093_HB0447 LRB093 05158 RLC 05218 b 1 AN ACT in relation to criminal law. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by 5 changing Section 24-3.1 as follows: 6 (720 ILCS 5/24-3.1) (from Ch. 38, par. 24-3.1) 7 Sec. 24-3.1. Unlawful possession of firearms and firearm 8 ammunition. 9 (a) A person commits the offense of unlawful possession 10 of firearms or firearm ammunition when: 11 (1) He or she is under 18 years of age and has in 12 his possession any firearm of a size which may be 13 concealed upon the person; or 14 (2) He is under 21 years of age, has been convicted 15 of a misdemeanor other than a traffic offense or adjudged 16 delinquent and has any firearms or firearm ammunition in 17 his possession; or 18 (3) He is a narcotic addict and has any firearms or 19 firearm ammunition in his possession; or 20 (4) He has been a patient in a mental hospital 21 within the past 5 years and has any firearms or firearm 22 ammunition in his possession; or 23 (5) He is mentally retarded and has any firearms or 24 firearm ammunition in his possession; or 25 (6) He has in his possession any explosive bullet. 26 For purposes of this paragraph "explosive bullet" means 27 the projectile portion of an ammunition cartridge which 28 contains or carries an explosive charge which will explode 29 upon contact with the flesh of a human or an animal. 30 "Cartridge" means a tubular metal case having a projectile 31 affixed at the front thereof and a cap or primer at the rear -2- LRB093 05158 RLC 05218 b 1 end thereof, with the propellant contained in such tube 2 between the projectile and the cap; or 3 (b) Sentence. 4 Unlawful possession of firearms, other than handguns, and 5 firearm ammunition is a Class A misdemeanor. Unlawful 6 possession of handguns is a Class 4 felony. 7 (c) Nothing in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this 8 Section prohibits a person under 18 years of age from 9 participating in any lawful recreational activity with a 10 firearm such as, but not limited to, practice shooting at 11 targets upon established public or private target ranges or 12 hunting, trapping, or fishing in accordance with the Wildlife 13 Code or the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. 14 (Source: P.A. 91-696, eff. 4-13-00; 92-839, eff. 8-22-02.)