House lawmakers are approving legislation modernizing the state’s FOID card system.
The bill creates electronic versions of FOID and Concealed Carry Cards and combines them into one for those who qualify. Fingerprints would not be mandatory to get a card but would grant automatic renewal.
State Representative Jay Hoffman says it also creates an online portal for police to check if an individual’s card has been revoked or suspended.
“It is not only a piece of legislation that will assure that the backlog of the FOID card gets fixed at Illinois State Police, but it is a public safety piece of legislation because for the first time in Illinois we are going to have background checks on all gun transfers.”
Representative Deanna Mazzochi of Elmhurst argued that the measure falls short.
“It’s not going to fix the outstanding problems that people are experiencing when it comes to actually getting their FOID cards. It is not doing anything to increase the penalties on individuals who are arrested for gun crimes without a FOID card. It is not doing anything to mandate prosecution of people who are arrested for gun crimes without possessing a FOID card,” said Mazzochi.
The Governor still has to decide if he will sign the bill.
