Governor Signs FOID Reform Bill

By Benjamin Cox on August 3, 2021 at 8:59am

Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a massive reform to the state’s FOID Card laws yesterday.

The FOID Modernization bill lets the Illinois State Police create a combined FOID and Concealed Carry license and grants cardholders who submit their fingerprints automatic renewal. State Police Director Brendan Kelly says it streamlines processes for his office: “Instead of carrying around two cards that have two different processes and two different fees, we will be able to combine them into a single thing. It’s good not just for those lawful gun owners in terms of convenience, it’s also good for us. That means less paperwork and less bureaucracy.”

The law will also help fund the Illinois State Police’s ability to enforce the surrender of firearms from people who have lost their gun ownership license. In return, it also requires ISP to remove guns from people with revoked FOID cards who have not surrendered their weapons.

The governor says that there are safety provisions like universal background checks on all gun sales in the state starting in 2024. Pritzker says it closes a loophole in the state that allows those who have been denied FOIDs due to violent convictions to circumvent the background check process through private sales.

The law also creates a stolen gun and prohibited gun buyers’ database. It also invests in community-based, trauma-informed mental health programs in the communities most impacted by gun violence. Most all provisions of the bill take effect immediately, with universal background checks beginning in 2024.