Grundy Reporter

Democrat lawmakers have taken a step forward with Senate Bill 8, known as the Safe Gun Storage and Reporting Act. This legislation proposes reducing the time frame to report lost or stolen firearms from 72 to 48 hours. If not adhered to, repeat violations could lead to substantial fines and potentially the loss of a person's FOID card.

The introduction of SB 8 has been met with opposition from Republican lawmakers. They argue that the bill could unduly penalize law-abiding gun owners rather than addressing the actions of criminals. A key point of their opposition is the challenge of detecting a missing firearm within 48 hours, particularly when many firearms are kept in safes, seasonal cabins, or vehicles that are not subject to frequent checks.

Critics argue that Senate Bill 8 imposes a universal requirement that unfairly targets responsible gun owners, labeling them as offenders in situations outside their control. Instead, they suggest that the focus should be on those who commit theft and misuse firearms.

The bill now awaits further consideration as it moves to the House.