(The Center Square) – Mental health and firearms violence was the focus of a subject matter hearing Wednesday at the Illinois Statehouse.
The Illinois House Gun Violence Prevention Committee met to discuss several measures, including allowing for certain individuals to get their Firearm Owner’s ID Card back after a mental health evaluation.
Committee chairwoman, state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, said they hope to address issues impacting communities.
“We are not evaluating or judging, but instead we are looking at access to guns in our system and the policies that we currently have in place that aim to protect people in crisis from harming themselves or others,” Hirschauer said.
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, said they’re ready to collaborate, but within limits.
“I look forward to finding ways we can reduce violence in our society while at the same time respecting the constitutional rights of Americans,” he said.
State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, said the issue is crucial.
“We do too much in Springfield in haste and under duress and on a topic like this that people feel so, so strongly about in every corner of Illinois and on a topic like this that has literally life and death consequences in every corner of Illinois,” she said.
Illinois State Rifle Association’s Ed Sullivan said the gun owners’ lobby is willing to work together to get things right.
“We can make things safer so people that truly are dangerous are not going to have firearms because obviously we don’t want suicides,” Sullivan said. “We don’t want the problems.”
The committee also discussed policies around restraining orders. Legislators didn’t advance legislation during the subject matter hearing.
