Bill Text: IL HB3994 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the unlawful use of weapons violation prohibiting a person from selling, manufacturing, purchasing, possessing, or carrying a rifle having one or more barrels less than 16 inches in length does not apply to a rifle with a barrel or barrels less than 16 inches in length if the overall length of the weapon as modified is less than 26 inches and the person selling, manufacturing, purchasing, or possessing such a rifle has been issued a Dealer in Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices license or a Manufacturer of Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices license from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-27 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB3994 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-HB3994-Introduced.html

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99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2015 and 2016 HB3994 Introduced , by Rep. Joe Sosnowski SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
720 ILCS 5/24-2
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the unlawful use of weapons violation prohibiting a person from selling, manufacturing, purchasing, possessing, or carrying a rifle having one or more barrels less than 16 inches in length does not apply to a rifle with a barrel or barrels less than 16 inches in length if the overall length of the weapon as modified is less than 26 inches and the person selling, manufacturing, purchasing, or possessing such a rifle has been issued a Dealer in Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices license or a Manufacturer of Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices license from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Effective immediately.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning criminal law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by changing
Section 24-2 as follows:
(720 ILCS 5/24-2)
Sec. 24-2. Exemptions.
(a) Subsections 24-1(a)(3), 24-1(a)(4), 24-1(a)(10), and
24-1(a)(13) and Section 24-1.6 do not apply to or affect any of
the following:
(1) Peace officers, and any person summoned by a peace
officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the
peace, while actually engaged in assisting such officer.
(2) Wardens, superintendents and keepers of prisons,
penitentiaries, jails and other institutions for the
detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense,
while in the performance of their official duty, or while
commuting between their homes and places of employment.
(3) Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of
the United States or the Illinois National Guard or the
Reserve Officers Training Corps, while in the performance
of their official duty.
(4) Special agents employed by a railroad or a public

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utility to perform police functions, and guards of armored
car companies, while actually engaged in the performance of
the duties of their employment or commuting between their
homes and places of employment; and watchmen while actually
engaged in the performance of the duties of their
employment.
(5) Persons licensed as private security contractors,
private detectives, or private alarm contractors, or
employed by an agency certified by the Department of
Financial and Professional Regulation, if their duties
include the carrying of a weapon under the provisions of
the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security,
Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004, while
actually engaged in the performance of the duties of their
employment or commuting between their homes and places of
employment, provided that such commuting is accomplished
within one hour from departure from home or place of
employment, as the case may be. A person shall be
considered eligible for this exemption if he or she has
completed the required 20 hours of training for a private
security contractor, private detective, or private alarm
contractor, or employee of a licensed agency and 20 hours
of required firearm training, and has been issued a firearm
control card by the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation. Conditions for the renewal of
firearm control cards issued under the provisions of this

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Section shall be the same as for those cards issued under
the provisions of the Private Detective, Private Alarm,
Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of
2004. The firearm control card shall be carried by the
private security contractor, private detective, or private
alarm contractor, or employee of the licensed agency at all
times when he or she is in possession of a concealable
weapon.
(6) Any person regularly employed in a commercial or
industrial operation as a security guard for the protection
of persons employed and private property related to such
commercial or industrial operation, while actually engaged
in the performance of his or her duty or traveling between
sites or properties belonging to the employer, and who, as
a security guard, is a member of a security force of at
least 5 persons registered with the Department of Financial
and Professional Regulation; provided that such security
guard has successfully completed a course of study,
approved by and supervised by the Department of Financial
and Professional Regulation, consisting of not less than 40
hours of training that includes the theory of law
enforcement, liability for acts, and the handling of
weapons. A person shall be considered eligible for this
exemption if he or she has completed the required 20 hours
of training for a security officer and 20 hours of required
firearm training, and has been issued a firearm control

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card by the Department of Financial and Professional
Regulation. Conditions for the renewal of firearm control
cards issued under the provisions of this Section shall be
the same as for those cards issued under the provisions of
the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security,
Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. The firearm
control card shall be carried by the security guard at all
times when he or she is in possession of a concealable
weapon.
(7) Agents and investigators of the Illinois
Legislative Investigating Commission authorized by the
Commission to carry the weapons specified in subsections
24-1(a)(3) and 24-1(a)(4), while on duty in the course of
any investigation for the Commission.
(8) Persons employed by a financial institution for the
protection of other employees and property related to such
financial institution, while actually engaged in the
performance of their duties, commuting between their homes
and places of employment, or traveling between sites or
properties owned or operated by such financial
institution, provided that any person so employed has
successfully completed a course of study, approved by and
supervised by the Department of Financial and Professional
Regulation, consisting of not less than 40 hours of
training which includes theory of law enforcement,
liability for acts, and the handling of weapons. A person

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shall be considered to be eligible for this exemption if he
or she has completed the required 20 hours of training for
a security officer and 20 hours of required firearm
training, and has been issued a firearm control card by the
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Conditions for renewal of firearm control cards issued
under the provisions of this Section shall be the same as
for those issued under the provisions of the Private
Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint
Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Such firearm control
card shall be carried by the person so trained at all times
when such person is in possession of a concealable weapon.
For purposes of this subsection, "financial institution"
means a bank, savings and loan association, credit union or
company providing armored car services.
(9) Any person employed by an armored car company to
drive an armored car, while actually engaged in the
performance of his duties.
(10) Persons who have been classified as peace officers
pursuant to the Peace Officer Fire Investigation Act.
(11) Investigators of the Office of the State's
Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor authorized by the board of
governors of the Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate
Prosecutor to carry weapons pursuant to Section 7.06 of the
State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Act.
(12) Special investigators appointed by a State's

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Attorney under Section 3-9005 of the Counties Code.
(12.5) Probation officers while in the performance of
their duties, or while commuting between their homes,
places of employment or specific locations that are part of
their assigned duties, with the consent of the chief judge
of the circuit for which they are employed, if they have
received weapons training according to requirements of the
Peace Officer and Probation Officer Firearm Training Act.
(13) Court Security Officers while in the performance
of their official duties, or while commuting between their
homes and places of employment, with the consent of the
Sheriff.
(13.5) A person employed as an armed security guard at
a nuclear energy, storage, weapons or development site or
facility regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
who has completed the background screening and training
mandated by the rules and regulations of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission.
(14) Manufacture, transportation, or sale of weapons
to persons authorized under subdivisions (1) through
(13.5) of this subsection to possess those weapons.
(a-5) Subsections 24-1(a)(4) and 24-1(a)(10) do not apply
to or affect any person carrying a concealed pistol, revolver,
or handgun and the person has been issued a currently valid
license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act at the time of
the commission of the offense.

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(b) Subsections 24-1(a)(4) and 24-1(a)(10) and Section
24-1.6 do not apply to or affect any of the following:
(1) Members of any club or organization organized for
the purpose of practicing shooting at targets upon
established target ranges, whether public or private, and
patrons of such ranges, while such members or patrons are
using their firearms on those target ranges.
(2) Duly authorized military or civil organizations
while parading, with the special permission of the
Governor.
(3) Hunters, trappers or fishermen with a license or
permit while engaged in hunting, trapping or fishing.
(4) Transportation of weapons that are broken down in a
non-functioning state or are not immediately accessible.
(5) Carrying or possessing any pistol, revolver, stun
gun or taser or other firearm on the land or in the legal
dwelling of another person as an invitee with that person's
permission.
(c) Subsection 24-1(a)(7) does not apply to or affect any
of the following:
(1) Peace officers while in performance of their
official duties.
(2) Wardens, superintendents and keepers of prisons,
penitentiaries, jails and other institutions for the
detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense.
(3) Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of

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the United States or the Illinois National Guard, while in
the performance of their official duty.
(4) Manufacture, transportation, or sale of machine
guns to persons authorized under subdivisions (1) through
(3) of this subsection to possess machine guns, if the
machine guns are broken down in a non-functioning state or
are not immediately accessible.
(5) Persons licensed under federal law to manufacture
any weapon from which 8 or more shots or bullets can be
discharged by a single function of the firing device, or
ammunition for such weapons, and actually engaged in the
business of manufacturing such weapons or ammunition, but
only with respect to activities which are within the lawful
scope of such business, such as the manufacture,
transportation, or testing of such weapons or ammunition.
This exemption does not authorize the general private
possession of any weapon from which 8 or more shots or
bullets can be discharged by a single function of the
firing device, but only such possession and activities as
are within the lawful scope of a licensed manufacturing
business described in this paragraph.
During transportation, such weapons shall be broken
down in a non-functioning state or not immediately
accessible.
(6) The manufacture, transport, testing, delivery,
transfer or sale, and all lawful commercial or experimental

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activities necessary thereto, of rifles, shotguns, and
weapons made from rifles or shotguns, or ammunition for
such rifles, shotguns or weapons, where engaged in by a
person operating as a contractor or subcontractor pursuant
to a contract or subcontract for the development and supply
of such rifles, shotguns, weapons or ammunition to the
United States government or any branch of the Armed Forces
of the United States, when such activities are necessary
and incident to fulfilling the terms of such contract.
The exemption granted under this subdivision (c)(6)
shall also apply to any authorized agent of any such
contractor or subcontractor who is operating within the
scope of his employment, where such activities involving
such weapon, weapons or ammunition are necessary and
incident to fulfilling the terms of such contract.
(7) A person possessing a rifle with a barrel or
barrels less than 16 inches in length if the overall length
of the weapon as modified is less than 26 inches and:
(A) the person purchasing or possessing such a
rifle has been issued a Curios and Relics license from
the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives; or
(B) the person purchasing or possessing such a
rifle is an active member of a bona fide, nationally
recognized military re-enacting group and the
modification is required and necessary to accurately

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portray the weapon for historical re-enactment
purposes; the re-enactor is in possession of a valid
and current re-enacting group membership credential;
or
(C) the person selling, manufacturing, purchasing,
or possessing such a rifle has been issued a Dealer in
Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices license or a
Manufacturer of Firearms Other Than Destructive
Devices license from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the overall
length of the weapon as modified is not less than 26
inches.
(d) Subsection 24-1(a)(1) does not apply to the purchase,
possession or carrying of a black-jack or slung-shot by a peace
officer.
(e) Subsection 24-1(a)(8) does not apply to any owner,
manager or authorized employee of any place specified in that
subsection nor to any law enforcement officer.
(f) Subsection 24-1(a)(4) and subsection 24-1(a)(10) and
Section 24-1.6 do not apply to members of any club or
organization organized for the purpose of practicing shooting
at targets upon established target ranges, whether public or
private, while using their firearms on those target ranges.
(g) Subsections 24-1(a)(11) and 24-3.1(a)(6) do not apply
to:
(1) Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of

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the United States or the Illinois National Guard, while in
the performance of their official duty.
(2) Bonafide collectors of antique or surplus military
ordinance.
(3) Laboratories having a department of forensic
ballistics, or specializing in the development of
ammunition or explosive ordinance.
(4) Commerce, preparation, assembly or possession of
explosive bullets by manufacturers of ammunition licensed
by the federal government, in connection with the supply of
those organizations and persons exempted by subdivision
(g)(1) of this Section, or like organizations and persons
outside this State, or the transportation of explosive
bullets to any organization or person exempted in this
Section by a common carrier or by a vehicle owned or leased
by an exempted manufacturer.
(g-5) Subsection 24-1(a)(6) does not apply to or affect
persons licensed under federal law to manufacture any device or
attachment of any kind designed, used, or intended for use in
silencing the report of any firearm, firearms, or ammunition
for those firearms equipped with those devices, and actually
engaged in the business of manufacturing those devices,
firearms, or ammunition, but only with respect to activities
that are within the lawful scope of that business, such as the
manufacture, transportation, or testing of those devices,
firearms, or ammunition. This exemption does not authorize the

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general private possession of any device or attachment of any
kind designed, used, or intended for use in silencing the
report of any firearm, but only such possession and activities
as are within the lawful scope of a licensed manufacturing
business described in this subsection (g-5). During
transportation, these devices shall be detached from any weapon
or not immediately accessible.
(g-6) Subsections 24-1(a)(4) and 24-1(a)(10) and Section
24-1.6 do not apply to or affect any parole agent or parole
supervisor who meets the qualifications and conditions
prescribed in Section 3-14-1.5 of the Unified Code of
Corrections.
(g-7) Subsection 24-1(a)(6) does not apply to a peace
officer while serving as a member of a tactical response team
or special operations team. A peace officer may not personally
own or apply for ownership of a device or attachment of any
kind designed, used, or intended for use in silencing the
report of any firearm. These devices shall be owned and
maintained by lawfully recognized units of government whose
duties include the investigation of criminal acts.
(g-10) Subsections 24-1(a)(4), 24-1(a)(8), and
24-1(a)(10), and Sections 24-1.6 and 24-3.1 do not apply to an
athlete's possession, transport on official Olympic and
Paralympic transit systems established for athletes, or use of
competition firearms sanctioned by the International Olympic
Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, the

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International Shooting Sport Federation, or USA Shooting in
connection with such athlete's training for and participation
in shooting competitions at the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic
Games and sanctioned test events leading up to the 2016 Olympic
and Paralympic Games.
(h) An information or indictment based upon a violation of
any subsection of this Article need not negative any exemptions
contained in this Article. The defendant shall have the burden
of proving such an exemption.
(i) Nothing in this Article shall prohibit, apply to, or
affect the transportation, carrying, or possession, of any
pistol or revolver, stun gun, taser, or other firearm consigned
to a common carrier operating under license of the State of
Illinois or the federal government, where such transportation,
carrying, or possession is incident to the lawful
transportation in which such common carrier is engaged; and
nothing in this Article shall prohibit, apply to, or affect the
transportation, carrying, or possession of any pistol,
revolver, stun gun, taser, or other firearm, not the subject of
and regulated by subsection 24-1(a)(7) or subsection 24-2(c) of
this Article, which is unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm
carrying box, shipping box, or other container, by the
possessor of a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card.
(Source: P.A. 97-465, eff. 8-22-11; 97-676, eff. 6-1-12;
97-936, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1010, eff. 1-1-13; 98-63, eff. 7-9-13;
98-463, eff. 8-16-13; 98-725, eff. 1-1-15.)

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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.