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from the St. Louis Post Dispatch
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...cument&Headline=House+OKs+gun+control+bill+++
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...cument&Headline=House+OKs+gun+control+bill+++
House OKs gun control bill
By ALEXA AGUILAR Post-Dispatch
updated: 05/28/2003 10:22 PM
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois House on Wednesday passed its first gun-control measure of the session, requiring nonlicensed dealers of firearms at Illinois gun shows to conduct criminal background checks on buyers.
The House also sent a bill to the governor requiring insurance plans to cover birth control devices and rejected a proposal to renew the Southwestern Illinois Development Authority's quick-take powers.
The gun-show bill passed 60-51. It would require nonlicensed dealers to call the Illinois State Police, who will then run a criminal background check on the potential buyer.
"On a fairgrounds or in a gymnasium, wherever they are having a gun show, nonlicensed dealers are sitting right next to licensed dealers," said state Rep. Harry Osterman, D-Chicago. "There's no difference other than one of them has to do an instant criminal background check, and the other can just view a FOID (Firearm Owner Identification) card and let the gun go."
Federal law calls for dealers to be licensed federally if gun dealing is their business; if the guns are being traded, or were inherited, or are part of collection, a federal license to sell is not required, Osterman said.
Osterman has been the sponsor of several gun control bills that have failed in the House this spring, mostly with the staunch opposition of Downstate Democrats, who contend that better enforcement of current gun laws is the answer to illegal gun use, not additional requirements.
Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Norris City, said that the three business days that police are allowed to do the check is an unfair burden on law-abiding gun purchasers.
Osterman responded in debate that in the last two years, only six of the 300,000 background checks conducted took the full three days to complete. Each background check will cost the nonlicensed dealer $2.
The bill, SB947, now goes back to the Senate.
Regarding other legislation:
Insurance companies will have to provide birth control coverage under the bill sent to the governor. In a 72-39 vote, House members voted to require policies to cover the costs of all contraceptive devices approved by the Federal Drug Administration to prevent pregnancy. The bill excludes abortion and sterilization procedures.
Opponents argue that the cost is too much for the state's insurance plans to shoulder, and additional requirements to private policies will raise premium costs.
Proponents say that preventing unplanned pregnancies will save the state millions.
The House narrowly rejected a measure that would give the Southwestern Illinois Development Authority quick-take authority, an accelerated form of "eminent domain" SWIDA uses to obtain land for commercial development. SWIDA was set up to spur economic development in the Metro East area.
Opponents question the concept of using the power to obtain land for private development, as opposed to the more traditional process of obtaining land for use by the government.
State Rep. Thomas Holbrook, D-Belleville, the bill's sponsor, said he plans to call the bill for another vote before Saturday, the planned day of adjournment.
SWIDA has been operating without quick-take powers since August and several projects are on hold until quick-take is restored, Holbrook said. The power must be renewed every two years. The bill is SB212
The House gave final approval to a bill that would require tongue splitting, a cosmetic procedure gaining popularity among the tattooed and pierced community, to be performed by medical professionals. The bill, HB3086, now goes to the governor.
Illinois undergraduate students enrolling in universities after the 2003-2004 academic year would be charged the same tuition for four continuous academic years after enrollment, under a bill that the House sent the governor on Wednesday. The bill is HB1118.
The Senate approved a bill that would require businesses to give back economic development money given to them by the state if the companies don't do what they have promised.
Citing "fundamental fairness," the House sponsor, state Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, said it only makes sense to make companies give back money they don't use for the intended purpose. Franks said large corporations are receiving tens of millions in grants aimed at job creation or economic development, and should be held accountable if they don't produce.
Opponents argue that the proposal is not business friendly and will discourage businesses from moving to Illinois. The bill, HB235, goes back to the House.
Reporter Alexa Aguilar:
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 217-782-4912
