Chicago City Wire

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) recently released a video on Twitter reaffirming his support for the second amendment.

"I don’t just talk about my support of the Second Amendment, I vote in favor it & exercise it. It’s time to eliminate unnecessary FOID (Firearm Owners Identification) cards that stand in the way of your God-given constitutional right to defend yourself and your family," Bailey wrote in an Nov. 3 Twitter post.

In September, Bailey spoke out against the Firearm Owner Identification cards, and filed a bill to  eliminate the policy, according to South Central Reporter.

"FOID cards may have served a purpose in the days before comprehensive and often instant background checks were possible or feasible, but that’s not the case anymore," Bailey said, according to South Central Reporter. "The state has been unable or unwilling to keep up with FOID card applications, turning the program into a major roadblock for law-abiding gun owners. It’s time to void the FOID and restore people’s God-given constitutional rights."

FOID cards have been a target of those who want to repeal it for quite some time. The Illinois State Rifle Association sued this year over the delays in the FOID program, Chicago City Wire reported.

The FOID program was originally implemented to keep guns out of the hands of criminals by requiring applicants to submit to a background check, but as the program currently faces a lengthy backlog, average wait times has increased to nearly four months.

"It’s unacceptable to me to think someone would have to wait four months to be able to defend themselves and take part in their constitutional rights, especially when the FOID system no longer serves a real purpose," Bailey said, according to South Central Reporter. "There is no point in requiring people to have had a background check already in place to get their FOID card, just to get another background check performed every time they purchase a gun."

The House and Senate have both considered bills to eliminate the FOID this year. In March, Bailey filed SB 1948 and Rep. Andrew Chesney filed HB 1770 in April. HB 1770 would go into effect Jan. 1, 2022 if approved.