Grundy Reporter

Charlie Meier, Illinois State House District 109 Representative, commented on the recent ruling regarding the Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card. "The FOID card has been an ineffective and redundant requirement, and this decision further confirms its unconstitutionality," he said on Facebook on February 13.

"Judge T. Scott Webb issued his order and finding in People of the State of Illinois v. Vivian Brown and found that certain elements of the FOID Card Act violated constitutional protections," said Meier, State Representative, according to Facebook. "The FOID card has been an ineffective and redundant requirement, and this decision further confirms its unconstitutionality. It's time to 'Void the FOID' once and for all. Our Second Amendment rights should not be encumbered by outdated regulations."

The case referenced by Meier is State of Illinois v. Vivian Brown. In this case, Judge T. Scott Webb ruled that Brown's possession of a firearm inside her own home was protected under the Second Amendment. Brown had been charged in 2017 with owning a firearm without a FOID card after her husband reported to the White County Sheriff's Office that she fired a gun inside their residence. The court's ruling questioned the necessity of the FOID card requirement in this instance.

Screenshot of State Representative Charlie Meier's Feb. 13 Facebook post | State Representative Charlie Meier's Facebook page

According to Webb’s ruling, when Brown, who is over 21, was charged, she had no criminal record and was eligible to possess a firearm. He also noted that Sheriff's Department personnel found no evidence that the rifle or another gun had been fired inside the home. Brown was charged with a Class A misdemeanor: possession of a firearm without the required Firearm Owner’s ID card. Vivian Brown said she had been defending herself in her home.

Meier’s Facebook post focused on a news release on his website where he issued a statement on the case. In that statement, he called the ruling a victory for Illinoisans who believe in their constitutional right to bear arms without unnecessary government intervention. Meier said the FOID Card Act was being used to disarm potential domestic violence victims and said that he believes all women should have the right to protect themselves from abusers.

Charlie Meier has served the community of the 108th District since being elected in 2013. According to his legislative biography, he spent six years on the Washington County Board. Meier resides on his family's Centennial Farm in Washington County and was awarded the State of Illinois Conservation Farm Family of the Year in 2009. In addition to farming, he develops subdivisions with villas and single-family residences.