HR1188 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1188 LRB098 21583 GRL 60307 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The proliferation of illegally-acquired firearms are destroying lives and hurting the public perception of the City of Chicago and our State, which has had a detrimental effect on our economy; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Police Department recovered more than 50,000 illegal guns between 2001 and 2012; and

WHEREAS, In 2012, 87% of murders committed in the City of Chicago were caused by gun violence; in 2013, 1,864 shootings occurred within the City; and

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly must do all that we can to ensure that the City of Chicago and the State at large are safe and stable places for our citizens to live, work, and play; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the House Illegal Gun Trafficking Task Force to develop a bold and comprehensive plan, including legislative proposals, to disrupt the flow of illegal guns in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall assess the following measures:

(1) the necessary levels of coordination, funding, and interdepartmental and State/federal cooperation for effective gun trafficking interdiction;

(2) the legal framework necessary for getting guns off the streets, including the examination of current gunrunning, straw purchasing, and unlicensed dealer penalties and their interaction with city, State, and federal policies; and

(3) the feasibility of Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and Department of Justice anti-violence programs that have worked in other similarly situated states and cities, including after-school programs and job readiness, that are peer-reviewed and cost-effective; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall be appointed by the Speaker and Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives in equal numbers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois State Police shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings to the General Assembly on or before November 1, 2014; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we declare an Illegal Gun Trafficking State of Emergency in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of this body recognize the inextricable links between illegal guns, gangs, and drugs and urge the members of the Task Force to work with existing Task Forces like the House Task Force on Heroin Crisis to combat this growing menace; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.