’ 2nd Amendment rights.”
The ISP has said that FOID cards will be extended through the pandemic until they can catch up, but Davidsmeyer says retailers are hesitant to sell bullets or a gun with an expired card.
File Photo: ISP Director Brendan Kelly.
