Illinois Activists Help Defeat Fingerprint Firearms Owner ID Plan

Illinois isn’t exactly a place one looks to if you’re wanting to find victories to celebrate in the gun world. The state has some of the strictest gun control in the nation and with Chicago just sitting there, it’s not likely you’re going to see any of those laws repealed any time soon. Such is life for the Illinois gun rights activists.

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However, thanks to your friends over at The Truth About Guns, there looks to be some good news after all.

Sensing a close vote, Land of Lincoln gun owners turned out in a mini-Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day to make their voices heard and kill the bill.

If passed into law, SB-1966 would quadruple the fees for a Firearm Owner Identification card. Also, it would require state-issued identification and expensive electronic fingerprints to merely apply for a FOID card or a renewal. What’s more, it would end private gun sales in the state and make it a felony to lose a single record on a private gun sale in the past.

The good news from Tuesday: We effectively killed SB-1966. Without the votes to pass it, the sponsors won’t call it for a vote.

The bad news? Once January rolls around, the men and women of Bloomberg-financed Moms Demand Action will return and, under the Prairie State’s convoluted legislative rules, the bill will only require a simple majority for passage. From there, as it has already been approved in the House, it would go to the governor.

Unfortunately, writer John Boch is right, I’m afraid. It’s a temporary victory, but it’s still a victory.

Take your wins where you can get them, especially in Illinois.

Frankly, Illinois is one of those states where I can’t help but think that the best pro-gun strategy possible is to simply leave. Gun rights activists aren’t about to start outnumbering Chicago anti-gunners any time soon, so it may be best to just leave the state to them and let it go down. I feel the same way about California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York, to be fair.

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But on the same token, a win here suggests that it’s possible to garner a win next time around. Even if it’s just a holding action, it’s still a win and I’m damn proud of the Illinois gun rights activists.

Of course, Boch notes that there were a couple of votes in favor of the bill that couldn’t be cast due to federal investigations for corruption–I know, in Illinois? I’m absolutely shocked!–so those will likely be back next time around.

Maybe.

Who knows. Maybe it’s time to launch a version of Project Veritas that just roots out the corruption of anti-gun lawmakers and makes it virtually impossible for them to cast votes for more gun control.

Then again, isn’t it funny that some of the same people talking about lawmakers being bought and paid for by the NRA are the ones being arrested on corruption charges? Shocking, I know.

Regardless, good job, Illinois. Use this to build some momentum and, who knows, maybe take your state back from Chicago. The rest of us are with you!

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