It’s estimated that there are 10 billion bullets sold in the US every year. That’s 31 for every man, woman and child.
So, we’re arming people with 31 actions to counter the negative effect that these bullets create.
Guns in Classrooms
After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, President Trump proposed arming teachers with guns as a solution to ending gun violence in schools. We believe this is not only an impractical solution, but a risky one. Instead, we must help our educators...
Child Lock Requirements
1.7 million children live in homes with loaded and unlocked firearms1. The presence of unlocked guns in the home increases the risk of unintentional gun injuries, intentional shootings, and suicides.
Concealed Carry
Concealed carry legislation (H.R. 38) would allow armed individuals, crossing state lines, to abide only by their home state’s concealed carry laws2. This would force states with stringent standards, such as Illinois, to recognize other, sometimes...
Gun Silencers Measure
Gun silencers put law enforcement and the public at grave risk. The deregulation of these devices would only increase that risk by providing greater accessibility to criminals. Contact your congressman or congresswoman to remove the gun silencer provision...
Universal Background Checks
Though more than 90% of the American public supports background checks for all gun sales, a loophole in federal gun laws exempts unlicensed sellers from having to perform any background check whatsoever before selling a firearm.
The Power of the NRA
The National Rifle Association is the single biggest player in shaping gun laws in America. The group’s influence results in lax laws and minimal regulation of guns.
Open Carry
The presence of guns in public can quickly escalate everyday conflicts into deadly altercations. Illinois doesn’t allow the open carry of guns, but 45 states do. Urge businesses to ban open carry of guns on their property.
Licenses
Gun owner licenses usually are issued or renewed only after the applicant has undergone a background check, completed a gun safety training course, and passed tests on how to safely load, fire and store a gun. Licensing laws are a simple, yet effective...
Gun Registration
Firearm registration laws ensure gun owner accountability, helping law enforcement officers solve crimes and disarm criminals. Illinois requires gun owners to have FOID cards, but Illinoisans don’t have to register their guns. Despite the benefit of registration...
Bulk Gun Purchases
Laws that limit the number of guns a person can buy within a certain time frame reduce the risk of guns entering the secondary market. Monitoring bulk gun purchases is an easy way to reduce gun trafficking and violence5. The Illinois Legislature...
Gun Violence Protective Orders
Gun violence protective order laws can prevent gun tragedies before they occur. They allow family members and law enforcement officers to request removal of a person’s firearms if he or she poses an imminent danger to self or others6. A bill...
Safe Storage
The risk of unintentional shootings and gun suicides increases when guns are not stored properly. Child access prevention laws hold gun owners accountable for the secure storage of firearms, helping to keep firearms from falling into young hands7....
Bad Apple Gun Dealers
90% of guns used in criminal acts can be traced to just 5% of gun dealers8. These so called, ”Bad Apple” dealers enable criminals to circumvent gun laws created to keep firearms out of dangerous hands, putting communities at risk for violence....
Trigger Cranks
A “trigger crank” attaches to the trigger guard of a semi-automatic rifle, increasing firepower and the likelihood of fatalities in acts of terrorism. Illinois legislation is pending that would ban trigger cranks and bump stocks9.
Gun Violence Research
Lobbying by the NRA blocked the Centers for Disease Control from conducting gun violence research for more than 20 years10. Legislation passed in March makes it clear the CDC has the authority to study gun violence and potential solutions,...
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence assaults involving a gun are 12 times more likely to end in death than assaults with other weapons11. Illinois has a strong law to deter domestic violence, but there is no strong federal law.
Mental Illness
State and federal laws designed to keep guns from emotionally disturbed people have loopholes. More extensive background checks can keep guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or others12.
Straw Purchases
When a gun buyer gets somebody else to fill out his or her paperwork, that’s called a “straw purchase.” This can put guns in the hands of people who are legally prohibited from owning them. Police say penalties for violating Illinois’ “lost and stolen”...
Gun Sales by Private Owners
According to an undercover investigation by the City of New York, 62% of private online firearm sellers agreed to sell a firearm to a buyer even after the buyer had told the seller that he or she probably could not pass a background check13....
Terrorist Watch List
The terrorist watch list is used by the U.S. government to monitor potentially violent individuals and groups. Those on the list are blocked from actions that could put others at risk, such as air travel — yet they are still not prohibited from purchasing...
Age Requirements
In the U.S., we commonly set age restrictions for activities such as voting, driving and drinking alcohol. Data shows that young adults account for a disproportionate number of gun homicides and suicides15. In Illinois, buyers of handguns must...
Smart Guns
“Smart guns” save lives by preventing anyone but the authorized user to pull the trigger. They use key-like items or biometric technology16.
Gun Reform Groups
Volunteers nationwide are making their voices heard on gun safety. Join a local gun-reform group to help fight gun violence in your community.
Sales at Gun Shows
Gun buyers in many states outside Illinois can avoid required background checks by seeking out unlicensed sellers at gun shows. This allows anyone to obtain a firearm with little to no oversight17.
Mandatory Waiting Periods
Waiting periods for gun purchases allow time for thorough background checks18. On May 14, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner used an amendatory veto to slow legislation requiring a 72-hour waiting period to buy an assault weapon.
Gun Safety Organizations
Gun safety organizations play powerful roles in reforming our gun laws. Get to know them. They could use your financial and volunteer support.
Ammunition Regulation
A gun is only as dangerous as the bullet it shoots, yet ammunition sales are not subject to the same federal regulations as firearms19. In most states, including Illinois, ammunition can be bought in person or online without oversight.
Large Capacity Magazines
Large capacity ammunition magazine guns allow shooters to fire at mass numbers of people without reloading, simultaneously minimizing the chance of victims finding refuge and time for law enforcement to intervene. Federal legislation that would ban large...
Immunity
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, passed in 2005, rendered the gun industry immune from nearly all lawsuits, leaving the families of gun violence victims without an avenue for justice20.
Victims
So far this year21, there have already been 102 mass shootings, and 22 school shootings22. In emergency situations, blood is an urgent need23. To find the nearest place where you can donate blood, visit RedCross.org and...
Design Safety Standards
Unlike every other consumer product produced in the U.S., firearms and ammunition are exempted from design safety standards, resulting in unintentional shootings24. In March, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly introduced legislation to weaken the exemption...
