In 2024, gun related deaths were 3% lower in Illinois than the overall rate for the US. So, Uncle Pritzker has signed yet more legislation stipulating how people are to behave.
Starting January 1, Illinois gun owners have yet more stricter requirements under the state’s theory that the new Safe Gun Storage Act, will reduce accidental shootings and teen suicides.
The law requires firearms to be stored in a locked container or secured with a tamper-resistant device whenever minors, at-risk individuals, or anyone prohibited from owning a gun could access them. Owners must also report lost or stolen firearms within 48 hours, down from the previous 72-hour window.
Violations carry tiered penalties:
- $500 for failing to secure a firearm
- $1,000 if someone gains access
- $10,000 if the gun is used in a crime, suicide, or causes injury
The implication is that Illinois gun owners need to be legislated into behaving with their gun ownership, since they are incapable of doing it without big government telling them how.
Supporters of the law state the this addresses a major risk factor: studies show nearly half of gun owners don’t lock up all their firearms, and 82% of teen suicides involve a family member’s gun.
With an Illinois conceal carry license, I admit my gun is seldom locked up. The idea behind the license is to have immediate access to the firearm. Where the firearm suicide rate decreases, the suffocation suicide rate increases, according to a report from the CDC.
We need to find a way to better diagnosis and prevent the pressures that create the thoughts of suicide more than penalize gun owners.