HR0550 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0550 LRB097 13623 AJO 58462 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Virtually every week there are media reports of tragedies and crimes involving handguns; and

WHEREAS, The illegal influx of firearms into the State of Illinois causes risk and harm to law enforcement officers and to the law-abiding residents of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Individuals who are not legally authorized to possess firearms in Illinois commit crimes with guns that result in murders, serious injuries, and significant property losses; and

WHEREAS, Although there are exceptions related to law enforcement and private security functions, the State of Illinois at this time does not have a law permitting the concealed carry of a handgun; and

WHEREAS, The general public and members of the General Assembly could benefit from a study of how a change in the law in Illinois to permit the concealed carry of a handgun could be expected to impact communities, law enforcement, the illegal influx of firearms into the State, and the nature and number of serious gun crimes; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the Firearm Public Awareness Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force is charged with finding and analyzing data from states that have concealed carry laws, especially those states with significant similarities to Illinois; the inquiry and study should include information about the types and number of crimes involving handguns before and after the date that a concealed carry law went into effect in each state and particularly for the following categories: violent gun crimes; suicides by firearm; number of guns, or gun owners, legally registered; number of registered guns stolen or number of guns stolen from registered gun owners; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force should additionally gather information from similar states with concealed carry laws concerning: the number and nature of serious crimes committed by persons who were lawfully carrying a concealed weapon at the time of the crime; and the number of people killed or injured when a person who was lawfully carrying a concealed weapon used the concealed weapon or made known to the assailant that he or she was carrying a concealed weapon; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force should also consider, if a concealed carry law is passed in Illinois, how public safety could be maintained, whether a change in the law would create a need for police sensitivity training, and what type of public information campaign about a concealed carry law would be appropriate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall be comprised of the following members, all of whom shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose:

(1) ten representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) two representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(3) a representative of the Department of State Police appointed by the Director of the Department;

(4) a representative of the Cook County Sheriff's office appointed by the Cook County Sheriff;

(5) a representative of the Cook County State's Attorney's office appointed by the Cook County State's Attorney;

(6) a representative of the Illinois State's Attorneys' Association appointed by the head of that organization;

(7) a representative of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police appointed by the head of that organization;

(8) a representative of the Illinois Sheriffs Association appointed by the head of that organization;

(9) a representative of The National Rifle Association of America appointed by the head of that organization;

(10) a representative of CeaseFire appointed by the head of that organization;

(11) a representative of the Illinois State Rifle Association appointed by the head of that organization;

(12) a representative of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence appointed by the head of that organization; and

(13) a representative from the Illinois Firearms Manufacturers Association appointed by the head of that organization; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Speaker shall designate a member of the task force to serve as the chairperson; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the task force shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the Department of State Police available for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Department of State Police shall provide administrative and other support to the task force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall hold public hearings and shall issue a written report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before March 1, 2012; and that upon filing its report the task force is dissolved.