FOID delays causing problems
Friday, Oct 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Capitol News Illinois…
Despite a temporary rule that extends the expiration dates for Firearm Owners Identification cards and concealed carry permits, many Illinois gun owners are still finding it difficult to buy weapons and ammunition.
That was one of the issues that came up Wednesday during a meeting of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a legislative body that oversees the state’s regulatory processes.
“The problem that that a lot of my constituents are having is firearms dealers and businesses are not accepting the FOID cards that are expired, even though they know … that the state of Illinois has said, hey, they’re still good beyond the expiration date,” state Sen. Paul Schimpf, R-Waterloo, said during the hearing.
Schimpf was speaking to officials from the Illinois State Police, which recently renewed an emergency rule first adopted in April that extends the expiration date of FOID cards and concealed carry permits by 12 months, as long as the permit holder submits a renewal application. On Sept. 3, the agency extended that rule to 18 months.
* Center Square…
ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson said it’s been months for some and “a right delayed is a right denied.”
“This is a right, whether people like it or not,” he said. “It’s in the Bill of Rights and it is a fundamental right and you’re denying these people their fundamental rights because you’re delaying them.”
With tens of thousands of backlogged FOID and concealed carry cards, some consumers have reported they can’t buy guns and ammunition. That’s despite ISP filing an emergency rule to make expired cards valid during the pandemic and for 12 months after. However, some retailers won’t accept expired cards.
“The ISP Firearms Services Bureau encourages FOID cardholders and CCL holders to keep a copy of their confirmation from their submitted renewal application as additional verification of compliance,” ISP spokesperson Mindy Carroll said.
But it’s not just brick-and-mortar stores that may deny a sale in the case of an expired card. Pearson said some may be out of luck online too.
“They can’t get it locally and so they have to try to order [from an internet retailer] and they can’t get it because they don’t have a valid FOID,” he said.
- RNUG - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 6:53 am:
Yep. Mrs RNUG has been waiting several months for her renewal. Mine is still valid for several years, so I can still make purchases.
- DuPage Guy - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 8:13 am:
Saw an article by Reuters yesterday that Illinois is number one in the nation for background checks for guns with 5.6 million through September this year, which is double the next nearest state. Lat years total was 4.9 million.
- It's Real - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 8:14 am:
I’ve been monitoring my new application submitted on 6/02/20 and it still is under review. They are definitely overwhelmed.
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 8:25 am:
Repeal 2A. Then you won’t have to wait.
- Late to the party - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 9:13 am:
I recently tried to purchase ammunition online with hunting season upon us. My FOID is still valid, but I was unable to purchase from many retailers. They just don’t want the hassle of dealing with the Illinois FOID system. Eventually I was able to buy what I needed but it took a lot of time and many rejections with alerts popping up stating “Due to restrictions we are unable to ship to that address, please remove the highlighted item from your cart and continue to check out”. Get rid of the FOID system, it is just an extra hassle on those of us that are trying to stay on the right side of the law. Sportsmen in Illinois have been targeted enough already, the $100 increase on our boat trailer license plates, the requirement that give our social security number for our hunting and fishing licenses, All of the additional permission stamps that we are required to purchase for those licenses. When does it end?
- thisjustinagain - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 9:31 am:
Precinct Captain - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 8:25 am:
Repeal 2A. Then you won’t have to wait.
No, that would remove the right to keep and bear arms, and we won’t follow the Democratic playbook.
Actually the FOID Act should be repealed, and court cases are reviewing its constitutionality.
But I’m sure all the criminals obey the FOID Act and other laws, because they don’t want to get in any trouble…./snark.
- walker - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 9:35 am:
The ISRA should spend some time and money educating the retailers and traders on what they can and cannot accept during this period.
- SOIL M - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 9:39 am:
Late to the party—I have had good luck with Bulkammo, and Buds Gun Shop both, have been told ammoseek is great to but haven’t used it yet. Bulkammo and Buds both required a scanned copy of FOID and Drivers License for the first order, and keep them on file for future orders. You might try them. There in stock supply changes daily so if they dont have what you are looking for, keep checking back.
- Jocko - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 9:41 am:
For all those angry over the delays, I take it you will (or have) voted for the Fair Tax amendment to provide additional revenue to hire more staff.
- fs - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 9:48 am:
== For all those angry over the delays, I take it you will (or have) voted for the Fair Tax amendment to provide additional revenue to hire more staff.==
They have more than enough money with revenue from the cards. They just refuse to prioritize foid division. They said over a year ago that they were “in the process” of hiring more. It’s all lip service. It wouldn’t shock me in the least if they’re using the shut down as an excuse to slow walk things to help push their “need” for increased foid fees.
They don’t need increased fees, they need to either do away with the physical card or simply make it a lifetime card and do away with renewals.
- Moderate - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 9:59 am:
Honestly mine expires in Aug. 2021. I wonder if I should go ahead and try to renew it now. I’m more concerned with it expiring while I own the pistol that I have. I’m less concerned about buying another gun or more ammo.
- BullfrogVino - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 10:05 am:
I submitted mine on May 31 and it was approved Sep 22. So it was about 4 months.
- MOON - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 10:17 am:
BULLFROG
What address did you use for mailing in your application/
See my 9:38 entry. Please help, thanks.
- Bruce( no not him) - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 10:24 am:
“Honestly mine expires in Aug. 2021. I wonder if I should go ahead and try to renew it now”
Unless it has changed, the website won’t allow you to do anything till its less than 90(?) days till it expires.
- dan l - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 10:30 am:
//“The problem that that a lot of my constituents are having is firearms dealers and businesses are not accepting the FOID cards that are expired, even though they know … that the state of Illinois has said, hey, they’re still good beyond the expiration date,” state Sen. Paul Schimpf, R-Waterloo, said during the hearing.//
Maybe. But honestly, the problem isn’t getting people to accept your FOID, it’s straight up product availability. Of course, if you talk to average gun store guy, who’s been right about to leave Illinois cuz tyranny for the last 15 years you’re going to get a different answer.
- Friend of the Family - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 10:32 am:
Yes, still waiting for CCL renewal. But, I sent in my renewal in February, several weeks prior to expiration.
- Annonin' - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 10:35 am:
“some retailers won’t accept expired cards.” Maybe the 2A whacks need help with a protest? Perhaps they should ring up BLM or AOC or the riflemen from MI to knock some sense in these retailers
- Odysseus - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 11:13 am:
This situation is completely unacceptable. Hire people until the service times are sane.
- JS Mill - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 11:17 am:
Applied for my sons first FOID card July, 2nd. Nothing yet. I hope it comes soon. When I renewed mine the summer of 2019 I received my new card in less than 2 months. Kind of a spotty issue.
- Matt B - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 11:30 am:
And yet the Fix the FOID bill would have inexplicably halved the term of the cards, dramatically increasing the renewals processed and exacerbated this problem… With no public safety benefit as background checks are run daily on the cardholders not just at time of renewal.
And yes I’m voting for the fair tax amendment.
- Nagidam - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 11:39 am:
I believe the system is self funded meaning the fees pay for the regulation so no state tax dollars are used. I also remember a post a year or so ago on this site talking about how the state swept the funds in the system. When the courts strike down this law someday ISP And the administration will only be able to blame themselves.
- don the legend - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 11:56 am:
==This situation is completely unacceptable. Hire people until the service times are sane.==
Do you support a fee increase for the FOID card renewal to pay for the increased personnel costs?
- FormerParatrooper - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 12:05 pm:
Has anyone forgotten the 32 million collected from FOID and CCW fees that were swept out of the system and placed in the general fund? That money should have been used for the FOID/CCW system. Money firearm owners paid for exercising a right.
I wonder how much that would helped with modernizing the system and hiring personnel? So don’t ask or demand fee increases, we paid more than our fair share.
- Nagidam - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 12:11 pm:
@don the legend
Found the post from a year ago. There is no need for a fee increase. Stop sweeping the fees that have already been paid into the system. Use the money and hire people to adequately run the system.
https://capitolfax.com/2019/12/10/lru-finds-millions-diverted-from-or-not-spent-by-gun-related-fund/
- fs - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 12:30 pm:
The foid division had plenty of staffing years ago, and the staffing level was gutted under Blago and Quinn. Since then the firearms division has gotten more funding through ccl and a change to renewal allocations where they get all of that fee instead of conservation getting a chunk of it. Money has gone up, staffing hasn’t. Trying to fill positions isn’t about money, as much as it is the crazy hoops needed to fill positions. They never mention that in their plea for more fees. Money is an easy excuse, but it’s not an honest one.
They also forget to mention all of the additional responsibilities that they keep adding the firearm services (dealer licensing). But do so without prioritizing adding staff.
Do away renewals, scrap the pointless dealer licensing, allow them to actually hire back to old staffing levels, and a lot of this is fixable.
- Winderweezle - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 1:28 pm:
At bare minimum I would like to see foid and isp disassociated, if even in name only.
Foid creates the kind of resentment that is going to get some poor 22 year old newly minted trooper hurt or killed. People hate foid and they take it out on isp employees who have absolutely nothing to do with it and are just trying to get through their work day.
The only impression some citizens have ever had of isp is the foid section and it probably isn’t a good one.
- Elmer Keith - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 1:33 pm:
“Has anyone forgotten the 32 million collected from FOID and CCW fees that were swept out of the system and placed in the general fund? That money should have been used for the FOID/CCW system.” Totally correct statement here. What you’re not taking into account is that Richard Pearson and the old mummies at ISRA are losers, that’s what they do. Pre-emptive capitulation is their specialty. This type of thing gives them a job so they can send out fundraising alerts.
Back in the runup to Rep. Brandon Phelps’ concealed carry bill, from 2010 through 2013 when it passed, Pearson and NRA contract lobbyist Todd Vandermyde deliberately set the CCL fee at $150, as part of their groveling to the IL State Police, so the cop unions wouldn’t oppose the carry bill. The ISP never supported Phelps’ bill, they were neutral. Seven years later the gun hicks have now figured out that police unions are not “on the same side” as “law abiding gun owners.” Losers lose, as always.
- don the legend - Friday, Oct 16, 20 @ 3:27 pm:
So Rauner’s administration swept the funds. Thanks.