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March 6
, 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 Representative TODAY and ask them to vote "Yes" on HB0772. The Lethal Violence Order of Protection Act (LVOP) was added to this bill as an amendment. The IL Senate has passed it on a vote of 40-14. It is likely to be called in the IL House this week.
Find contact information for your IL House Representative at http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
WHY IT MATTERS:
- An immediate family member or law enforcement may petition a court for a 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; has 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 a LVOP must also take custody of any firearm or other deadly weapon in plain sight;
- The court must electronically notify state and local authorities within one court day of issuing an LVOP;
- Imposes penalties for abuse of the process: a criminal penalty for anyone who files a petition falsely.
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