BELLEVUE, WA – The Illinois House Gun Violence Prevention Committee is holding a public hearing today in Springfield on House Bill 3320, the so-called “Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act, and Prairie State gun owners are encouraged to contact committee members and ask them to reject this measure.
“This bill requires firearms manufacturers, importers and retailers to obtain a state license in order to sell their products to Illinois residents,” explained Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. “It’s nothing more than a massive revenue generator to feed the state coffers at the expense of everyone in the firearms industry, starting with gunmakers and ending with gun dealers, who will pass these costs onto consumers.
“The legislation essentially penalizes law-abiding businesses and individual gun buyers to finance the public health costs and financial burdens incurred as a result of violent crime in the state, for which gun makers and dealers, nor their customers, are responsible,” Gottlieb added. “Essentially, honest business people and their customers are being financially scapegoated by politicians in Springfield who have repeatedly failed to prevent or even reduce violent crime, much of which is caused by repeat offenders who shouldn’t be out on the streets.”
The committee hearing is scheduled to begin at 2 o’clock Wednesday afternoon in the Capitol Building, Room 118 and Virtual Room 2. To contact members of the committee, click on the individual names below:
Representative Maura Hirschauer, Representative Yolonda Morris, Representative Kelly M. Cassidy , Representative Christopher “C.D.” Davidsmeyer, Representative Martha Deuter, Representative Laura Faver Dias, Representative Norine K. Hammond, Representative Tracy Katz Muhl , Representative Chris Miller , Representative Bob Morgan, Representative Adam M. Niemerg, Representative Nabeela Syed. Representative Michael Crawford’s office number is (217) 782-4207.
“It is imperative that Illinois gun owners contact committee members and make their voices heard,” Gottlieb said.