Metropolis….Since taking office, State Representative Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) has been a staunch supporter of 2nd Amendment Rights. Windhorst, true to his record, has introduced a bold legislative agenda aimed at protecting the 2nd Amendment Rights of the people of Illinois.
The legislative package is made up of nine bills, which Windhorst says, if passed, would eliminate onerous regulations and cut down the high cost of exercising 2nd Amendment Rights.
“The package of bills that I’ve introduced are aimed at cutting red tape and saving law-abiding citizens time and money,” Windhorst said. “Illinois is one of only four States that still requires a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID). I do not believe the FOID card is constitutional, and that issue is pending in the Illinois court system. Prior to that ruling however, there are steps we can take as a legislature to return Constitutionally-guaranteed rights back to law-abiding Illinoisans.”
At the beginning of 2019, Rep. Windhorst introduced legislation that would repeal Illinois’ FOID card requirement (HB 913). Windhorst has repeatedly called for a vote on the bill in the House.
“My preference would be for the State of Illinois to join 46 other states in the nation in removing the unconstitutional requirement of the FOID card,” Windhorst said. “As I continue to push for the repeal of the FOID requirement, I believe we can pass some common sense legislation to ease the burden on law-abiding gun owners.”`
• HB 4391 would ban local government units from imposing taxes or fees on firearms and ammunition.
• HB 4392 would eliminate the 72 hour waiting period for individuals that have been granted a valid license to carry a concealed handgun under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act.
• HB 4393 would lower the fee to obtain a concealed carry license from $150 to $100.
• HB 4397 grants exclusive power to the State of Illinois in regard to the regulation of the ownership and possession of firearms and invalidates existing and future local ordinances or resolutions that require local registration, or local reporting of the sale or transfer of a firearm, and bans municipalities from maintaining any kind of firearm registry.
• HB 4398 allows any individual that has received a permit to conceal carry a firearm to do so on public transportation.
• HB 4447 states that any renewal application shall be accepted by the Illinois State Police if submitted within 180 days before the expiration of the applicant’s FOID card or concealed carry license.
• HB 4448 would require the Illinois State Police to automatically renew any concealed carry license holder’s FOID card as long as their conceal carry license is in good standing until the time that the concealed carry license expires.
• HB 4450 spells out the process by which any appeal of the denial of a FOID card or concealed carry license must be handled and provides specific guidelines for the State Police in regard to the time it takes to process any such appeal.