Chambana Sun

State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) claims that House Bill 1092's FOID (Firearms Owner Identification) provision creates a redundant system

Rose pointed out the redundancy of FOID while speaking before the Senate Committee. House Bill 1092 would amend additional provisions to an existing gun law with.

"If I want to give my kid his first shotgun, transfer that to him, I shouldn't have to pay $50 twice — $25 each, $50 total — to transfer my son a shotgun to go hunting," Rose said. "I can talk about the fact that the FOID is a completely redundant system."

Rose explained that provisions for background checks are already in place for individuals purchasing a firearm.

"The fact that you went through a background check three years ago says nothing about your status today,” he explained. “The national background system does it wherever you go to buy that firearm. There's a call-in check to see what your status is today. Are you a criminal? Is there a restraining order against you? That happens right there at the point-of-sale at the retailer. So, the FOID is a completely redundant situation."

He also said that added restrictions such as the FOID provision will only hold back responsible gun owners. Instead of the FOID, Rose suggested a bill he authored that puts more emphasis on policing individuals who have broken the law.

"How about the bill I filed three years ago that says no bond if you shoot somebody,” he said. “How about that bill? So, instead of doing that we're going to take away rights from honest law-abiding citizens all in defense of a FOID system that is completely redundant … You’ll do anything to protect yourself and your family and we should not be placing this kind of burden on law-abiding citizens and we damn well shouldn't be doing this when felons run the street shooting people."

Other Republicans expressed worry that the FOID provision will impede gun owner's rights and create more backlog in firearms applications.

One provision in the bill states that a “person petitioning for the return of his or her firearm, ammunition, and firearm parts that could be assembled to make an operable firearm must swear or affirm by affidavit that he or she is the lawful owner of the firearm.”