Weekly Spotlight 8/9/25 – 8/16/25
Illinois’ Governor Signs Bill That Will Change Standards Of Safe Gun Ownership
Last week, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Safe Gun Storage Act into law, marking a sizable shift in the state’s regulation of firearm storage. The law, which takes effect January 1, 2026, mandates secure storage of firearms in homes or where minors could access them and introduces escalating civil fines for violations, reaching up to $10,000 in some cases.
Under the new law, gun owners are required to store firearms in a locked container or with a locking device whenever a minor, prohibited person, or someone deemed “at risk of harm” could gain access. This applies not only in households with children but broadly to any environment where an unauthorized person could encounter a firearm.
Additionally, the window for reporting a lost or stolen firearm will shrink from 72 to 48 hours and repeat failures to report may result in the revocation of the owner’s FOID card – effectively disqualifying them from possessing firearms.
Governor Pritzker defended the measure as a “common-sense” step to prevent avoidable tragedies. However, several aspects of the bil are intentionally vague and legally problematic.
As State Representative Chris Miller has noted, the new law punishes responsible gun owners rather than criminals. Additionally, State Representative Kyle Moore highlighted unclear language around lawful scenarios like traveling or hunting with youth participants, warning that the new law may open the door to unintended penalties and legal confusion.
The legislation also includes a separate mandate requiring all Illinois law enforcement agencies to participate in the ATF’s eTrace system. While framed as a public safety tool to track firearms used in crimes, this mandate will expand federal oversight and data collection without due process protections.
Illinois gun owners should be aware that this law will alter what defines safe and responsible gun ownership through the lens of firearms storage and reporting. Understanding your responsibilities under the new law is crucial in ensuring safety and mitigating potential penalties and fines.
OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
The Truth About Guns (California): California Still Enforcing Ammo Background Check Law After 9th Circuit Court Ruling
Despite the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruling California’s law requiring background checks for ammunition purchases to be unconstitutional, gun owners in the Golden State are still having to live with the onerous provision. On July 24, the court ruled in the case Rhode v. Bonta that the ammo background check law violated the Second Amendment’s protection of the right to keep and bear arms, and affirmed a district court’s order granting a permanent injunction against enforcement of the law.
Campus Safety Magazine (North Carolina): North Carolina’s HB 193 Allows Concealed Handguns On Private School Grounds
Starting December 1, private schools in North Carolina will be legally permitted to grant permission for teachers, employees, and volunteers to carry concealed handguns or stun guns on school property. The change follows the enactment of House Bill 193 (HB 193), which Republican lawmakers passed after overriding a veto by Democratic Governor Josh Stein. HB 193 introduces a significant shift in state policy by granting private schools the option to allow certain personnel to carry concealed firearms within school premises, reports the News & Observer. This includes teachers, staff, and approved volunteers, provided they meet the following criteria.
USA Carry: Mexico’s $10 Billion Gun Lawsuit Rejected By U.S. Supreme Court
Without any doubt, gun violence in Mexico is a deeply rooted and very complex problem, with many influencing factors. Such complex and interdependent factors that affect the issue are organized crime, Mexican drug cartels, an overall inefficient and biased Mexican justice system, socioeconomic differences, cultural differences, the existence of undocumented firearms from internal and external sources, gun trafficking, and the availability of illicit guns from the United States.
Bloomberg Law: Gun Advocates Target Registration Rules After Tax Repeal
Federal registration requirements for short-barreled rifles, shotguns, and silencers should be struck down as unconstitutional following Congress’ elimination of an excise tax on those weapons, a coalition of gun rights groups argued in a new lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed a federal trial court in Missouri, targets federal requirements enacted as part of a Great Depression-era gun control law passed partly in response to the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and other gang violence.
###