Restricting Private Sale of Handguns

Illinois House Bill 48 would keep you from selling a handgun to your neighbor or buddy at work without an unnecessary fee and inconvenient trip to a gun dealer. Read the bill, and I'm sure you will agree that this legislation belongs in the Chicago Stockyards, near the legislative districts of some of its proponents.

If you do want to sell a handgun to a co-worker, you and your buddy will have to go to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL), such as Ace Hardware. Ace Hardware would have to order a background check on your buddy and, if he passes, he can receive the gun.

Don't forget that, in Illinois, your buddy will already have been subjected to a background check, because he'll have to have a Firearms Owner Identification (FOID) card. You wouldn't sell a gun to anybody in Illinois without examining their valid FOID card. Not if you don't like wearing stripes and numbers on your chest.

So why the duplication? The Bill allows Ace Hardware to charge your buddy $10.00 "plus any applicable fees." Last time I checked, Ace Hardware is a good place to do business but it needs to charge enough to stay in business. Could an "applicable fee" be $50.00? It'll be whatever they, or any other FFL, decides.

I called Rep. Jack Franks office today to learn his position on this bill. The young woman was nice, but she said she didn't know. She said Jack hadn't studied the bill yet. Well, this bill could be voted on tomorrow. Could it be that he hasn't read this bill and formed an opinion, even though this bill was introduced on January 6?

What might a new State office cost us?

Following are preliminary estimates:
(1) 4 Office Associates (@ $55,000) = $220,000;
(2) 5 Computers (@ $1,500) = $7,500;
(3) 5 FTIP phones (@ $1,000) = $5,000;
(4) 1 Supervisor = $75,000;
(5) System Modifications = $50,000;
Total = $337,500.

Assuming the 4 Office Associates and the Supervisor stick around from year to year, that's a payroll of $295,000. Does that include benefits or is that just for salaries?

According to the Bill, the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) thinks there could be 260,000 transactions (at $10 each); that's $2,600,000 but, cleverly, the Bill omits any time reference. Is that per year? Forever?

This Bill deserves to be round-filed. Call Sponsoring Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) and tell him what you think. His phone number is 217-782-8088. And call some of the other co-sponsors.

And be sure to call Jack Franks at 815-334-0063. Ask him where he stands on this HR48, and ask him to vote against it. Then check up and see how he really voted.