Don't waste chance to act on gun violence

There is always a time for thoughts and prayers when tragedy strikes, but on the heels of the horrific gun violence that struck the community of Parkland, Florida, now is a time for action.

Every day, we fail to take meaningful steps to stop guns from ending up in the hands of criminals and those seeking to do harm is another day that our communities live in fear.

If the events of the past two weeks have taught us anything, it's that no neighborhood, no city and no school are immune from the dangers of gun violence. We owe it to our young people as well as the honorable men and women in law enforcement to stand up to the gun lobby and actually do something to prevent illegal guns from hitting our streets.

Lawmakers in Springfield were scheduled to vote today on The Gun Dealer Licensing Act (SB 1657), which would institute vital safety measures for federally licensed gun dealers and stop illegal gun trafficking at its most direct source - gun shops. This bill already has the bipartisan support of lawmakers and the voters across Illinois. We cannot afford to waste this moment. This is our opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and families across our state, and to back up our thoughts and prayers with legislation that will let them know how important their lives are to us.

Kay E. Hammer

Downers Grove