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HB 2965

CRIM CD-LOST FIREARMS

104th Regular Session Introduced by Tracy Katz Muhl

The bill lets law enforcement issue fines ($500 first, $1,000 second) for recovered lost/stolen firearms, with forfeiture and FOID/concealed carry revocation for nonpayment or repe

Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 2965

Summary — HB 2965 (Criminal Code: Report of Lost or Stolen Firearms)

Bill reference: 720 ILCS 5/24‑4.1 (amendment)
Introduced: 02/06/2025 by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl
Current legislative status (in document): Introduced; referred to Rules Committee; assigned to Judiciary — Criminal Committee (3/04/2025)

Purpose

To strengthen reporting and consequences related to lost or stolen firearms by (1) creating an on‑the‑spot citation/fine regime when law enforcement recovers a firearm and identifies its prior possessor and (2) imposing administrative penalties (forfeiture of the firearm and revocation of Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) cards and concealed carry licenses) for certain failures to pay fines or repeated incidents.

Key provisions

  • Existing reporting requirement retained: A person with a valid FOID who loses a firearm or has it stolen must report the loss/theft to local law enforcement within 72 hours of learning of it; law enforcement must take a written report and enter the serial number into LEADS.
  • New subsection (c‑1):
    • If a law enforcement officer recovers a lost/stolen firearm and identifies the previous possessor, the agency must issue a citation with fines set at:
    • $500 for a first offense; and
    • $1,000 for a second offense.
    • If the offender fails to pay the fine, consequences include:
    • forfeiture of the lost/stolen firearm; and
    • revocation of the offender’s FOID card and concealed carry license (if issued).
    • After three lost or stolen firearms, the court shall revoke the person’s FOID card and concealed carry license (if issued).
    • A person whose FOID card or concealed carry license is revoked must surrender all firearms and the documents to local law enforcement.
    • Mitigating circumstances (including a timely report of a lost/stolen firearm) may be considered to reduce penalties.
  • Existing penalty framework preserved: under current Sec. 24‑4.1, a first violation is a petty offense and a second/subsequent offense is a Class A misdemeanor. The bill adds the administrative/fiscal citation pathway described above.

Who would be affected

  • Private firearm owners who hold FOID cards (and those with concealed carry licenses): increased risk of fines, forfeiture of firearms and loss of licenses for nonpayment or repeated incidents.
  • Local law enforcement: responsibilities to issue citations, process forfeitures, accept surrendered firearms and update LEADS.
  • Courts: potential increase in revocation proceedings and consideration of mitigating circumstances.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Public safety: may incentivize timely reporting and better firearm security practices.
  • Administrative burden: added duties for law enforcement and courts (citations, forfeiture processing, license revocations and surrenders).
  • Civil‑rights/ due‑process considerations: license revocation linked to nonpayment of fines or repeated losses; the bill allows consideration of mitigating circumstances.
  • Fiscal: fines create revenue; forfeiture/administrative processes may have cost/handling implications for agencies.

Notes on source document

The provided document also contains unrelated Arizona appropriations/environmental language (a separate HB 2965 in another state). The criminal‑law summary above is based on the Illinois text amending 720 ILCS 5/24‑4.1.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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