Illinois Legislature Passes Law Keeping Guns From Domestic Abusers, Restraining Order Violators

By a sweeping majority, the Illinois Senate passed a bill that would permanently revoke the rights of certain offenders to own guns.

The bill, HB 3365, had already passed the House by a 108-1 vote; the Senate passed the measure by a vote of 55 to one.

It would prevent anyone who had been convicted of domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery, or violation of an order of protection from obtaining a Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card, the card required to purchase a gun in the state of Illinois.

Additionally, if an order of protection is issued against someone, that person will have to surrender his firearms and his FOID card for the duration of the order, provided that the order meets certain criteria of implied danger.

As the Associated Press reports, state law currently keeps those convicted of domestic violence from owning a gun for five years following their conviction; this law simply extends that period indefinitely.

HB 3365 now heads to Governor Quinn's desk, where he will have 60 days to take acction.