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February 25, 2018
FROM:
Bonnie Cox, LWVIL President
Hilary Denk and Heather Cunningham, LWVIL Issues Co-chairs
Mary Klonowski and Barbara Marsh, LWVIL Issue Specialists, Gun Violence Prevention
ACTION NEEDED:
Call your IL Senator and Representative to support the Lethal Violence Order of Protection (LVOP), SB559 (for Senator), and HB2354 (for your Representative).
This bill empowers immediate family members who are concerned about a loved one hurting themselves or others to petition the courts to remove firearms for a limited amount of time.
Find contact information for your State Legislator at http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
WHY IT MATTERS:
- An immediate family member or law enforcement official may petition a court for an LVOP.
- A court may issue an LVOP if there is a substantial likelihood that a person will, in the near future, cause personal injury to him- or herself or others by owning or possessing a firearm. The court may consider evidence of whether the person has made a recent threat or committed a recent act of violence directed at him- or herself or another; violated a protective order of any kind; been convicted of a violent offense; or engaged in a pattern or violent acts or threats within the past 12 months.
- A court may restrain an individual from purchasing or possessing guns for up to one year.
- A court is authorized to issue a warrant for any firearms in the person's possession.
- A restrained person must immediately surrender all firearms in his or her possession. The law enforcement officer serving an LVOP must also take custody of any firearm or other deadly weapon in plain sight.
- A court must electronically notify state and local authorities within one court day of issuing an LVOP.
- A criminal penalty is imposed for anyone who files a petition known to be false.
The Facts:
- 80% of people considering suicide give some sign of their intention.
- 38 out of 62 mass shooters in the last twenty years were reported as displaying signs of dangerousness prior to killings.
California, Oregon and Washington have enacted this measure.
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