Gun Violence Survivors and Advocates, Gun Sense Legislators Urge Passage of Critical Gun Safety Legislation, Testify in Support of Protect Illinois Communities Act
December 12, 2022
CHICAGO, IL - Today, State Representative Bob Morgan and other legislators, Moms Demand Action and the Everytown Survivor Network, and gun violence survivors and advocates held a press conference urging passage of the Protect Illinois Communities Act, or HB 5855. Following the press conference, the House Judiciary Committee held its first hearing on the legislation, which featured testimony from gun violence survivors in the Chicago area. Representative Morgan also introduced a resolution honoring the Highland Park municipality and first responders following the mass shooting there.
“We must act now to address gun violence decisively and effectively and pass the Protect Illinois Communities Act,” said Rep. Morgan. “My community is still reeling from the horrifying Highland Park mass shooting–and communities across Illinois are suffering from rampant gun violence in their own neighborhoods. Today is the day we all stand together to say enough is enough.”
At the press conference prior to the hearing, Representative Morgan, State Representative LaShawn Ford, State Representative Maura Hirschauer, gun violence survivor and chapter lead of Moms Demand Action Mary Dieudonne-Hill, gun violence survivor Gwin Baxter, and gun violence survivor Conttina Patterson spoke about the importance of passing the Protect Illinois Communities Act to prevent the tragedy of gun violence from impacting more families across Illinois. They were joined by members of Bright Star Community Outreach, The Sisterhood, Moms Demand Action, the Everytown Survivor Network, Students Demand Action, and survivors from Highland Park.
“No parent should ever experience the pain I have endured in losing my child to gun violence,” said Mary Dieudonne-Hill, survivor fellow with the Everytown survivor network and volunteer with the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We need to act with urgency in passing this package to save our children’s lives.”
The Protect Illinois Communities Act, introduced by Representative Morgan earlier this month, includes legislation that would ban assault weapons, 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.
“We haven’t forgotten about the mass shooting in East Garfield Park on October 31st. I am proud to show support today for victims and survivors whose voices have been overlooked,” said Pastor Cornelius Parks of the Good Hope Free Will Baptist Church in East Garfield Park. “It’s all hands on deck to pass this bill.”
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.
