NRA-drafted Senate Bill 3002 and Senate Bill 2992 have been place on the agenda in their respective Senate Committees. 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants a statewide gun registry in Illinois, an idea some lawmakers quickly dismissed Thursday as ineffective and an insult to gun owners. The proposal would require anyone who buys a handgun to pay a $65 registration fee. To register a gun, a purchaser would need to provide his name, address and phone number, along with the weapon’s manufacturer and serial number and the place and date of purchase. The registry would be in addition to the firearm ownership standards all gun owners must already meet.

Every so often, a local news story about a victim of crime goes national. Most recently, it was Sarah McKinley, 18, home alone with her 3 month old son, a few days after Sarah’s husband had died of lung cancer. Two men apparently looking to steal pain medicine prescribed for the husband broke in. Sarah grabbed a shotgun and a pistol and killed Justin Martin as he forced entry into her home. How often do such incidents happen? While the results from studies vary, the numbers are large. The National Crime Victimization Survey, for various procedural reasons, is at the low end, showing 108,000 such cases a year (although this was some years back, when crime rates were higher than now). The widely reported Kleck/Gertz study, which has its own set of problems, showed a range of 830,000 to 2.45 million defensive gun uses per year. Other studies have fallen solidly in the middle, with hundreds of thousands of defensive gun uses per year.

The panel held its first hearing on House Bill 679 with witnesses for and against but did not vote. The measure by Rep. Jason Spencer, R Woodbine, would allow anyone who can legally own a gun to carry one without having to get a permit from a county probate judge.

The measure was approved last year by the House. Its passage by a 10-5 vote in the Senate Finance Committee sends it to the full Senate, where supporters predict it will pass. Gov. Mark Dayton said he hadn’t decided yet if he would sign or veto the bill. The provision, known as the castle doctrine, allows the use of deadly force with a weapon if people believe they are in imminent danger while defending a dwelling.

The debate over U.S. gun laws and Mexican drug violence brings to mind Mark Twain’s famous quip about lies, damned lies, and statistics. In a recent editorial, the Washington Post blamed American policies for exacerbating the bloodshed, pointing out that “70 to 80 percent of the traceable guns seized in Mexico can be tracked to the United States.” The key word there is “traceable.” While it’s true that most of the traceable guns originated north of the border, those weapons represent a very small portion of total Mexican gun seizures.

Legislation that would allow homeowners to use any degree of force, even lethal, against intruders without threat of criminal or civil charges has passed the House of Delegates.

For over a year now I have been investigating Fast and Furious, an operation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This has been a complicated investigation. It’s been made even more difficult because of the Justice Department’s lack of candor and transparency. The Justice Department is stonewalling, interfering with Congress’ constitutional responsibility of oversight.