Springfield, IL. (ECWd) –
Illinois State Senator Ann Gillespie recently introduced a Bill to essentially eliminate or make it extremely hard to offer firearms prizes for Poker Runs and Raffles for organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Political Committees, and other nonprofits that may have been relying on those raffles to continue operating.
SB4224, Sponsored by Gillespie would prohibit anyone but a licensed firearms dealer from obtaining a Raffle License.
“Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Raffles and Poker Runs Act. Prohibits the State Board of Elections and the governing body of any county or municipality from issuing a license under the Act to a person that will offer a firearm as a prize at a poker run or raffle, unless that person is a certified licensee under the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act. Limits home rule powers. Defines “firearm”.”
The Raffles and Poker Runs Act already puts restrictions on who may or may not obtain a license, and each organization we have found raffling firearms requires the winners to redeem their winning prize(s) at a firearms dealer, and prove they are authorized to possess firearms.
