SPRINGFIELD – The National Rifle Association is calling on 2nd Amendment supporters to demand Governor Rauner veto SB 1657 and HB 1273, two bills that the NRA says "will drive local gun stores out of business."
Both measures passed the Illinois General Assembly this week. Governor Rauner has 60 days to respond by either signing them into law or vetoing them.
Senate Bill 1657, sponsored by Senator Don Harmon (D-39), was passed by the House with a vote of 64-52 and House Bill 1273, sponsored by Representative Kathleen Willis (D-77), was passed by the Senate with a vote of 30-23.
"These bills would create an onerous gun dealer licensing scheme within the state," the NRA says. "While the purported intent of this legislation was to enhance 'responsible business practices,' these bills only prove that the intention is to close as many federally licensed firearm dealers (FFLs) as possible."
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) licenses and closely monitors all FFLs and strictly enforces any violation of federal law. SB 1657 and HB 1273 go so far beyond federal law in its mandatory regulations and red tape imposed at the state level that they would almost assuredly force the closure of most firearm dealers and prevent prospective owners from opening new ones, the gun rights group writes in a notice on its website.
This legislation seeks to create so many department divisions, anti-gun 5-member licensing boards, and licensing fees that dealers would be forced to close through oversight by anti-gun appointees or being priced out of business, the say.
Gun control activists, along with Chicago Cardinal Cupich, were in Springfield Wednesday, calling on Illinois to lead the way for some of the nation's most stringent gun laws.
Here's a video explaining what 2nd Amendment advocates see as the problems with SB 1657 that was recorded in 2017, before the measure was sent to Governor Rauner:
