Illinois Lawmakers Approve Keeping FOID Database Private

Illinois lawmakers voted overwhelming Friday to bar the public from knowing who holds a firearm owner identification card, a victory for gun owners who say they have a right to privacy over open-government advocates who say such records should not be secret.

In a 42-1 vote, the Senate passed a measure overturning a ruling by Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office that said the names are public under the state’s open records law. It now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn, who said he agrees the information should remain confidential and will “act accordingly” after reviewing the legislation.

Madigan’s office issued the decree earlier this year after the Illinois State Police refused to release to The Associated Press the names of 1.3 million people who are registered to own firearms. The AP’s request set off howls of protests from gun owners and the state police, who said they feared criminals would use the information to steal guns or target those who aren’t armed.

“We’ve always felt that the intent of the FOID law was to keep everything private,” said Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association. “We have (privacy laws) for medical records … anything that could be used to do harm to the public should be kept secure.”

Read more at the Associated Press