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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Gun violence and illegal interstate firearms
3 trafficking have become growing problems in all portions of the
4 State of Illinois, other areas of the Midwest, and throughout
5 the nation; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Children and students are too often the victims of
7 gun crimes, in their homes, on our streets and before, after,
8 and during school hours; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Since the current school year started in September
10 2008, twentynine Chicago Public School students have been shot
11 and killed; and
 
12     WHEREAS, In Gun Violence: The Real Costs, a book written by
13 Philip J. Cook and Jens Ludwig, the data collected by the
14 authors show the cost of security in Chicago public high
15 schools to be $41 million a year, and the costs of security in
16 suburban and downstate Illinois schools are similarly rising
17 rapidly; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Since the federal ban on assault weapons was
19 lifted in 2004, the Chicago Police Department has seized 1,547
20 such weapons; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, According to a five-year study conducted by the
2 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 43% of
3 all guns seized within five police districts in the City of
4 Chicago originated in Mississippi; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The total cost of gun violence in Chicago is
6 estimated to be $2.5 billion each year, according to the report
7 Gun Violence among School Age Youth in Chicago, prepared by The
8 University of Chicago Crime Lab, representing a cost to every
9 household in Chicago of about $2,500 each year; and
 
10     WHEREAS, There is an enormous number of illegal guns in
11 Chicago, other areas of Illinois, and throughout the Midwest,
12 and 80% of murder victims in Chicago are killed by guns;
13 therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
16 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Interstate
17 Gun Trafficking Task Force within the Illinois State Police, to
18 consist of the following: (1) the Director of State Police or
19 his designee; (2) the Illinois Attorney General or her
20 designee; (3) the Cook County States Attorney or her designee;
21 (4) the Sheriff of Cook County or his designee; (5) the
22 Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department or his
23 designee; (6) three appointees of the Governor who are

 

 

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1 representatives of federal, suburban or downstate law
2 enforcement officials; and (7) three appointees of the Mayor of
3 the City of Chicago who are representatives of law enforcement
4 officials, foundations, or institutions of higher education;
5 and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That all appointments shall be made no later than
7 45 days following adoption of this resolution; and be it
8 further
 
9     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall study measures that
10 help reduce illegal interstate gun trafficking in Illinois and
11 the harmful effects of such activity; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall choose its chair and
13 other officers and meet at the call of the chair; and be it
14 further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall serve
16 without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their
17 reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for
18 that purpose; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report its findings and
20 recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on or
21 before December 31, 2010; and be it further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That legislatures of other states in the Midwest
2 are encouraged to create interstate gun trafficking task forces
3 in their respective states, which task forces may cooperate
4 with the Task Force created by this resolution and with each
5 other; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to
7 the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, the
8 President of the Illinois Senate, the Minority Leader of the
9 Illinois House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the
10 Illinois Senate, the Governor of the State of Illinois, and the
11 Director of the Illinois State Police.