Posted on Nov 10, 2023
Illinois advocates angered by delay in passing 'Karina's Bill'
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Advocates had high hopes the Illinois General Assembly would pass a bill this week making it easier to get guns out of the hands of people accused of domestic violence.
But late Tuesday, the Senate president released a statement saying there likely would be no action on “Karina’s Bill,” named after Karina Gonzalez who was shot to death in her Little Village home allegedly by her husband despite an order of protection.
A spokesman for Senate President Don Harmon said several issues with the bill, including questions of enforcement, had not been resolved in time to act on the measure during the veto session.
“Upon reviewing the proposal, there were significant underlying problems,” John Patterson told the Sun-Times. “Senate President Harmon looks forward to continuing to work with ... advocates to position an effective Karina’s Law for approval in the spring.”
Advocates reacted angrily to the delay and said it could cost lives.
“There’s no excuse for their lack of action or inactivity,” said Amanda Pyron of the Network, a coalition of advocacy groups for victims of domestic violence. “There’s no reason that they couldn’t call this bill and save additional lives in Illinois, and they simply chose not to.”
State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, the lead sponsor of the bill when it passed the House, was also puzzled and discouraged.
But late Tuesday, the Senate president released a statement saying there likely would be no action on “Karina’s Bill,” named after Karina Gonzalez who was shot to death in her Little Village home allegedly by her husband despite an order of protection.
A spokesman for Senate President Don Harmon said several issues with the bill, including questions of enforcement, had not been resolved in time to act on the measure during the veto session.
“Upon reviewing the proposal, there were significant underlying problems,” John Patterson told the Sun-Times. “Senate President Harmon looks forward to continuing to work with ... advocates to position an effective Karina’s Law for approval in the spring.”
Advocates reacted angrily to the delay and said it could cost lives.
“There’s no excuse for their lack of action or inactivity,” said Amanda Pyron of the Network, a coalition of advocacy groups for victims of domestic violence. “There’s no reason that they couldn’t call this bill and save additional lives in Illinois, and they simply chose not to.”
State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, the lead sponsor of the bill when it passed the House, was also puzzled and discouraged.
Illinois advocates angered by delay in passing 'Karina's Bill'
Posted from stlpr.org
Firearms and Guns
Domestic Violence
Violence
Posted 6 mo ago
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It's always "just one more law" that is going to fix the problem.
The existing law against murder didn't stop him
The existing law prohibiting him from possessing a firearm didn't stop him
But one more law surely would have prevented him from illegally having a gun and illegally using it to illegally murder her.
The existing law against murder didn't stop him
The existing law prohibiting him from possessing a firearm didn't stop him
But one more law surely would have prevented him from illegally having a gun and illegally using it to illegally murder her.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."A spokesman for Senate President Don Harmon said several issues with the bill, including questions of enforcement, had not been resolved in time to act on the measure during the veto session.
“Upon reviewing the proposal, there were significant underlying problems,” John Patterson told the Sun-Times. “Senate President Harmon looks forward to continuing to work with ... advocates to position an effective Karina’s Law for approval in the spring.”
Advocates reacted angrily to the delay and said it could cost lives.
“There’s no excuse for their lack of action or inactivity,” said Amanda Pyron of the Network, a coalition of advocacy groups for victims of domestic violence. “There’s no reason that they couldn’t call this bill and save additional lives in Illinois, and they simply chose not to.”
State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, the lead sponsor of the bill when it passed the House, was also puzzled and discouraged.
“Advocates have been working on this issue for years,” Hirschauer told the Sun-Times. “ We worked really hard to pass it out of the House in the spring, and as it sat in the Senate, Karina Gonzalez and her daughter died.
“There are real consequences to our actions here in Springfield,” she said.
The bill would require law enforcement to remove firearms when serving an emergency order of protection. It would also clarify language allowing judges to issue a search warrant when ordering the removal of a gun in such cases.
Currently, an order of protection revokes a person’s firearm owner’s identification card, and survivors can request a firearm be removed. But Pyron and other advocates have said enforcement is inconsistent in Illinois and “often inadequate.”
The bill aims to strengthen the current law by requiring judges to issue a gun seizure order along with an order of protection, and mandating law enforcement serve the order and seize the weapon within 48 hours."...
..."A spokesman for Senate President Don Harmon said several issues with the bill, including questions of enforcement, had not been resolved in time to act on the measure during the veto session.
“Upon reviewing the proposal, there were significant underlying problems,” John Patterson told the Sun-Times. “Senate President Harmon looks forward to continuing to work with ... advocates to position an effective Karina’s Law for approval in the spring.”
Advocates reacted angrily to the delay and said it could cost lives.
“There’s no excuse for their lack of action or inactivity,” said Amanda Pyron of the Network, a coalition of advocacy groups for victims of domestic violence. “There’s no reason that they couldn’t call this bill and save additional lives in Illinois, and they simply chose not to.”
State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, the lead sponsor of the bill when it passed the House, was also puzzled and discouraged.
“Advocates have been working on this issue for years,” Hirschauer told the Sun-Times. “ We worked really hard to pass it out of the House in the spring, and as it sat in the Senate, Karina Gonzalez and her daughter died.
“There are real consequences to our actions here in Springfield,” she said.
The bill would require law enforcement to remove firearms when serving an emergency order of protection. It would also clarify language allowing judges to issue a search warrant when ordering the removal of a gun in such cases.
Currently, an order of protection revokes a person’s firearm owner’s identification card, and survivors can request a firearm be removed. But Pyron and other advocates have said enforcement is inconsistent in Illinois and “often inadequate.”
The bill aims to strengthen the current law by requiring judges to issue a gun seizure order along with an order of protection, and mandating law enforcement serve the order and seize the weapon within 48 hours."...
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