Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) State Director, Colleen Callahan has officially notified the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) that the US Open Trapshooting Tournament (June 2-6) and The Grand American and AIM Youth Championships (July 30-August 14) will be allowed to take place at IDNR's World Shooting and Recreational Complex (Sparta, IL) this year.

On Tuesday, April 13^th, with only a few weeks left in the Spring Session, the Illinois General Assembly returned to Springfield to face a mountain of bills and resolutions. The Illinois House of Representatives has 671 bills on the floor and the Illinois Senate has 234.  That totals 905 bills that first must be dealt with in the originating chamber and if passed, sent to the opposite chamber.  We are talking about Second and Third Readings, being returned to committee for amendments and back on the floor again and votes taken.  Thousands of hours of work are required to do all of this and it won’t all get done.  I would not be surprised to see Special Sessions this summer.

Today, the Biden Administration will initiate actions in regard to what they term, ”the gun violence epidemic”. Translated this means they will attack legal firearms owners and their firearms.  High on the list will be ARs with arm braces and 80 % finished receivers that allow individuals to make their own firearms. These are referred to using the scary term “ghost guns”.  For the record, criminals do not make their own guns, they steal them or obtain them by illegal means.  As for those who use arm braces many disabled shooters use arm braces.  Other agenda items include Model Red Flag Laws, calling on the Justice Department to issue annual reports on gun trafficking and the nomination of David Chapman as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.  Chapman Is a devout anti gunner and is senior policy advisor to the Gifford’s gun prohibition group. This nomination puts law abiding gun owners in the crosshairs.  The battle is coming.

Last week, I gave an outline of the Illinois State Police (ISP) bill SB2889.  That bill number is now going to be SB1165.  That is the way the ISP believes is the best way to clean up the FOID card mess.  Below is an outline of HB3245 being proposed by Representative Kathleen Willis.  The Illinois Senate version is SB568, sponsored by Ram Villivalam.  HB3245 and SB568 are essentially redoes of the now defunct SB1966 from the 101st General Assembly.  We are now in the 102nd General Assembly.

Numbers are starting to come in regarding firearms statistics for 2020.  The number of jobs the firearms industry provides rose over 10,000 from 2019 to 342,330 in 2020.  The revenues went from 60 billion to 63.5 billion for the same period.  The firearms industry is trying hard to keep up with demand.  I expect even higher numbers for 2022.

The Illinois State Rifle Association has been asked to partner with the Firearms Policy Coalition of California and the Second Amendment Foundation of Washington (who we have successfully partnered with in McDonald v. Chicago and Ezell v. City of Chicago, among others) in pursuing the potential challenges:

On Monday, March 15^th, I sent out an alert postponing the 2021 IGOLD event.  I know you are all as disappointed as I am.  I know many of you say “Have it anyway.”  That is easier said than done. Springfield is essentially locked down not just for us, but every other group.  No one is picking on us specifically.  IGOLD has a sterling reputation because it is well organized, focused and disciplined.  IGOLD is the largest group that goes to Springfield and causes the least problems. That goes a long way in Springfield and everywhere else.  It has taken years to build a good reputation but it only takes moments to destroy it.  The next IGOLD is scheduled for April 6^th, 2022.