I live in suburban Cook County. You may be mistaking the City of Chicago (which bans gun ownership)from other towns (most of whom do not).
Illinois requires a Firearm Owner ID card to handle or purchase guns. So far, it is not an onerous process to get one, although the anti-gun crowd seems to have really driven up the prices of hand guns.
The proposed legislation on supposed "assault rifles" sounds like it affects hunters and serious collectors. (I am neither, but I support their cause).
My guess is that gun shops will be happy with this. I purchased my first handgun in 2000 when I feared that Algore would be elected. The salesman said business was particularly booming that year.
Better check...
ISRA Press Release:
Illinois State Rifle Association Takes Action
Against Cook County Gun Ban
CHICAGO, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):
The ISRA announced today that it is seeking injunctive relief against a gun ban recently enacted by the Cook County Board. In filing its complaint with the Cook County Circuit Court, the ISRA is asserting that compliance with the vaguely-worded ordinance would be impossible for most citizens of Cook County and, further, the method by which the ban was passed violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
On November 14, 2006, the Cook County Board passed an amendment to the existing Cook County Deadly Weapons Dealers Control Ordinance which seeks to ban the sale, possession and transfer of a variety of popular hunting and sporting firearms. The amendment, authored by Commissioner Larry Suffredin, had been tabled in July of 2005 by the Board.
"In light of the circumstances under which this amendment was passed, the ISRA felt it was important that action be taken to halt its implementation," said ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. "We are disappointed that the Cook County Board chose to pass this ordinance without benefit of public debate -- especially when its provisions impact such a large number of Cook County residents. In addition to the questionable procedures under which it was passed, the ordinance is so poorly worded that few, if any, firearm owners in the county would be certain that they were in compliance with its requirements."
"We are confident that the Cook County Circuit Court will recognize the shortcomings of this ordinance and grant the firearm owners of Cook County an injunction against its implementation," continued Pearson. "The ISRA and the firearm owners of Cook County are second to none in their desire to eradicate violent crime. However, we do not believe that law abiding firearm owners should take it on the chin in the process. The ISRA and its members stand ready to provide advice and guidance to the Cook County Board in the development of meaningful legislation that will fight violent crime while preserving the rights of law-abiding citizens who choose to own firearms."
The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful, and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.
This press release is posted on US Newswire.
Posted Wed Feb 21 15:51:55 CST 2007
Illinois requires a Firearm Owner ID card to handle or purchase guns. So far, it is not an onerous process to get oneKeep in mind, Governer Blagojevich, back in his state representative days (D-Chicago, of course), came up with the bright idea to raise the FOID fee from five bucks for five years to five hundred bucks.
Blagojevich said the price was set high to make people think twice about buying a gun.Chicago Sun-Times February 15, 1993 John O'Brien"This is, in a small way, another part of the cooling-off period," he said. If the cost of owning a firearm is raised, he said, people will put more thought into the decision to buy one.
Blagojevich defended the increase, saying $ 100 per year is "not a significant burden. People interested in buying guns for the right reasons would certainly (pay) that."