A new Illinois gun bill signed into law Tuesday targets traffickers bringing in weapons from other states.
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill that will make it a felony for a person who has not been issued a state firearm owner's identification card to bring guns into the state with the intent to sell or deliver, wrote the Chicago Tribune.
Penalties under the new law would be even stricter for those who've previously been convicted on gun trafficking-related charges.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel had previously asked for legislation that would toughen penalties for illegal use of a weapon in hopes that it would help quell the city's persistent violent crime problem. That idea has not gained tractor in the state legislature, however.
WLS-TV reported that Emanuel's office did issue a statement saying that the new law was a step in the right direction, but the mayor did not appear at the bill signing. Emanuel held a news conference at O'Hare International Airport at the same time as Rauner's morning signing, noted the television station.
James Ogden, a Chicago anti-violence activist who attended the ceremony, told WLS-TV that he was concerned about the message that was sent by Emmanuel's absence and that of other city officials.
"Not even the leadership of the police district was here," Ogden told the television station. "We do need to bring all of them together to make this an effective bill."
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said that the new law sought to resolve longstanding complaints by prosecutors, who charged that penalties were not stiff enough to deter gun traffickers.
"The laws of Illinois for many years have been more focused toward holding the shooter accountable but not the person who armed the shooter," Durkin said. "And that changes today with the governor's signature."
Crain's Chicago Business reported that almost 60 percent of the firearms used in crimes in Chicago come from states other than Illinois. While every state in the country contributes at least one gun to crime in Chicago, 20 percent come from neighboring Indiana, where no permit is required to buy firearms and private sellers do not face background checks.
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