CHICAGO, Ill. (WCIA) — Governor JB Pritzker signed HB4383 into law, banning the sale and possession of so-called ‘ghost guns’ statewide.
According to officials, ‘ghost guns’ refer to unserialized, privately made firearms that are often sold as a set of parts to be assembled at home, allowing prohibited purchasers to circumvent background checks. Ghost guns cannot be traced by conventional means and can be created on a 3-D printer, leaving no record of their ownership.
“The people creating, selling and purchasing these firearms know that they are 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. “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.”
Officials stated that because ghost guns are cheaper and easier to acquire than conventional firearms, they are more accessible to young people. This month, at least two Illinois teenagers were charged with possession of ghost guns, including one case where a loaded ghost gun was brought to a high school. ISP has worked on 28 cases concerning ghost guns in May of 2022 alone.
HB4383 is another sensible gun safety measure implemented by Governor Pritzker’s administration as part of a holistic, multi-pronged approach to violence prevention.
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) stated, “Those using ghost guns are subverting requirements that help keep the public safe and that responsible, law-abiding gun owners follow. This law closes that loophole and ensures everyone follows the same set of rules.”
“Untraceable guns are a rapidly growing threat to our communities and law enforcement,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “I’m proud to see Illinois become the first state in the Midwest to ban ghost guns, and to keep these weapons out of the hands of dangerous criminals.”
“With fatal gun tragedy always on our heels in today’s society, it is extremely important –now more than ever –that our state address one of its deadliest public safety concerns,” said State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago). “With this law banning ghost guns and recent investments in our communities, Illinois families are one step closer to having safer environments.”
“The pain of losing my two children never goes away, but it also motivates me to take action to advocate for laws to stop the senseless and preventable gun violence that destroys too many families and communities,” said Delphine Cherry, founder of the TY Foundation (Tender Youth), mother, survivor and advocate. “I am proud to be here today to see Governor Pritzker sign a bill into law that bans ghost guns immediately and it requires existing ones to be serialized and traceable. It breaks my heart to see other mothers go through what I have. I have a message for them: be strong and know that you have an entire city and community of survivor parents behind you.”
