State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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[ House Amendment 001 ]

91_HB0225

 
                                              LRB9100568RCksA

 1        AN ACT in relation to firearms.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  1.  Short  title.   This Act may be cited as the
 5    Firearms Dealer Licensing Act.

 6        Section 5.  Definitions.  As used in this Act:
 7        "Department" means the Department of State Police.
 8        "Firearms dealer" means any person who is: (i) engaged in
 9    the business of selling firearms at wholesale or retail, (ii)
10    engaged in the business of repairing firearms or of making or
11    fitting special barrels, stocks,  or  trigger  mechanisms  to
12    firearms,  or (iii) a pawnbroker whose business or occupation
13    includes the taking or receiving, by way of pledge  or  pawn,
14    of  any  firearm  as security for the payment or repayment of
15    money.
16        "Licensed  dealer"  means  any  firearms  dealer  who  is
17    licensed under both this Act and Section 923 of  the  federal
18    Gun Control Act of 1968 (18 U.S.C. 923).
19        "Person" means an individual, firm, association, society,
20    partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or other
21    entity.
22        "Crime  punishable  by  imprisonment for a term exceeding
23    one year" does not include:
24             (i) any federal  or  state  offenses  pertaining  to
25        antitrust  violations, unfair trade practices, restraints
26        of trade, or  other  similar  offenses  relating  to  the
27        regulation of business practices, or
28             (ii) any state offense classified by the laws of the
29        state  as  a  misdemeanor  and  punishable  by  a term of
30        imprisonment of 2 years or less.
31        What constitutes a conviction of a  crime  punishable  by
 
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 1    imprisonment   for   a  term  exceeding  one  year  shall  be
 2    determined in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction  in
 3    which  the  proceedings  were  held.  Any conviction that has
 4    been expunged, set aside, or for  which  a  person  has  been
 5    pardoned  or  has  had  civil  rights  restored  shall not be
 6    considered a conviction for purposes of this Act  unless  the
 7    pardon, expungement, or restoration of civil rights expressly
 8    provides that the person may not possess or receive firearms.
 9        "Engaged  in  the  business"  means  a person who devotes
10    time, attention, and labor to engaging in the activity  as  a
11    regular  course  of  trade  or  business  with  the principal
12    objective of livelihood and profit, but does  not  include  a
13    person  who  makes  occasional  repairs  of  firearms, or who
14    occasionally  fits  special  barrels,  stocks,   or   trigger
15    mechanisms to firearms.
16        "With  the  principal objective of livelihood and profit"
17    means that the intent underlying the sale or  disposition  of
18    firearms  is  predominantly  one  of obtaining livelihood and
19    pecuniary  gain,  as  opposed  to  other  intents,  such   as
20    improving  or  liquidating  a  personal  firearms collection;
21    however, proof of profit shall not be required as to a person
22    who engages  in  the  regular  and  repetitive  purchase  and
23    disposition of firearms for criminal purposes or terrorism.
24        "Terrorism" means activity directed against United States
25    residents that:
26             (i)  is  committed  by  an  individual  who is not a
27        national  or  permanent  resident  alien  of  the  United
28        States;
29             (ii) involves violent  acts  or  acts  dangerous  to
30        human   life  that  would  be  a  criminal  violation  if
31        committed within the jurisdiction of the  United  States;
32        and
33             (iii) is intended:
34                  (A)   to   intimidate   or  coerce  a  civilian
 
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 1             population;
 2                  (B) to influence the policy of a government  by
 3             intimidation or coercion; or
 4                  (C)  to  affect  the conduct of a government by
 5             assassination or kidnapping.
 6        "Indictment" includes an indictment or information in any
 7    court under which a crime punishable by  imprisonment  for  a
 8    term exceeding one year may be prosecuted.
 9        "Fugitive  from justice" means a person who has fled from
10    any state to avoid prosecution for a crime or to avoid giving
11    testimony in any criminal proceeding.
12        "Firearm" has the meaning ascribed to it in  Section  1.1
13    of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.
14        "Adjudicated as a disabled person" means adjudicated as a
15    disabled  person under the Probate Act of 1975 or the laws of
16    another state.
17        "Cannabis" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Cannabis
18    Control Act.
19        "Controlled substance" has the meaning ascribed to it  in
20    the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.

21        Section 10.  Unlicensed firearms dealer; prohibition.  No
22    person  may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or
23    transfer, or have in his or her  possession  with  intent  to
24    sell  or  transfer  any  firearm without being licensed under
25    this Act.  This prohibition does not apply to  a  person  who
26    makes  occasional  sales, exchanges, or purchases of firearms
27    for the enhancement of a personal collection or as a hobby or
28    who sells all or part of his or her  personal  collection  of
29    firearms.

30        Section 15.  License application; requirements; penalty.
31        (a) The Department may grant a firearms dealer license to
32    an applicant who submits evidence that:
 
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 1             (1) he or she is at least 21 years of age;
 2             (2)   he   or  she,  including  in  the  case  of  a
 3        corporation, partnership, or association,  an  individual
 4        possessing,  directly  or indirectly, the power to direct
 5        or cause the direction of the management and policies  of
 6        the corporation, partnership, or association:
 7                  (i)  has not been convicted of and is not under
 8             indictment for a crime  punishable  by  imprisonment
 9             for a term exceeding one year;
10                  (ii) is not a fugitive from justice;
11                  (iii)  is not and has not been an unlawful user
12             of  or  addicted  to  a  controlled   substance   or
13             cannabis;
14                  (iv)  has  not  been  adjudicated as a disabled
15             person or committed to a mental institution;
16                  (v) is not an alien, illegally  or  unlawfully,
17             in the United States;
18                  (vi)   has  not  been discharged from the Armed
19             Forces under dishonorable conditions; or
20                  (vii)  is not a former citizen  of  the  United
21             States who has renounced his or her citizenship; and
22             (3)  he or she does not have a mental condition that
23        poses  a  clear  and  present  danger  to  the applicant,
24        another person, or to the  community.   For  purposes  of
25        this subdivision (3), "mental condition" means a state of
26        mind  manifested  by  violent,  suicidal, threatening, or
27        assaultive behavior.
28        (b) An application for a firearms dealer license shall be
29    made on forms furnished by the Department.   The  application
30    shall  be  verified  by the applicant under oath and shall be
31    accompanied by the required fee.
32        (c) The  applicant  shall  submit  to  the  Department  a
33    license fee of $1,000.
34        (d)  The  applicant  shall  submit  to  fingerprinting in
 
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 1    accordance with rules adopted by the Department and shall pay
 2    a fingerprint  processing  fee  in  the  amount  set  by  the
 3    Department by rule.
 4        (e)  A  person  who  knowingly makes a false statement or
 5    knowingly conceals a material fact or uses false  information
 6    or identification in any application for a license under this
 7    Act commits a Class A misdemeanor.
 8        (f)  A  license  granted  under  this Act shall remain in
 9    effect until it is revoked, suspended, or otherwise withdrawn
10    by the Department or until it is surrendered by the licensee.
11        (g)  The provisions  of  subdivision  (a)(2)(ii)  do  not
12    apply   to   a  person  who  has  been  granted  relief  from
13    disabilities under subsection (c) of Section 925 of Title  18
14    of  the  United  States  Code  or to a licensed dealer who is
15    indicted for a crime  who  is  operating  under  an  existing
16    license if, before the expiration of the term of the existing
17    license,  timely application is made for a new license during
18    the term of the indictment and until any conviction under the
19    indictment becomes final.

20        Section 20.  License retention; requirements.  A  license
21    granted  under  this  Act  shall  be  subject  to  all of the
22    following requirements:
23        (1)  A licensed dealer shall only transact business under
24    this Act at an address that has a zoning classification  that
25    permits the operation of a retail establishment.
26        (2)  A  licensed  dealer may not transact business in any
27    place other  than  the  premises  specified  in  his  or  her
28    license,  except that a licensed dealer may display, sell, or
29    transfer firearms at a gun show open to the general public or
30    at any regular meeting of an incorporated collectors club  in
31    accordance with this Act and federal law.
32        (3)  A licensed dealer shall not violate any provision of
33    any federal or state law pertaining to the  possession,  use,
 
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 1    sale, or delivery of firearms.
 2        (4)  The  licensed  dealer  shall  strictly adhere to the
 3    provisions of all applicable federal and state laws and local
 4    ordinances and local business license requirements.
 5        (5)  A  separate  license  shall  be  obtained  for  each
 6    separate place of business.  Before a licensed  dealer  moves
 7    his  or her place of business, he or she shall promptly apply
 8    to the Department for an amended license.
 9        (6) The license, or a copy of the  license  certified  by
10    the  Department,  shall  be  displayed  on  the premises at a
11    location where it can easily be read.
12        (7) No firearm shall be displayed in any outer window  of
13    the  premises  or  in any other place where it can readily be
14    seen from the outside.
15        (8)  Every firearm shall be unloaded when delivered.
16        (9)   The  licensee  shall  obtain   a   certificate   of
17    registration issued under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act.
18        (10)   The  licensee shall take reasonable precautions to
19    ensure that the firearms the licensee sells will not be  used
20    illegally.   These  precautions  shall  include,  but  not be
21    limited to:  (i) the refusal to sell a firearm  to  a  person
22    the  licensee  knows  or has reason to know is purchasing the
23    firearm on behalf of another person  who  could  not  legally
24    purchase the firearm; (ii) the refusal to sell a firearm to a
25    person  who  has provided a home address in a municipality or
26    county in  which  possession  of  that  type  of  firearm  is
27    illegal;  and (iii) the refusal to sell a firearm to a person
28    who has provided a home address in a municipality  or  county
29    that   requires  registration  of  the  firearm,  unless  the
30    purchaser presents satisfactory evidence of  compliance  with
31    the registration requirement.
32        (11)   The  licensee  shall make available the licensee's
33    records to any officer or employee of the  Department  or  of
34    any  unit  of  local  government  in  this State whenever the
 
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 1    officer  or  employee  is  authorized  to  enforce  laws   or
 2    ordinances pertaining to firearms.
 3        (12)   The  licensee  shall  have  in effect at all times
 4    liability insurance in the amount of at least $1,000,000 that
 5    insures the payment of any judgment against the licensee.

 6        Section 25. Enforcement; revocation;  notice.   This  Act
 7    shall be enforced by the Department, and may be enforced, for
 8    the  purpose  of determining compliance with this Act, by any
 9    municipality in which the licensee  is  located  or,  if  the
10    licensee  is  not located in a municipality, by the county in
11    which the licensee is located.   The  Department,  after  due
12    notice  to  the  licensee  and reasonable opportunity for the
13    licensee to be heard, may revoke a license or may  suspend  a
14    license  for  a  period  of time that the Department may deem
15    proper upon satisfactory proof that the licensee has violated
16    or permitted a violation of any requirement of this Act or is
17    no longer eligible to obtain a license under Section  15.   A
18    person  whose  license  has been revoked by the Department is
19    disqualified to receive a license  for  10  years  after  the
20    revocation.  Any person who has substantially participated in
21    the  operation  or  management of a licensee that has had its
22    license revoked may not be employed by or participate in  the
23    business  of  any  other  licensee  for  10  years  after the
24    revocation.  Proceedings for revocation or  suspension  under
25    this  Section  may  be  initiated  by  the Department or by a
26    municipality or county.

27        Section 30.  Submission to Department.  A licensed dealer
28    shall, within 24 hours after making a sale or transfer  of  a
29    firearm  to  a person who is not licensed as a dealer, report
30    that sale to the Department  of  State  Police.   The  report
31    shall contain the following information: the date of the sale
32    or  transfer;  the  identity  and  address of the dealer; the
 
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 1    name, address, age and  occupation  of  the  transferee;  the
 2    price of the firearm; the kind, description and number of the
 3    firearm;  and  the purpose for which the firearm is obtained.
 4    All records of  such  reports  shall  be  maintained  by  the
 5    Department  on  a  computer  database capable of allowing the
 6    retrieval of information for each dealer and each transferee.
 7    Information in the database shall be made  available  to  any
 8    law enforcement agency responsible for the enforcement of any
 9    federal,   State  or  local  law  or  ordinance  relating  to
10    firearms, and to any licensed dealer who requests information
11    relating to a person who is seeking to purchase one  or  more
12    firearms from that dealer.
13        In  addition  to  any other requirements of this Section,
14    any licensee who was required by Section  3  of  the  Firearm
15    Owners Identification Card Act to keep a record of a transfer
16    of a firearm occurring within the 24 month period immediately
17    preceding  the effective date of this Act must, no later than
18    30 days after that effective date, report those transfers  to
19    the  Department of State Police.  The report must contain the
20    information  required  to  be  maintained  as  records  under
21    subsection  (b)  of  Section  3   of   the   Firearm   Owners
22    Identification  Card  Act.   The  Department must include the
23    records of those reports in the computer database required to
24    be maintained under this Section.

25        Section 35.  Penalty.  Any firearms dealer who sells,  or
26    who  possesses  with  intent to sell, trade, or transfer, any
27    firearm without being licensed under this Act is guilty of  a
28    Class 4 felony.

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