REMINDER: Illinois State Police begin enforcement of handgun sales registry by dealers

A few months ago, we detailed how the Illinois State Police revealed in at least one “webinar” with licensed gun dealers that they intended to enforce the 2012 law “Section 24-4. Register of sales by dealer” under the Illinois Deadly Weapons statute.

The law requires gun dealers to record the date of the sale along with the name, address, age and occupation of the person to whom a handgun is sold/given. Furthermore, dealers must also record the price of the gun, the gun’s description and the purpose for which it is purchased.

Violation of this section is a Class B misdemeanor, and would also be a violation of the new Illinois Gun Dealer Licensing Act (GDLA). Violations of the new GDLA law are punishable with up to a $10,000 civil penalty for each violation.

We have heard from plenty of dealers, including a number who found themselves caught flat-footed but who immediately began collecting the required information.

We also heard from dealers who have been collecting the information and some of the fun customers have had with the law’s requirements.

Some customers have come up with seriously creative occupations, including “squirrel trainer,” “bikini inspector,” “drawbridge oiler,” and one lady wrote, “domestic supervisor.”

Under the purpose for buying the gun, some smart alecs have shared some of these reasons: “It wuz purdy,” “Kathleen Willis doesn’t want me to have one,” “It made me happy” and “I hate squirrels.”

So, for all of you customers: don’t give the shop owners or staff a hard time for collecting the answers the law demands. Instead, have fun making some lemonade out of lemons.

(720 ILCS 5/24-4) (from Ch. 38, par. 24-4)
Sec. 24-4. Register of sales by dealer.
(a) Any seller of firearms of a size which may be concealed upon the person, other than a manufacturer selling to a bona fide wholesaler or retailer or a wholesaler selling to a bona fide retailer, shall keep a register of all firearms sold or given away.
(b) Such register shall contain the date of the sale or gift, the name, address, age and occupation of the person to whom the weapon is sold or given, the price of the weapon, the kind, description and number of the weapon, and the purpose for which it is purchased and obtained.
(c) Such seller on demand of a peace officer shall produce for inspection the register and allow such peace officer to inspect such register and all stock on hand.
(d) Sentence.
Violation of this Section is a Class B misdemeanor.
(Source: P.A. 77-2638.)
[Emphasis added.]