Over 80,000 Illinois people banned from owning guns still keep them, report shows

By JOHN O’CONNOR
AP Political Writer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — In Illinois, 114,000 people are banned from owning guns because of legal tangles or mental health issues. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart will issue a report Thursday showing that three-quarters of them have not surrendered their firearms. The Democratic sheriff is seeking $10 million from state lawmakers to tackle what he calls in naming the report “A Firearm Regulation Crisis.” The money would train and equip more door-knocking officers to retrieve or ensure the safe storage of weapons from those who have had their state Firearm Owners Identification cards rescinded. Democratic Rep. Bob Morgan has introduced legislation that would increase the fee on gun purchases or transfers from $2 to $10 to fuel revocation enforcement.