Introduction
Over 3.2 million Illinois residents experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes. Fortunately, many victims survive these traumatic events; however, Illinois reported 402 domestic violence homicides from 2011 to 2020 (excluding 2018 and 2019), 43% of whom died by firearms. An abuser’s access to firearms can determine a victim’s chances of survival; domestic violence firearm prohibitions and removal laws save lives.
Illinois requires individuals to have a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (“FOID card”) to purchase or possess firearms and ammunition. A FOID card may be denied to or revoked from persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence. A FOID card shall be denied to or revoked from a person subject to an existing order of protection. Additionally, a court issuing an emergency, interim or final order of protection may prohibit the subject of such order from possessing a firearm. If a court issuing an interim order of protection or final order of protection prohibits possession of firearms, the court shall also order the removal of any FOID card in the possession of the subject of the order and any firearm in the possession of the subject of the order.
