Chicago, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY) – As the 2026 legislative elections approach, the Gun Violence Prevention Action Committee (GVPAction) has released its 2025 Gun Safety Report Card, providing an evaluation of state lawmakers’ voting records on key gun safety legislation designed to protect Illinois communities from gun violence.
The report highlights the lawmakers who supported reforms aimed at preventing dangerous individuals from obtaining firearms, safeguarding children and at-risk individuals from gun access, and strengthening enforcement of existing gun laws. The results show a significant divide: 60% of legislators earned an A, while 30% failed to support common-sense safety reforms.
“Gun violence remains the leading cause of death for children and teens in America. We cannot sit idly by while the disastrous effects of gun violence continue to ravage Illinois families and communities,” said Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of GVPAction. “Our Gun Safety Report Card helps the public understand which lawmakers supported meaningful safety reforms and which lawmakers sided with the corporate gun lobby instead. The fight for an Illinois free from gun violence is far from over, but we are making progress.”
The report grades state legislators on an A-F scale based on their votes on eight key pieces of legislation aimed at improving public safety and reducing gun violence:
HB0850 Amendment to Senate Bill 8: Aims to increase public safety by making data on stolen firearms and ghost guns used in crimes publicly available and enhancing safeguards on Firearm Owner IDs (FOID) when there is a “clear and present danger.”
HB1373 eTrace Mandate: Requires law enforcement to use the federal ATF’s eTrace system for guns involved in illegal activity and mandates participation in a statewide firearm data-sharing program.
HB1710 Homicide Data: Mandates quarterly homicide data submission by the Illinois State Police, to be analyzed and published by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
HB4144 Karina’s Law: Prevents individuals under domestic violence protection orders from possessing firearms and allows for the seizure of firearms with proper procedures to protect law enforcement.
SB0008 Safe Storage Act: Requires firearms to be stored in a locked container to prevent access by minors or prohibited individuals, and mandates reporting of lost or stolen firearms within 48 hours
SB1899 FOID Education & Access for First-Time Offenders: Allows individuals in diversion programs to apply for a FOID card after successfully completing the program, assuming all other requirements are met.
SB2002 ISP Fund Consolidation: Revises how criminal and traffic violation fines are distributed to Illinois State Police funds, consolidating certain funds for greater efficiency.
GVPAction’s report is intended to inform voters ahead of the upcoming elections, providing them with a clear picture of their lawmakers’ positions on critical gun safety issues. The committee emphasized that, while progress has been made, much work remains to be done to ensure Illinois is a safer state for all.
For a detailed breakdown of each legislator’s grades and the full list of supported reforms, click here to view the 2025 Gun Safety Report Card.
