#ouronejob

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Governor Pritzker Signs Gun Dealer Certification Bill SB 337

This week’s blog is written by Dion McGill, SCY Communications and Community Outreach Manager 

Yesterday, Several members of the Strengthening Chicago’s Youth staff and myself had the pleasure of joining many of our friends and colleagues in the gun violence prevention community as Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed SB 337, The Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act.  

The signing event was a packed house, with a bevy of gun violence prevention champions.  Speakers at the event included, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, States Attorney Kim Foxx, IL Attorney General Kwame Raul, IL Representative Kathleen Willis, IL Senator Don Harmon, and Governor J.B. Pritzker. The event was held at Young Elementary School in the Austin neighborhood of the city.  

SB 337,  The Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act, will reduce the number of illegal guns and gun crime in Illinois by requiring background checks for gun shop employees, allowing law enforcement to inspect gun stores, and requiring video security to prevent theft.

Every day, children in Illinois are exposed to violence in their communities, schools and homes, and the effects of exposure to violence can last throughout a lifetime. Additionally, firearm injuries are a leading cause of death for Illinois children. As a former Chicago Public Schools teacher, I know these facts all too well.  My time as a teacher is actually what got me involved and invested in the gun violence prevention movement.  

Growing up in the Roseland community of Chicago, I am no stranger to gun violence.  However, as I’ve become an adult, I realize how fortunate I was that my parents kept me fairly well insulated from the realities of gun violence that were abound in our community.  Unfortunately, I’ve encountered many students who were not as fortunate.  I can vividly recall a student coming into class one day with a sling on his arm, and after asking him what happened, the student recounted that he’d been shot the previous day while at the local park.  This grew into a broader conversation in which several students admitted to being witnesses to the event.  

As a veteran who spent time in Afghanistan, I can relate to stories of witnessing excessively violent acts.  However, that is not a story I want to hear from a 14 year old.  Unfortunately, events like this can often be daily occurrences, further traumatizing the youth subjected to them.  

Gun violence in Chicago is further exacerbated by the high rate of illegal firearm trafficking that occurs in our state. As reported by many news outlets around the release of the Chicago Gun Trace Report, a majority of guns used in Chicago crimes come from outside Illinois. Research from the University of Chicago Crime Lab, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, and other institutions has shown how the illegal trafficking of firearms is a major contributor to the incidence of homicide. In states that license gun dealers, illegal trafficking is substantially reduced.

During the signing event, IL Senator Don Harmon recounted when he first introduced a version of this bill,

“ When I first introduced a version of this bill in 2003, I thought we’d be having this celebration a little sooner. 16 years is a long time to wait, and we should celebrate, but there's more work to be done. I'm committed to continuing this fight.”

He went on to say, 

During 16 years of political dithering, how many children have we lost? We can’t stop with this bill. There’s more work to be done.

States Attorney Kim Foxx also made note during her comments that gun violence is her top priority.  She also said that we must hold elected officials accountable to protect people and not politics.  

Prior to signing the bill, Governor Pritzker wrapped up all of the comments of the morning in saying, 

We’ve taken an important step today with SB 337. Now we need to restore funding for violence interruption. Job creation, trauma informed services and mental health are critical. Need to ban weapons of war!

I couldn’t agree more that this is an important step for Chicago.  As a part of our Focus on Five, common sense approaches to gun violence prevention is a top priority of SCY.  We are excited to continue working with a large variety of partners throughout Chicago to continue fighting the epidemic of gun violence.  Together, anything is possible!

[instapicsil2]

We just got our new t-shirts calling on Gov @brucerauner to sign #SB337 to better regulate gun dealers. Call him today at 312-814-1212 then DM us for your free t-shirt! #OurOneJob #StopGunViolence https://ift.tt/2LVz4OI

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If we can license barber shops, we can license gun dealers. I’m standing with the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, state legislators and advocates to urge @govrauner to sign the Gun Dealer Licensing Bill Today. 🖋#signSB1657 #ouronejob @nogunviolence 📷: Brooke Collins http://ift.tt/2Ild4eN

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Gov. Rauner has our gun safety bill sitting on his desk. He needs to hear from all of us to sign it. Will you send him a message to sign the Gun Dealer Licensing Act now?” http://ift.tt/2Gba3gs #OurOneJob #NeverAgain#SignSB1657 http://ift.tt/2Fw6Abc

[scy-chicago]

Victory for Gun Violence Prevention & the Work Ahead

This week’s posting is written by SCY Policy Manager Leslie Helmcamp on the progress of common sense gun law reform made recently in Springfield.

This week marked a big win for gun violence prevention efforts in Illinois. On Wednesday, the Illinois House passed the Gun Dealer Licensing Act (SB1657) to require gun dealers to implement common sense business practices and obtain licensing that will help curb the flow of illegal guns in the state. This is welcome news to violence prevention advocates and should offer hope to the thousands of Illinois residents affected by gun violence year after year. The bill is now at the Governor’s desk, just one step away from becoming law.

Backed with the momentum from this important victory, advocates must continue to take the message to our elected officials that data and research should inform the debate about common sense gun reform. Contrary to the argument that more guns will make us safer, current research demonstrates that reducing access to guns can save lives. Just this week, the Los Angeles Times highlighted studies that show strong background checks can reduce homicides, suicides, and gun trafficking, and multiple studies show that keeping guns out of the hands of an abusive spouse can reduce intimate-partner homicides.

Gun Dealer Licensing is the best tool we have today to bring our state closer to reducing gun violence. In the coming weeks, all Illinois residents can make their voice heard and urge the Governor to sign SB1657.

TAKE ACTION:

1) Write and call Governor Rauner at (217) 782-0244 to urge him to sign SB1657, a bipartisan bill to keep our communities safe.

2) Write and call to say thank you to each member of the Illinois House who voted yes on SB1657.

[scy-chicago]

Supporting Gun Dealer Licensing to Protect Our Youth

This week’s blog was originally posted on Lurie Children’s Blog. 

Gun violence has a significant impact on our youth. In 2016 in Illinois, 22% of all hospital visits related to gun injuries were for children age 19 years or younger. A recent report released on October 29, 2017 by the City of Chicago, Chicago Police Department and University of Chicago Crime lab shows nearly a quarter of all guns recovered from crime scenes between 2013-2016 in Chicago were sold by just 10 gun dealers, seven of which are located in Illinois.

Lurie Children’s stands together with State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and State Representative Kathleen Willis (D-Addison), Chicago children’s hospitals, statewide child health organizations including the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and violence prevention advocates to urge the passage of Senate Bill 1657. SB 1657 requires licensing of gun dealers by the state to create greater accountability for ensuring they do not contribute to illegal gun trafficking. Senator Harmon and Representative Willis are the chief bill sponsors. The bill passed out of the Illinois Senate in the spring and the House will take action the second week of the veto session which begins November 7, 2017.

“Gun dealer licensing is a strategy that we already know works. 15 states and the District of Columbia currently license gun dealers, and research shows that such requirements result in fewer illegally trafficked firearms within the state,” says Becky Levin, Executive Director of Lurie Children’s violence prevention program Strengthening Chicago’s Youth.

The legislation would require background checks for dealers and their employees, as well as training to prevent what is known as straw purchasing — when a person who is legally able to buy a gun purchases one on behalf of somebody who isn’t a legal buyer — and training on proper security measures. SB 1657 also would allow for videotaping of gun transactions so that straw purchasers can be identified.

“At Lurie Children’s, our one job is to ensure kids’ optimal health. Certainly we do this by providing world class clinical care and conducting cutting edge research. But we also need to provide safe neighborhoods where children can play and be physically active,” says Matt Davis, MD, MAPP, Director Academic General Pediatrics, Director of the Smith Child Health Research, Outreach and Advocacy Center and the Associate Chief Research Officer for Health Services and Policy Research here at Lurie Children’s. “We can help kids be mentally healthy by preventing them from being traumatized by the frequent sound of gunfire, and we can protect children and their families and friends from being shot. SB 1657 will help curb a major source of illegally trafficked firearms from entering our communities where our children live, grow and play.”

[scy-chicago]

Debunking the Gun Lobby’s Favorite Talking Points

We are all reeling from the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas and the senseless loss of innocent lives to preventable gun violence. The call for action is reverberating across our country and the gun lobby, lead by the NRA and gun manufacturers, are fighting back. This week’s blog is focused on a recent post written by the Center for American Progress focusing on the gun lobby’s “core set of dangerous and misleading arguments...that more guns in more hands will lead to increased personal and community safety. 

The facts are clear: 

Owning a gun puts you at heightened risk for gun violence

Armed citizens rarely successfully intervene to stop an active shooter

Only a small percentage of mass shootings occur in locations where guns are prohibited

Gun laws are effective at reducing gun violence

Read the full article here. 

If you want to get involved in policy change to enact common sense gun laws, join SCY and the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition in asking our Illinois State Representatives to pass the Gun Dealer Licensing Act (SB1657). Take action today! 

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If we can license barber shops, we can license gun dealers. I’m standing with the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, state legislators and advocates to urge @govrauner to sign the Gun Dealer Licensing Bill Today. 🖋#signSB1657 #ouronejob @nogunviolence 📷: Brooke Collins http://ift.tt/2Ild4eN

[instapicsil2]

Gov. Rauner has our gun safety bill sitting on his desk. He needs to hear from all of us to sign it. Will you send him a message to sign the Gun Dealer Licensing Act now?” http://ift.tt/2Gba3gs #OurOneJob #NeverAgain#SignSB1657 http://ift.tt/2Fw6Abc

[instapicsil3]

There is only ONE gun safety bill on the Governor’s desk. It is #OurOneJob to keep kids safe, and it’s his one job to sign Gun Dealer Licensing. Join us in asking Governor Rauner to #SignSB1657 at http://ift.tt/2Gba3gs http://ift.tt/2FtnneS

[instapicsil2]

There is only ONE gun safety bill on the Governor’s desk. It is #OurOneJob to keep kids safe, and it’s his one job to sign Gun Dealer Licensing. Join us in asking Governor Rauner to #SignSB1657 at http://ift.tt/2Gba3gs http://ift.tt/2FtnneS

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#Repost @nogunviolence with @get_repost ・・・ Mary Kay Mace, mother of NIU shooting victim Ryann Mace, talking at the @momsdemand rally here in Springfield, talking on the need for common sense gun legislation. #NeverAgain #NIU #NoGunViolence #OurOneJob #twill @bradybuzz http://ift.tt/2FGURrb

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Mary Kay Mace, mother of NIU shooting victim Ryann Mace, talking at the @momsdemand rally here in Springfield, talking on the need for common sense gun legislation. #NeverAgain #NIU #NoGunViolence #OurOneJob #twill @bradybuzz http://ift.tt/2F9CNZ0

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Mary Kay Mace, mother of NIU shooting victim Ryann Mace, talking at the @momsdemand rally here in Springfield, talking on the need for common sense gun legislation. #NeverAgain #NIU #NoGunViolence #OurOneJob #twill @bradybuzz http://ift.tt/2F9CNZ0

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Thrilled to join the Chicago Women Take Action Alliance at the Women’s Gubernatorial Forum! #ILGov18 #WomensAgenda #OurOneJob #ilgvp http://ift.tt/2iIXldR

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Thrilled to join the Chicago Women Take Action Alliance at the Women’s Gubernatorial Forum! #ILGov18 #WomensAgenda #OurOneJob #ilgvp http://ift.tt/2iIXldR