Liar, liar, pants on fire

From the Illinois State Rifle Association:

"The liars in Chicago City Hall are at it again. This time they are spreading misinformation claiming that the ISRA supports a very dangerous gun control bill.

"WE NEED YOU TO HELP SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT

"Anti-gun crackpot Rep. Michael Zalewski recently introduced HB 2265. This gun control bill would set mandatory 3-year jail terms for violating any gun control law. For example, forget to renew your FOID and you go to jail for 3 years. On the other hand, if you boost a liquor store with a knife, you might get a 6-month suspended sentence. You know what this is all about. You know this isn’t about crime – it’s about punishing lawful gun owners.

"THE CHICAGO MACHINE IS LYING TO REPRESENTATIVES CLAIMING THAT THE ISRA SUPPORTS ZALEWSKI’S DRACONIAN GUN CONTROL BILL. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE LIE. THE ISRA STEADFASTLY OPPOSES HB2265.

"HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO RIGHT THIS WRONG:

"1. Call your State Representative. Politely tell the person who answers the phone that you are a law-abiding Illinois firearm owner and that you oppose HB2265. Tell them that you expect the Representative to vote “NO” on HB2265. Also tell the person that anyone who claims that the ISRA supports HB2265 is a liar."

You can view HB2265 by going to www.ilga.gov and entering "HB2265" in the Search box on the left side of the page. Take your NoDoz before you set off into the language of the bill.
I didn't easily or quickly find the 3-year jail term provision in that bill, but I did find this in Amendment 2. Read this and see if you can understand it on a first or second reading.

Amendment 2. It's a good thing that legislators don't get paid by the hour to read this stuff: (My apologies that the Amendments do not copy clearly from the State website.)

2		AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2265, AS AMENDED,
3		with reference to page and line numbers of House Amendment No.
4		1, on page 16, by inserting immediately below line 23 the
5		following:
6		"(c-1) It is not a violation of item (C) of paragraph (3)
7		of subsection (a) of this Section if the person who carries or
8		possesses the firearm does not at the time of the commission of
9		the act of carrying or possessing the firearm have a currently
10		valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card because his or her
11		Card has expired not more than 90 days after the commission of
12		the act that would otherwise be a violation of item (C) of
13		paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Section.".[emphasis added]

 Catch the word "after" in Line 11? Does anyone actually think, when they are writing these bills and amendments?

Now read Amendment 3. It appears that someone called Rep. Zalewski's staff's attention to its error, because the word "after" is replaced in Line 9.

Here is Amendment 3.

2		AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2265, AS AMENDED,
3		with reference to page and line numbers of House Amendment No.
4		1, on page 16 by inserting immediately below line 23 the
5		following:
6		"(c-1) For the purposes of this Section, a currently valid
7		Firearm Owner's Identification Card includes any card which has
8		not been revoked by the Department of State Police and expired
9		not more than 90 days before the commission of the act of
10		carrying or possessing the firearm.". [emphasis added]

This is why our State Representatives must read carefully every word in Bills and Amendments. HB2265 contains much wording copied from other bills. Representatives must not assume that "little words" were not changed from previously-read verbiage.