Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Photo Courtesy of Gov. J.B. Pritzker Facebook
Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Photo Courtesy of Gov. J.B. Pritzker Facebook
An official from the Chicago Police Department makes a comment on Gov. Pritzker signing HB 4383.
Tim Ahern, Deputy Director of News Affairs & Communications of the Chicago Police Department, said in a tweet that Pritzker has signed legislation banning "ghost guns" from Illinois.
"Today, Supt. David Brown @ChiefDavidBrown joined Mayor Lori Lightfoot @chicagosmayor, Governor JB Pritzker @GovPritzker, Fr. Michael Pfleger and other community leaders at a bill signing banning the manufacture, possession and sale of illegal ghost guns in Illinois. #ChicagoPolice," tweeted Tim Ahern
On May 18, Pritzker signed HB 4383, a bill that will ban the sale or transfer of firearm parts and kits that do not have serial numbers, NBC reported. The aim of the legislation is to eradicate "ghost guns" - firearms assembled from a kit, often made by 3D printers, which do not have serial numbers. Ten states, including California, New York, and New Jersey, already have laws in place banning ghost guns. In the last 6 years, ghost guns have been connected to 325 shootings nationwide.
The Biden administration is working to crack down on ghost guns at the federal level, AP News reported. The new rule would require federal firearm dealers to add serial numbers to any ghost guns that come their way. It would also change the definition of "firearm" to include individual firearm parts, so those parts would now require licenses and serial numbers, and firearms dealers would need to run background checks before selling individual parts.
State Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) and State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) sponsored the legislation, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The legislation passed without a single GOP vote. Chicago police officers recovered more than 12,000 guns in 2021, 458 of which were "ghost guns."
"The people creating, selling, and purchasing these firearms know that they're working to circumvent common-sense gun laws that ensure guns stay out of the hands of traffickers, abusers, and convicted criminals," said Governor JB Pritzker in a press release. "We are seeing these unseralized guns being built in basements by those who should never have had access to such dangerous weapons and then used to commit heinous crimes, and it must be stopped to keep Illinoisans safe."
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