SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Advocates for gun control have renewed their push to require Illinois firearm stores to get state licenses, saying federal regulations don’t go far enough to ensure sales are handled properly.
The Chicago Tribune reports that the state Senate last year advanced legislation to license gun dealers, but it stalled in the House due to opposition from gun rights groups.
The groups argued that licensing would increase the price of purchasing a firearm by as much as $300. To calm those fears, Democrats in the Senate advanced companion legislation on Wednesday to limit the cost of licensing fees to $1,000 for a five-year period.
Lawmakers are revisiting the measure in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 people were killed and others were wounded.
