As lawmakers made their way back to Springfield this week for the start of the 2020 spring legislative session, State Senator Neil Anderson filed a bill to repeal the outdated and redundant Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) Act.
“I file this bill every year, and I will continue to do so until we get rid of this unnecessary burden placed on the citizens of Illinois,” said Sen. Anderson.
The FOID Act was created in 1968 as a way to identify people who were eligible to own firearms as part of a public-safety initiative in Illinois to meet the requirements of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968. However, Sen. Anderson noted that a lot has changed since then.
“The FOID Act is over 50 years old making it extremely outdated,” said Sen. Anderson. “With updated technology allowing for the use of instant background checks, the FOID card serves no real purpose.”
While Senate Bill 2535 would eliminate the need for a person to own a FOID card, it would not change any of the other requirements of purchasing a firearm. Those who purchase a firearm would still need to undergo strict federal background checks.
“Illinois is one of only a few states that require this sort of pre-approval process to purchase firearms,” said Sen. Anderson. “The FOID Act is just another unnecessary barrier that impedes on law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment right.”