House votes down gun sale restriction

SPRINGFIELD -- Against the backdrop of the Virginia Tech massacre anniversary, Illinois House members on Wednesday voted down added gun restrictions here.

The proposal would have required that people wanting to sell or give guns to someone else would have to go to a licensed gun dealer and have a background check done. The provision was designed to crack down on private sales and transfers that are not subjected to background screenings.

The restriction -- which came two votes short of approval -- would have applied only to handguns. The vote was 58-58.

Supporters said the restriction is needed to reduce gun violence, particularly in Chicago.

"I know it's part of your culture maybe to buy your children their first gun or shotgun at the age of 7," state Rep. Deborah Graham, a Chicago Democrat, said to downstate critics. "But we're asking you to see how important this is to us."

Downstate members of both parties were not swayed.

State Rep. Chapin Rose, a Mahomet Republican, pointed out handguns are already illegal in Chicago.

"Lot of good it's done ya," he quipped.

How they voted

The Illinois House voted down legislation requiring all private gun sales and transfers to go through a licensed gun dealer for background checks. The vote was 58-58, but the provision needed 60 votes.

Local lawmakers voting "yes"

Linda Chapa-LaVia, Aurora Democrat; Fred Crespo, Hoffman Estates Democrat; Jack D. Franks, Woodstock Democrat; Paul Froehlich, Schaumburg Democrat; Carolyn H. Krause, Mount Prospect Republican; Patricia Reid Lindner, Aurora Republican; Sidney H. Mathias, Buffalo Grove Republican; Rosemary Mulligan, Des Plaines Republican; Ruth Munson, Elgin Republican; Elaine Nekritz, Northbrook Democrat; Kathleen A. Ryg, Vernon Hills Democrat

Local lawmakers voting "no"

Suzanne "Suzie" Bassi, Rolling Meadows Republican; Mark H. Beaubien Jr., Barrington Hills Republican; Robert A. "Bob" Biggins, Elmhurst Republican; Franco Coladipietro, Bloomingdale Republican; Sandy Cole, Grayslake Republican; Tom Cross, Oswego Republican (House Republican leader); Joe Dunn, Naperville Republican; Mike Fortner, West Chicago Republican; Brent Hassert, Romeoville Republican; James H. "Jim" Meyer, Naperville Republican; JoAnn Osmond, Antioch Republican; Sandra M. Pihos, Glen Ellyn Republican; Randy Ramey, Carol Stream Republican; Dennis Reboletti, Elmhurst Republican; Angelo "Skip" Saviano, Elmwood Park Republican; Timothy L. Schmitz, Batavia Republican; Ed Sullivan Jr., Mundelein Republican; Michael Tryon, Crystal Lake Republican

Not voting, absent

Eddie Washington, Waukegan Democrat

Source: House roll call, HB758