Goal of new law is to prevent violence

After reading a recent Daily Herald editorial, I realized there is still some misunderstanding regarding Senate Bill 940.

The Herald has admitted that (in part) the premise of its argument was based in error, as the bill became state law in early fall of last year.

It has been very diligent in correcting this error, and I appreciate the opportunity to share these facts with you about a law editorialized favorably by another major Chicago-area newspaper.

I think a discussion about the aftermath of the Northern Illinois University shooting is definitely in order and will serve to be very productive for future health and safety measures.

The bill I sponsored last year was not a knee-jerk reaction to the recent school shooting, but instead was a well-thought-out, bipartisan policy, which passed after the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

After working with both sides of the aisle, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, law enforcement officials, and those in the mental health field, we strengthened current law to streamline and ensure timely reporting of those who could be a danger to themselves and others.

SB 940, which takes effect June 1, requires that all Illinois inpatient and outpatient mental health facilities report to law enforcement on a weekly basis about individuals who pose a real and immediate threat to themselves and people around them.

This requirement will give our state police another violence prevention tool by stopping potentially dangerous people from securing an Illinois Firearm Owner's Identification card and buying guns.

There are several ways to streamline communication between law enforcement and mental health agencies, but we took a very meticulous approach to protect the rights of individuals while offering an additional way to reduce the number of gun deaths and injuries.

We needlessly lost six lives at Northern Illinois University, and the tragedy of this event and others across our country have shaken us all to the very core. I will remain vigilant in preventing gun violence, and I will continue to do whatever it takes to protect the safety of all our families.

State Sen. Dan Kotowski

Park Ridge