Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 21 attorneys general filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit supporting the state of Minnesota’s ban on individuals under the age of 21 carrying firearms in public.
“Under our nation’s Constitution, individual states have the ability to enact commonsense restrictions that protect the public from gun violence,” Raoul said. “I will continue to work to protect our youth from the scourge of gun violence that has become all too common in too many communities.”
Raoul and the coalition explain the Second Amendment allows governments to enact sensible and varied regulations to protect the public, including age-based restrictions on the purchase, possession or use of firearms. Although regulations vary based on each state’s needs, virtually every state has imposed some form of age-based regulation on firearms, including 15 jurisdictions that have made the same decision that Minnesota has by instituting restrictions on the ability of individuals under the age of 21 from carrying firearms in public. In addition, at least 19 jurisdictions prohibit the sale of some or all firearms to those under 21 and at least 11 jurisdictions have set a minimum age of 21 to possess firearms.
The brief is the most recent step in Attorney General Raoul’s work to address gun violence throughout Illinois and across the nation. The Attorney General’s office works with state law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to increase awareness of Illinois’ red flag law and to address gaps in Illinois’ firearms licensing system. The office also continues to prosecute individuals who lie on FOID card applications. Additionally, Raoul proposed the Firearms Industry Responsibility Act in Illinois to hold the industry accountable, which was passed by the General Assembly and is awaiting final approval by the governor.
Nationally, Attorney General Raoul led a coalition to preserve states’ authority to bar individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders from accessing guns. He also led coalitions of attorneys general in filing briefs supporting state laws in New Jersey and New York to hold the firearms industry accountable. Raoul led coalitions of attorneys general supporting bans on carrying firearms in sensitive areas such as in schools, on public transit and in places of worship.
Attorney General Raoul has persistently advocated at the federal and state levels to strengthen regulation of 3D-printed guns and ghost guns. Illinois law now prohibits ghost guns, but the office continues to fight in federal court to help defend a recent rule closing the federal loophole. Additionally, Attorney General Raoul successfully filed and resolved a lawsuit to get the federal firearm license of an unscrupulous arms manufacturer revoked.
In addition to supporting law enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence, the Attorney General’s office supports victim service providers around Illinois that offer trauma-informed services for crime victims and their families. Raoul’s Crime Victims Services Division administers a host of programs and services to assist survivors of violent crime. More information is available on the Attorney General’s website.
Joining Raoul in filing the amicus brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
