Gun Violence Prevention Experts, Researchers, and Advocates Present Data to Support Passage of Protect Illinois Communities Act
December 15, 2022
CHICAGO, IL - The House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on Thursday held its second public hearing on HB5855, the Protect Illinois Communities Act. At the hearing, leading data experts and researchers from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, University of Chicago Crime Lab, the Illinois Department Human Services Office of Firearm Prevention, Chicago CRED, the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, and other organizations provided compelling, research-based evidence for the importance of passing HB5855 to reduce gun violence in Illinois. Survivors from around the state also shared their personal stories with the committee, and highlighted how their experiences inform their everyday work to end gun violence.
“What kind of common sense society are we creating for our children now that gun violence is the leading cause of their death? Our future, when every fabric of our community is pulling its weight, leaning in, and working together, only to have it all undone because someone lacked the political courage or will to do the right thing,” said Chris Patterson, Assistant Secretary of Firearm Violence Prevention at the Illinois Department of Human Services. “Let’s help our communities that are trying so hard to help themselves by banning the weapons of mass destruction we loosely call assault weapons from the streets of this great state.”
Leo Smith of Chicago CRED and Teny Gross of the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago discussed their ongoing work in gun violence intervention and prevention and spoke to the urgency of passing common sense gun reform to save lives.
Community advocates and gun violence survivors including Anthony McIntyre of the AntMound Foundation, Jason Saunders of B.R.A.V.E Youth Leaders, Maria Pike of Moms Demand Action and Chicago Survivors, Marsha Lee of the Everytown Survivor Network, and Dr. Tiffany Gholson of East St. Louis School District #189 testified on the devastating toll of gun violence across every zip code in Illinois, the work they are doing to reduce gun violence, and how the Protect Illinois Communities Act will support their efforts.
“It’s been 14 years since my son has been killed, and we still are here doing the same work, having the same conversations,” said gun violence survivor Marsha Lee. “It’s a no brainer to me. I don’t understand why we have to fight the NRA and others to have common sense reform.”
“As a social worker, I see the trauma that gun violence imposes on our students, staff, families, and community every single day. Gun violence has been a persistent problem in East St. Louis for years, and we must address it now. Guns are destroying our community and our children,” said Dr. Tiffany Gholson of East St. Louis School District #189. “The Protect Illinois Communities Act puts us on the right path to keep guns out of the hands of those who are a threat to themselves or others and to reduce the harm that guns cause to our youth—mentally, physically, and emotionally.”
The Protect Illinois Communities Act, introduced by Rep. Bob Morgan earlier this month, includes legislation that would ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, facilitate better implementation and efficacy of Illinois’s Firearm Restraining Order (FRPO) law, raise the minimum age to obtain a FOID card to 21, and address illegal gun trafficking in the state.
A poll released by Everytown for Gun Safety last week demonstrated that these gun safety measures have widespread support across the state. Overall, 52% of Illinoisans believe gun laws in Illinois should be stronger, including nearly three quarters of Black voters and 56% of Hispanic voters. A ban on assault weapons has the support of 58% of Illinoisans and two-thirds of voters support increasing the minimum age to obtain a FOID card from 18 to 21.
