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Open Telephone Voting on Cook County Gun Control Ordinances

The Cook County Board of Commissioners is conducting a telephone poll where callers can vote for or against gun control ordinances that would close all gun shops in the county, including the recently opened Cabela's sporting goods store in Hoffman Estates—a store whose customer base extends into Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. If the proposed ordinances pass, it will adversely affect the entire community. Several hundred jobs will be lost affecting thousands of family members in the Chicago area and millions in tax revenue for the county and state will disappear.

Here's how you can vote:

• Call 1-312-603-6400 and select Option #1 when prompted.
• At the next prompt, select Option #1 again.
• Then, when prompted to vote on the gun control ordinance, press #2.

Bullet Serialization Bills Defeated in Committee Vote

The firearms industry notched another significant legislative victory in Illinois with the defeat of three bullet serialization bills (HB4259, HB4269 and HB4349) that were heard today in the House Executive Committee.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association of the firearms and ammunition industry, has spent much of the last month in state houses across the country combating the flawed technology known as bullet serialization -- the process by which each individual round of ammunition is identified and marked with a laser-engraved serial number.

Once again, NSSF, by cultivating a strong grassroots force of sportsmen and gun owners, along with solid support and testimony from major manufacturers, has experienced tremendous success in tackling the ammunition-banning legislation. Without the help of each and every gun owner, retailer and industry representative, the industry would be unable to add Illinois to the ever-growing list of successes.

This unduly burdensome legislation, which would result in a de facto ban on ammunition for any state implementing the technology, has been defeated in a total of five states: Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland and Mississippi.

NSSF will continue to monitor all firearms- and ammunition-related legislation at the federal, state and local levels of government and keep you informed.

More information on bullet serialization.

Cook County, Ill., Gun Stores and Sportsmen in Danger;
NSSF Urges All to Contact Commissioners

Cook County (Ill.) Commissioners Larry Suffredin and William Beavers, who just weeks ago introduced three ordinances that would shut down all gun stores in Cook County, including the recently opened Cabela's sporting goods store in Hoffman Estates -- a store whose customer base extends into Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan -- are showing no signs of letting up in their anti-industry/anti-gun crusade. In fact, Commissioner Suffredin, who is in a heated campaign for Cook County States Attorney, is touting his endorsement from the Brady Campaign and the promise of shutting down law-abiding firearms retailers.

If the proposed ordinances pass, it will adversely affect the entire community. Several hundred jobs will be lost affecting thousands of family members in the Chicago area, millions in tax revenue for the county and state will disappear and, of course, the second amendment rights of law-abiding citizens will be suppressed.

The Ordinances

The Deadly Weapon Dealers Ordinance, a proposal by Suffredin, would prohibit federally licensed firearms dealers from operating within 10 miles of one another and would ban all gun shows in the county. Further restrictions on where firearms retailers would be allowed to operate are predicated on proximity to schools and parks. Commissioner Suffredin was recently quoted as saying, "As a home rule unit, Cook County has the legal right to regulate where these establishments [gun stores] are allowed to operate. Chuck's Gun Shop is within one mile of a school which will not be allowed once this ordinance passes."

Also introduced as part of this anti-gun package of laws is the Safe Streets and Weapons Registration Ordinance, introduced by Beavers. This ordinance would require the registration of all firearms and firearms owners in Cook County. Closer examination of the proposed ordinance reveals an even more diabolical gun-control scheme -- as written, the ordinance would actually ban firearms in the county including any handgun without a loaded chamber indicator. Furthermore, the ordinance prohibits transporting a firearm in a vehicle unless the gun is completely disassembled into a "nonfunctioning state." This includes rifles that have already been sighted-in and revolvers that cannot be simply "broken down" into a nonfunctioning state.

No set date has been given for when these anti-gun proposals will be brought up for consideration. It is imperative that you ACT NOW! Please contact the Cook County Board of Commissioners immediately and urge them to OPPOSE these firearms-banning ordinances.