Illinois Becomes First State in the Midwest to Ban Ghost Guns
Chicago, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch joined Democratic colleagues on Wednesday as Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 4383 into law, which bans the sale and possession of untraceable "ghost guns” in Illinois.
“Untraceable guns are a rapidly growing threat to our communities and law enforcement,” said Speaker Welch. “I’m proud to see Illinois become the first state in the Midwest to ban ghost guns, and take proper steps to keep these weapons out of the hands of dangerous criminals.”
‘Ghost guns’ are weapons that can be assembled at home using parts that are sold separately online or in stores. These privately made firearms allow purchasers to circumvent background checks and can even be created using a 3-D printer. Because they cannot be traced, these guns make it exceedingly difficult for law enforcement to solve gun crimes.
“Cracking down on unregistered firearms is an essential step to putting an end to the epidemic of gun violence in our state,” said Representative Kambium Buckner (D-Chicago), the House sponsor. “Make no mistake, the only people who need their guns to be untraceable are people planning to commit crimes. These ruthless, calculated shootings cannot continue. I thank the Governor for his leadership in the effort to make our communities safer by signing this all-important bill into law.”
Already in May of 2022, the Illinois State Police have worked on dozens of cases concerning ghost guns. Additionally, because these guns are easier to acquire and more affordable, they are much more accessible to teens. In the shootings involving ghost guns across the country this year, 60% have been perpetrated by teenagers.
As Illinois becomes a trailblazer in the fight to crack down on these unserialized weapons, President Joe Biden is also making a national push to “rein in the proliferation of ghost guns.” This legislation is another step forward to ensure policy makers are working diligently to keep communities safe.